BIRMINGHAM, Al. (BBN Tonight) — More SEC championships could be coming to the University of Kentucky Athletics Department.
The Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday that the Presidents and Chancellors approved future regular season schedules and post-season championship formats for seven SEC sports during a meeting at the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Nashville last week.
Baseball, gymnastics, and men's and women's swimming & diving are all approved for regular-season formats.
Gymnastics, swimming & diving, indoor track & field, and the return of the SEC Volleyball Tournament, which has not taken place since the 2005 season, were approved for championship formats.
The future formats were approved in preparation for the addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC beginning with the 2024-25 athletic year.
The current regular season and championship formats in the sports of men's and women's cross country, equestrian, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's outdoor track & field accommodate the addition of Oklahoma and Texas without additional adjustments.
Still to be determined are the regular season formats in football and volleyball and the post-season tournament format in baseball.
Baseball
- Regular season: Each season a team will play a three-game series against two permanent opponents and eight rotating opponents, for a total of 30 conference games. Standings will be kept in a single-division format.
- SEC Baseball Tournament: Format to be determined.
Gymnastics
- Regular season: Each school sponsoring a gymnastics team will meet each other member institution at least once a year on an alternating home and away basis, consistent with the current process. An additional week will be required to accommodate nine teams.
- SEC Gymnastics Championships: The championship will move from a one-day event to a two-day format. The semifinals will consist of two sessions of four teams each. The top seed will receive a bye to the championship. The top seed plus the two session winners in the semifinals and the team with the next highest score in the semifinals will advance to a four-team championship.
Swimming & Diving (Men's and Women's)
- Regular season: The Conference Office will schedule two dual meets per program and each institution is responsible for establishing the dates and times of the meets, consistent with the current process.
- SEC Swimming & Diving Championships: Same as current format with updated facility requirements.
Indoor Track & Field (Men's and Women's)
- Regular season: Each school sponsoring an indoor track and field team will schedule teams from other Conference institutions at its own discretion, consistent with the current process.
- SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships: The championship will move from a two-day event to a three-day format.
Volleyball
- Regular season: Format to be determined.
- SEC Volleyball Tournament: A Conference tournament will be conducted for the first time since 2005. All Conference teams will participate. Still to be determined is whether the SEC Volleyball Tournament will resume following the 2024 season or following the 2025 season.
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