SEC Breaks Record For Regional Baseball Hosts

The NCAA Selection Committee announced the 64 team field on Monday.

The SEC has a NCAA record best 8-of-16 hosts with Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Arkansas. The conference also ties a record with 10 teams being selected for the fourth time in conference history.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1663188398570455040

The SEC East and West both finished with four Regional hosts.

SEC East

Florida was able to secure the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament after winning the SEC regular season championship. Under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, the Gators have been a national seed 10-of-15 years and have hosted a regional in 12 of those years.

The Gators are set to host Florida A&M, Texas Tech and UCONN.

https://twitter.com/GatorsBB/status/1663250678238543872

The Commodores were selected for its 17th consecutive regional tournament on Monday, the longest active streak in the country. Vanderbilt was destined to be a top-eight seed, starting conference play 11-1 before a rough patch toward the end of the season.

After a series win over Arkansas and coming out of the losers bracket to win the SEC tournament, the Commodores gained a host spot.

Vanderbilt hosts Oregon, Xavier and Eastern Illinois.

https://twitter.com/VandyBoys/status/1662945395360649219

Among the SEC East teams, South Carolina will host Campbell, NC State and Central Connecticut St. Additionally, the Kentucky Wildcats will host Ball St., West Virginia and Indiana.

SEC West

Furthermore, Arkansas didn’t have to sweat out a Regional position after finishing conference play 20-10. The Razorbacks earned a share of the SEC regular season conference championship, tying with the Gators after a series loss to Vanderbilt.

The Razorbacks host Santa Clara, TCU and Arizona.

https://twitter.com/SEC/status/1663003454011240448

The LSU Tigers are hosting a regional for the 27th time in school history and the first since 2019. LSU was seen as the No. 1 team for most of the season, before some late season series struggles.

The Tigers host Tulane, Sam Houston and Oregon State.

This marks the Tigers' 35th appearance in the NCAA Tournament #GeauxTigers | #ThePowerhouse pic.twitter.com/shAP5FBPIW

— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) May 29, 2023

Additionally, Alabama will host Boston College, Troy and Nicholls. While, Auburn will host Southern Miss., Samford and Penn.

What’s Next?

The road to Omaha kicks off Friday – Monday with the winners advancing to the super regionals.

Kentucky kicks off the tournament for SEC teams when they play Ball State at noon on Friday.