Sun Belt Conference Wraps Up Fall Meetings
The Sun Belt Conference fall meetings concluded today in New Orleans where they discussed the 2013 Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament, fan safety and scheduling for basketball and changes to the ejection policy.
The baseball tournament in 2013 will revert back to the double elimination format that the Sun Belt used from 2000-2010 when it is held in Lafayette, Louisiana from May 22 – May 26. The tournament will still have eight teams and will be split into two brackets with the bracket champions meeting for the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
More changes for baseball is coming in 2014 as the they will split into two divisions and continuing to play a 30 game schedule. More details will be announced at a later date though. The 2014 tournament was previously awarded to the University of South Alabama, however it remains to be seen if it will still be held in Mobile.
More changes will take place for the 2013-2014 academic year. Changes to the automatic suspension rule for student-athletes and coaches is that each ejection will be handled on a case-by-case basis with Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson being able to impose additional penalties. Also, student-athletes and coaches who are ejected are not automatically suspended for the next game unless the ejection is for fighting, which is covered in the NCAA manual.
In basketball, the student seating will not be allowed directly behind opposing team benches. Conference officials and others were concerned about the proximity of the benches to the crowd, particularly that students and student-athletes could be in danger if a student-athlete charged the stands due to verbal abuse by fans.
Additionally they decided that, beginning with the 2013-2014 season, conference games in both men’s and women’s basketball would not begin before christmas holidays. This opens the possibility of having to play three conference games in a one week period.
“There is more excitement today about the Sun Belt Conference than there has ever been,” said Sun Belt Conference President and Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr. “Our teams are winning and becoming household names. As we continue to win and identify our value as a brand we will show the world who we are and the strength that we have.”
“We are striving to become the best of the non-automatic qualifying BCS conferences,” continued Hawkins. “New leadership present throughout the league, along with our new member institutions and the attitude that every dimension of the Sun Belt Conference is open to examination is going to make us stronger.”
Comments
4 Responses to “Sun Belt Conference Wraps Up Fall Meetings”
Why are they considering not having the 2014 baseball tourney in Mobile?
They have not publicly said that they are considering moving the 2014 tournament from Mobile. But I think league officials have mentioned before that they wanted to move some more sports to be “neutral site” tournaments like Men’s and Women’s basketball.
As long as everything’s in New Orleans, I’m happy!
I think Benson wants to move to Atlanta.