Spikes Under the Lights

Set for history: Volleyball's brightest stars take center court at AT&T Stadium

The biggest night in college volleyball is coming to one of the biggest stages in sports.

On August 27, AT&T Stadium will host Spikes Under the Lights, a landmark event featuring four of the nation's premier volleyball programs — SMU, Nebraska, Penn State and Florida — for a one-night, primetime showcase that promises elite competition and unforgettable moments.

Produced by Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide, the event marks a historic milestone as the first all-women's sporting event ever held at AT&T Stadium, home to countless iconic sporting moments. Now, one of the world's most recognizable venues will shine the spotlight on the explosive growth of women's collegiate athletics.

Head Coach Katie Schumacher Cawley, Penn StatePhoto courtesy of Spikes Under the Lights

Adding to the excitement is a $1 million NIL purse, the largest prize of its kind in women's college sports. The groundbreaking investment reflects the growing commercial momentum of volleyball while showcasing the expanding opportunities available to today's student-athletes through name, image, and likeness initiatives.

Fans can expect a showcase of championship-caliber talent as four of the sport's most accomplished and recognizable programs battle under the lights. With powerhouse programs, passionate fan bases, and future stars on the court, the event is poised to deliver an electric atmosphere from the opening serve to match point.

The timing couldn't be better. North Texas has rapidly become one of the nation's hottest volleyball regions, producing standout athletes through thriving club, high school, and collegiate programs. Spikes Under the Lights celebrates that momentum while inspiring the next generation of players dreaming of competing on the sport's biggest stages.

More than a tournament, Spikes Under the Lights is a celebration of how far women's sports have come — and where they're headed next.

Learn more and purchase tickets at Spikes Under the Lights or spikestix.com.

This event is produced and organized by Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide.

Photo courtesy of Spikes Under the Lights

Jocelyn Nathan

volleyball sports womens sports female athletes college sports att stadium college volleyball promoted

Rivers wild

Ethan Hawke narrates new documentary that deep-dives into Texas rivers

Cropped still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The Rio Grande is one of the stunning subjects of Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers.

One Texas film icon passes the torch to another for a deep dive on Texas' river ecosystems in the upcoming documentary Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers. Matthew McConaughey narrated the original 2022 film, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story. Now Ethan Hawke narrates the follow-up, which will be in theaters September 25.

Deep in the Heart 2 is directed by Ben Masters, a nature-obsessed Texan who was born and raised in Amarillo and has followed wildlife around the state and beyond. Working with his crew at Fin & Fur Films, Masters explores the Rio Grande, the Sabine River, and the Neches River, a press release says, coming across otters, turkeys, alligator snapping turtles, and more.

This underwater shot was taken in San Marcos.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The original Deep in the Heart took a broad view of Texas — both its landscapes and their inhabitants — while the "sequel," as the release calls it, specifically highlights water. Conservation is an important angle, and viewers will get a chance to consider how they could connect with and protect the ecosystems on their screens.

"Most of my favorite memories are on Texas Rivers," said Masters in the release. "I grew up on the Canadian, fell in love on the Brazos, got married on the Guadalupe, found adventure on the Rio Grande, and am raising my kids on the Colorado."

The filmmaker says that spending three years filming his natural subjects gave him "a newfound appreciation" for rivers and how distinct they are from one another.

Amazing cinematography was a hallmark of the original film, and the sequel offers more beautiful shots.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

"We spent months filming mountain lions on the Pecos, snapping turtles on the Neches, otters on the Sabine, fatmuckets on the Llano, and whooping cranes in the Guadalupe's Estuary," Masters said. "Editing the majesty of Texas Rivers into 80 minutes was a huge challenge, and I'm just incredibly grateful to work with such a talented team of cinematographers, editors, producers, and musicians."

Hawke, born in Austin and raised in Fort Worth, is known for acting in the Dead Poets Society, Gattaca, the Richard Linklater films Boyhood and Blue Moon, and more. He has taken up causes in environmental advocacy for years and appeared in other ecology-focused films, including the intense fictional First Reformed (2018) and a goofy anti-littering PSA with TxDOT (2023).

Some unexpected guests in the Rio Grande.Still from Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers

The film was made in association with H-E-B, a regular supporter of ecological documentaries and initiatives, and conservation organization Texan by Nature. Other collaborators include producer Josh Winkler, editor Sam Klatt, assistant editor Chet Stefan, and composer Noah Sorota. The musical score is performed by Dallas Chamber Symphony.

animals documentaries ecology ethan hawke film matthew mcconaughey movies nature texas wildlife