SEC Soccer Tournament Remains in Orange Beach

Birmingham, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference has extended its agreement with the city of Orange Beach, Ala., to play its women's soccer tournament at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala., SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced Tuesday. With today's announcement Orange Beach will serve as host to the annual event through 2015.

"We are excited about continuing our relationship with the city of Orange Beach as the host of the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament," Slive said. "The city of Orange Beach has been very supportive of this event and the Orange Beach Sportsplex is an outstanding facility that provides a great postseason experience."

"Our relationship between the SEC and the City of Orange Beach has continued to evolve and we are pleased to be the host of the 20th Anniversary of the SEC Women's Soccer Championship and to announce the three year extension," Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said. "Teams that are able to compete here each year in November have consistently expressed their excitement of coming to the beach at a neutral site and always talk about how professional and pristine our facilities are maintained."

"We work hard to give attention to every detail and this year we are ecstatic to welcome to Orange Beach our new member institutions of Missouri and Texas A&M for the first time," Orange Beach City Administrator Ken Grimes added. "There is no doubt they will experience southern hospitality at its best with some of the best weather you can find anywhere in November."

The 2012 Southeastern Conference Women's Soccer Tournament began Monday afternoon at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala. It is the ninth time that the facility has served as the host of the SEC Tournament, having hosted the event in 2003 and then every season since 2005.

The format of the tournament is a single-elimination tournament of the top 10 teams in the Conference based on winning percentage of Conference games (regardless of division). The tournament shall be played in a Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Sunday format with Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday designated as days off (practice days).

The winner of the nine-game tournament receives the SEC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.