The inaugural Big 10/SEC challenge is set to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Ole Miss (2-1) will travel to Howard McCasland Field House in Norman, Okla., for matches against Ohio State on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 5 p.m., and against Washington on Sept. 3 at 3 p.m.
The weeklong competition will be held at college and university campuses across the country and will conclude with two matches at historic Wrigley Field.
The Rebels are coming off the Ole Miss Classic, a round-robin tournament in which they clinched wins over Southeastern Louisiana (SELU) and Northern Arizona. In the final match, Ole Miss lost to Loyola Marymount University.
After the win against SELU, head coach Bre Henry emphasized the importance of the nonconference schedule.
“(Nonconference) is really important for us to win,” Henry said. “These are not warmup matches for the SEC. We do need to win right now.”
Ohio State and Washington provide opportunities for resume-building wins. First, the Rebels will face the Buckeyes (2-1) who, after a subpar season in 2025, dropped their first match of the year to Bowling Green. Since then, the Buckeyes lost only one set in their matches against Fresno State and Northern Kentucky.
The Buckeyes are led by senior setter Mia Tuman. Through three games, Tuman has amassed an impressive 116 assists. She also makes her presence known on defense, boasting seven blocks and 38 digs.
Following three straight disappointing seasons, Ohio State coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg needs to turn the program around. Although she brought the team to the Elite Eight in 2023, she has yet to finish a season with a winning record since.
On Thursday, Ole Miss will take on Washington (3-0). Washington is undefeated but went to five sets in their most recent match against Indiana University Indianapolis.
Washington is led by Penn State transfer Alexa Markley. Last year, Markley starred at outside hitter for the Nittany Lions. She ranked second on the team in kills with 330 and a .220 hitting percentage.
She will pose a challenge for Rebel libero Cameron Bradley. Bradley is coming off a career weekend at the Ole Miss Classic. She set a career high in digs on Sunday with 30 and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
While the Ole Miss Classic did not end the way she wanted it to, coach Henry is confident in her team and excited for the week ahead.
“I know they are battle-ready,” Henry said. “We got battle-tested, and to be able to lean on some of these experiences is important.”
