BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Missouri will join the Southeastern Conference effective July 1, 2012, the Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors, announced today.
“The Presidents and Chancellors of the Southeastern Conference are pleased to welcome the University of Missouri to the SEC,” said Dr. Bernie Machen, President of the SEC Presidents and Chancellors and president of the University of Florida. “The University of Missouri is a prestigious academic institution with a strong athletic tradition and a culture similar to our current institutions.”
Missouri will be in the Eastern Division, much to the delight of Alabama, according to a high-ranking source in the SEC.
Tide officials did not want to lose their rivalry game with Tennessee. There had been speculation that Auburn could move to the East and be Alabama's permanent opponent from the other division, but the Tennessee game would have rotated on and off.
Teams will play six games against their division rivals beginning next year and two of them against the West with one a permanent partner. Florida's is LSU so the Gators will face only one other team from the other division starting next year.
The move also means the Gators will be facing Missouri next season.
The addition of Missouri will increase SEC membership to 14 institutions. The additions of Texas A&M, announced last month, and Missouri, are the first expansions for the SEC since September of 1991 when South Carolina joined the league. Arkansas joined the SEC in August of 1991. The SEC was the first conference to split into divisions and add a conference championship game in 1992.
“The Southeastern Conference is a highly successful, stable, premier athletic conference that offers exciting opportunities for the University of Missouri,” said Chancellor Brady J. Deaton. “In joining the SEC, MU partners with universities distinguished for their academic programs and their emphasis on student success. The SEC will provide our student-athletes with top flight competition and unparalleled visibility. We came to this decision after careful consideration of the long term best interests of our university. We believe the Southeastern Conference is an outstanding home for the Mizzou Tigers, and we take great pride in our association with this distinguished league.”
Missouri, located in Columbia, will also be the fourth institution in the SEC to hold membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities, joining Florida, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Missouri has an enrollment of 33,800 students, which would be the fourth largest institution in the SEC, with Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M having a larger student body. There are more than 260,000 “Mizzou” alumni around the world. The State of Missouri borders three SEC states: Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas, and they bring an existing rivalry with former conference foe Texas A&M.
Missouri athletic teams have excelled recently. Its men's basketball team has made it to the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons and 24 times overall. The Tiger football team has been to post-season bowl games for six straight years and 28 times overall. The softball team has participated in the College World Series each of the last three seasons. The Tigers have won Big 12 Championships in men's basketball, soccer and softball.
“I am pleased to officially welcome the University of Missouri to the SEC family on behalf of our presidents, chancellors, athletics directors, students and fans,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “Missouri is an outstanding academic institution with a strong athletic program. We look forward to having the Tigers compete in our league starting in 2012.”
The Tigers sponsor 20 varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming and diving, wrestling, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country. Women's sports include basketball, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country and volleyball. Missouri participates in every sport sponsored by the SEC except men's tennis and the SEC sponsors every sport the Tigers participate in except wrestling.
