The final matches of the Big Ten season are upon us, with only a few left for each team, and the race for the No. 2 seed in the inaugural Big Ten tournament is tight. Really tight. The No. 1 seed is completely locked up... though technically there's still a chance that Nebraska could have a tie for the No. 1 seed, but let's be real, that seed is in the bag. So Wisconsin's ability to get the No. 2 seed is what matters.
Right now, the standings indicate that Oregon, Penn State, and Wisconsin are all tied at 12-3, with Purdue and Minnesota trying to chase these three down at 10-5. Wisconsin holds the tiebreaker over Oregon but doesn't have it over Penn State (with their recent loss to the Nittany Lions). This may end up mattering a lot.
Here's the remaining schedule for each of those three teams:
Oregon - UCLA and Washington.
Penn State - Illinois and Rutgers
Wisconsin - Ohio State and Northwestern
Oregon has the toughest opponents by a landslide. UCLA and Washington are both formidable opponents and NCAA Tournament teams. Oregon could lose to either of those or both, and it wouldn't be a major surprise.
Penn State will be on upset alert with Illinois and Wisconsin, and should theoretically cruise into the Big Ten Tournament with their remaining two matches. The Buckeyes are 4-11, and Northwestern is 1-14. However, you truly never know in Big Ten volleyball, but it should be 2-0.
This is why the final matches matter. If Wisconsin can go 2-0 and both Oregon and Penn State go 1-1, the Badgers will be the No. 2 seed. If Penn State also goes 2-0, they will get the No. 2 seed. If Oregon, Penn State, and Wisconsin all go 2-0, it will be seeded like this:
No. 2 Penn State
No. 3 Wisconsin
No. 4 Oregon (as the Ducks lost to both).
Why does the No. 2 seed matter?
This is the very first Big Ten volleyball tournament, and it adds a ton of extra spice to a growing sport. That No. 2 seed matters for a few important reasons, but mostly to help grow their resume a bit more. They will also receive a bye into the quarterfinals.
Receiving the two or three seeds also gives them a clearer shot at the Championship match and avoids Nebraska until then. That four seed would put them in a position to play Nebraska in their second match of the tournament. It might help to see it; here's a look at what the tournament looks like with two games to go:
If the Big Ten Volleyball season ended today, here's how the FIRST Volleyball tournament would look:
— Badger of Honor (@BadgerOfHonorFS) November 13, 2026
2 games to go, and a lot can change. pic.twitter.com/hvcCSZbUeb
The No. 2 or 3 seed wouldn't change a whole lot for the Badgers, but ideally it would give them a more favorable matchup in the very first match. However, if it plays chalk, having Illinois as the first contest would be a bit brutal. Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield wouldn't shy away from it and would be the first to recognize the challenge of playing volleyball in the Big Ten.
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