CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) - ESPN Events announced the second year of the “Showdown at the Net”, set for September 8-9, which will feature 16 of the 18 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) volleyball programs taking on teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), including a neutral site event between four nationally recognized programs.
“We’re excited to once again partner with the SEC, ESPN, and Shriners Children’s for this premier conference volleyball event,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “After building strong momentum in our inaugural year, this event showcases elite programs while highlighting the continued growth and national appeal of women’s college volleyball. We look forward to the neutral-site matches at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, as well as the 14 matches that will take place on campuses.”
The neutral site event, named the Shiners Children’s “Showdown at the Net” volleyball tournament, will return on Wednesday, September 9. This year’s showcase will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – State Farm Fieldhouse in Kissimmee, Florida, featuring a doubleheader between nine-time NCAA champion Stanford versus defending national champion Texas A&M and five-time consecutive Final Four participant Pitt versus Tennessee, who has reached five straight NCAA Tournaments.
Pitt versus Tennessee will air at 7 p.m. ET, while Texas A&M versus Stanford will follow at 9:30 p.m. ET. Both matches will air on ESPN2.
The challenge series continues to spotlight the growth and national appeal of women’s college volleyball, bringing together elite competition in a prime time setting across ESPN platforms.
Times and networks for the 14 matches taking place on Tuesday, September 8, will be announced at a later time.
Tickets will go on sale in early May. In the meantime, fans can secure first access to the best seats by signing up for the event pre-sale at
www.showdownatthenet.com.
2026 'Showdown at the Net' Matchups
Tuesday, September 8
Oklahoma at Georgia Tech
Auburn at Florida State
Clemson at Ole Miss
NC State at LSU
Notre Dame at Georgia
Mississippi State at Wake Forest
California at South Carolina
Wednesday, September 9
Texas at SMU
North Carolina at Kentucky
Missouri at Louisville
Miami at Florida
Alabama at Virginia
Vanderbilt at Boston College
Arkansas at Syracuse
Shriner’s Children Showcase (Orlando, Florida)
Pitt vs. Tennessee | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Stanford vs. Texas A&M | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
About Shriners Children’s
Shriners Children’s is a leader in providing care for orthopedic conditions, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries and other spine disorders, rehabilitation, sports injuries and craniofacial conditions. We also offer specialized services, including orthotics and prosthetics and motion analysis. We strive to provide the care and support our patients need to reach their goals and discover their full potential. In addition, our healthcare system conducts research to improve our patients’ quality of life and offers outstanding educational programs for medical professionals. All care and services are provided regardless of the families’ ability to pay or insurance status.
Shriners Children’s is a nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. For more information, including the full range of care disciplines, please visit shrinerschildrens.org.