SEC to Invite All Nine Gymnastics Teams to Championships Starting in 2026

This change resolves criticism of the previous exclusion rule by creating afternoon and evening sessions to include every SEC gymnastics team.

Overview

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey confirmed that beginning with the 2026 season every SEC gymnastics program will receive a championship invitation.
The new format allocates the bottom four teams to an afternoon session and the top five to an evening session to accommodate all participants.
Arkansas was left out of the 2025 meet despite a record-setting season, fueling backlash over the eight-team cutoff.
Head coach Jordyn Wieber lodged an appeal with the NCAA and publicly expressed disappointment after the Razorbacks’ bid was denied.
Realignment driven by Oklahoma’s addition led the SEC to adopt an NQS-based eight-team field that excluded Arkansas before the latest reversal.