On Tuesday, the SEC announced its decision to change the location of the 2021 SEC Gymnastics Championship. The event was originally set to be held in New Orleans on March 20. Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, officials have now decided to move the competition to Huntsville, Alabama. 

“A geographically central location is appropriate in the current COVID-19 environment.  We appreciate the support from the Huntsville community and the Von Braun Center to provide an excellent venue for this year’s Championship,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “We enjoyed an electric environment with an SEC-record crowd in New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center when it hosted this event in 2019 and we look forward to returning there when we can provide our student-athletes a similar experience in the future.”

The last SEC Championship was held in the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans in 2019 and was also selected as the venue in 2020 before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be held at the Von Braun Center on the same date with a time that will be later announced.

This will be the first time that Huntsville has hosted the championship. The VBC is the eighth location that the SEC has selected for the competition since 2001 when the organization decided to move from holding the competition at SEC campuses. 

“We are honored to step up and host the SEC Gymnastics Championship in Huntsville,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.  “We promise participants will find a high-caliber venue and a welcoming community, and we look forward to seeing this outstanding competition in the Rocket City.”