History of SEC softball tournament in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 6, 2026

The SEC softball tournament is the annual championship tournament for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in college softball. The tournament operates on a single-elimination format, where teams are seeded based on their regular-season performance. The tournament champion earns the SEC's automatic qualification into the NCAA Division I softball tournament.

1997: SEC begins sponsoring softball; Double-elimination tournament

In 1997, the SEC began sponsoring softball and held an eight-team, double-elimination tournament with byes for the top two seeds.

1998: Eight-team, double-elimination tournament

From 1998 until 2005, the SEC softball tournament was an eight-team, double-elimination tournament with no byes.

2005: Eight-team, double-elimination tournament concludes

The eight-team, double-elimination format of the SEC softball tournament concludes in 2005.

2006: Single-elimination tournament begins

In 2006, the SEC softball tournament became an eight-team, single-elimination tournament.

2013: Ten-team, single-elimination tournament

In 2013, with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M, the SEC softball tournament moved to a ten-team, single-elimination tournament with the top six teams earning first round byes.

2025: Oklahoma and Texas A&M declared co-champions

In 2025, Oklahoma and Texas A&M were declared co-champions of the SEC softball tournament when the tournament was abandoned due to weather issues.

2025: Fifteen-team, single-elimination tournament

In 2025, with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas, the SEC softball tournament moved to a fifteen-team, single-elimination tournament with the top four teams earning double-byes.