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Sports Friday, September 4, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Good morning, Chicago. Volleyball is taking over the city this weekend. At Oak Street Beach, beach volleyball fans can catch the AVP League Championship on Saturday and Sunday. Playing in Chicago has become a Labor Day tradition for the beach volleyball circuit. The annual event on the lakefront spotlights not only beach volleyball, but also our iconic skyline. Julia Donlin, left, and Lexy Denaburg of the Brooklyn Blaze celebrate their win defeating the Palm Beach Passion on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, during the AVP League Championship
in beach volleyball on Oak Street Beach in Chicago. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) And over at Wrigley Field, the Friendly Confines on Sunday will play host to the final two matches of the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week. It will be the first volleyball matches played at the historic venue: No. 1 Nebraska vs. Missouri at 6 p.m. and No. 13 Penn State vs. No. 3 Kentucky at 8 p.m. Both matches will be televised on Fox-32. The doubleheader will come on the heels of another first: a volleyball match at Wintrust Arena, home of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and DePaul men’s and women’s basketball teams. | | | | BJ Murray Jr. got a base hit in his big-league debut for the Chicago Cubs this week. Murray became just the 10th Bahamian to reach the majors and second with the Cubs. | | | | | Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a two-run home run — his 39th — Kevin Gausman struck out nine in seven innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Thursday to earn a series split. | | | | | Apparent injuries to Rome Odunze and D’Andre Swift come just 10 days before the Chicago Bears season opener against the Carolina Panthers. | | | | | Could edge rusher Josh Sweat be a prime trade target for GM Ryan Poles? Brad Biggs answers your Chicago Bears questions weekly. | | | | | Katin Houser threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in his Illinois debut, leading the Illini to a 42-23 win Thursday night in their season opener. | | | | | Will new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly succeed with Northwestern’s talent? “As long as I’ve been around Coach Kelly, (creativity) has never been an issue.” | | | | | Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams faced the “Wings of Death” on the popular YouTube series “Hot Ones,” hosted by Evanston native Sean Evans. | | | | | Luis Castillo struggled again in the Chicago White Sox’s 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday. He has a 7.52 ERA in six starts since the Sox acquired him last month. | | | | | Wrigley Field on Sunday will play host to the final two matches of the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week. It will be the first volleyball matches played at the historic venue. | | | | | Playing in Chicago has become a Labor Day tradition for the beach volleyball circuit. | | | |
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