Champaign, Ill. – The Big Ten Network and ESPN have released their picks for the 2015 volleyball season, selecting a total of six Fighting Illini matches to air live on their networks this fall. The television coverage is headlined by an Oct. 25 appearance on ESPN2 when the Illini travel to Purdue, while BTN has picked up a conference-leading five of the Illini's matches.

Illinois will kick off the Big Ten Network's coverage schedule for 2015 when the Fighting Illini travel to Happy Valley for the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge. BTN will air both matches from University Park on Saturday, Sept. 5, beginning with Illinois' matchup with Colorado at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Fans nationwide will have a chance to watch the Illini's first-ever trip to College Park, as BTN will air Illinois' Big Ten opener at Maryland on Friday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. CT. The following Wednesday, a national audience will have the opportunity to see the Illini take on defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin, with a 7 p.m. start in Madison on Sept. 30.

The Big Ten Network will arrive at Huff Hall on Oct. 9 to welcome the Fighting Illini home after their five-week-long tour of the country, airing the highly-anticipated matchup between the Illini and defending National Champion Penn State. BTN will return to Huff the following Saturday when the Huskers come to town, with a new start time of 7:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 17.

ESPN2 has selected Illinois' sole matchup with Purdue as part of their network coverage, moving the faceoff in West Lafayette to Sunday, Oct. 25, at Noon CT.

The Big Ten Network maintains the final weeks of the season for wildcard matchups, preserving the opportunity to select the matches with the best storylines as the conference season comes to a close. With key dates at Ohio State, vs. Wisconsin and at Nebraska in the last month of the season, Illinois could find itself on television once again before the end of the regular season.

The Fighting Illini are 93-67 (.581) all time on television, with 80 appearances on national TV since 1988. Illinois is 17-17 all time on the Big Ten Network and 8-10 on ESPN affiliates, including going 5-0 on BTN in 2014.

Illinois on TV:
Saturday, Sept. 5 – Illinois vs. Colorado (Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge) – BTN – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 25 – Illinois at Maryland – BTN – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 30 – Illinois at Wisconsin – BTN – 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9 – Penn State at Illinois – BTN – 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17 – Nebraska at Illinois – BTN – 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25 – Illinois at Purdue – ESPN2 - Noon