The SEC is one step closer to playing sports this fall.
Commissioner Greg Sankey announced new start dates and guidelines for fall sports on Thursday.
The announcements apply to fall sports such as cross country, volleyball and soccer, as well as golf and tennis.
Cross country will be permitted to begin competition on Sept. 11, with the season stretching until Oct. 23. During that span, the teams can only compete in two to three events prior to the SEC Championships, which are scheduled for Oct. 30.
The only sport allowed to do so, the SEC’s cross country teams may compete against non-conference opponents, but only if those schools are following the SEC’s COVID-19 testing protocols. Individual races will be restricted to only 10 teams, and schools may not compete on consecutive weekends.
Soccer and volleyball will move to a conference-only schedule.
Soccer’s season will begin on Sept. 18 and consist of eight games over a two-month period, with one game per week. Teams will play six divisional opponents and two crossover, with four games at home and four away.
The SEC Championship tournament is scheduled to be held Nov. 13 through 22, and all 14 member schools will be guaranteed at least two matchups.
Volleyball will also have an eight-game season over a six week span starting on Oct. 16. Each school will compete against four opponents, playing the same opponent twice in the same weekend.
Soccer and volleyball will compete in spring games as well. The SEC will release further details following NCAA decisions on how to conduct spring championships.
For golf and tennis, teams can compete in up to three events after Oct. 1. Competition will be limited to SEC teams or opponents from the school’s geographic region.
In July, the conference announced cross country, soccer and volleyball would be postponed through Aug. 31.
Fall practice activities and intra-squad games are permitted in baseball and softball, but exhibition games are prohibited for the fall.