SEC Tournament Draws Thousands to Escambia County

The Southeastern Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament is already drawing thousands of attendees to Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, with approximately 3,200 attending the tournament during the first two days.

The SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament kicked off Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 5, starting with 10 SEC soccer teams that have been narrowed down to four teams competing for the SEC Championship title.

This marks the second year in a row that Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park has served as the location for the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament, with last year’s event drawing record-breaking attendance and generating $2.5 million in local economic impact.

Tickets for the remaining games are available for purchase online. Click here for ticket information.

“We’re very excited to host the SEC tournament again at Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Park, right in the heart of District 5,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “The attendance numbers are already demonstrating this event’s incredible impact, and I look forward to seeing the final economic impact to our entire region. I hope all of the players, coaches, and visitors enjoy the tournament and their time here in Escambia County.”

The four teams remaining in the tournament are Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi State and Texas A&M, with semifinals scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2 and the championship game scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. Visit the SEC Sports website for game details.

"The excitement for this tournament is spreading quickly, so I encourage people to get their tickets early before they sell out," Pensacola Sports President and CEO Ray Palmer said. "It's been a great first half of the tournament, and I know it will only get more exciting as we enter the semifinals and championship game this weekend." 

Several local schools took field trips to Ashton Brosnaham to watch the SEC games on Oct. 31, with students from Beulah Middle School, Lipscomb Elementary School and McArthur Elementary School showing their support for the teams. 

This year, SEC teams have been able to take advantage of the brand-new locker rooms at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, which are part of a new two-story facility for community use at the popular athletic complex. Escambia County and Pensacola Sports celebrated a ribbon cutting Oct. 18 for the new facility, which will also serve as additional locker room space for other sporting events including local youth, high school and college soccer.

Features at the new facility include restrooms and showers for team sports use, an open space with sliding walls on the first floor, and meeting and office spaces on the second floor. The open space on the first floor will be available for rent and can be used for meetings, birthday parties and other community events.

SEC Assistant Director of Competition Marcus Bishop said the new locker rooms have been a big hit with the teams, and he praised the great partnership between the SEC, Escambia County Parks and Recreation, and Pensacola Sports. 

“The investments that they’ve made and adding the new multipurpose facility has been great," Bishop said. "I know our teams have taken notice of that and been very appreciative of having access to that…I’ve heard nothing but glowing things from our teams when it comes to the practice fields and obviously the match field as well.” 

Last year's SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament champions, the University of South Carolina, played their first game in the 2023 tournament Tuesday afternoon and were eliminated in a 1-0 loss to Texas A&M. 

South Carolina Head Coach Shelley Smith said that although the goal is always to win, she and her team were excited to be back in Pensacola for the second year in a row.

"I think it’s a great place to come, it’s a beautiful area, so I think it makes it that much more exciting for teams to even get to reach the beach and compete," Smith said. "Even though competing is a big draw and you want to win a championship, it’s nice to be in a place where you want to spend some extra time.”

Smith said the improvements made to Ashton Brosnaham Park from last year to this year have made the tournament an even better experience for the teams, from the additional seating for fans to the new locker rooms right next to the field. 

"There are improvements that have been made here that really has made this an even better venue this year – you can tell already when you drive in," Smith said. “SEC has done a great job to run a wonderful tournament and provide a great experience for our players. Pensacola has been a wonderful host to us and welcomed all the teams and the crowds here. It was a great start last year, and it’s even better moving forward with all of these new improvements.”

Bishop said he's excited to see the rest of the tournament play out and see which team earns the SEC title this year. 

“We always get really excited about crowning champions, and it helps when you have great partners in the community that want to be a part of it as well," Bishop said. "We have a very, very tough conference when it comes to the teams who participate, so we’re excited just to see what’s going to happen. There’s no telling who’s going to come out on top.”

Georgia and Kentucky play at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

About Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park

Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park is a 103-acre regional park located at 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Drive. In addition to being heavily used for soccer and softball, its many facilities include a dog park, covered pavilion, picnic area and 13 soccer fields. Please note that the dog park is closed during the SEC tournament. To learn more, visit the Escambia County website.

About Pensacola Sports

Pensacola Sports is one of the oldest sports associations/commissions in the United States, beginning in 1955. Today, Pensacola Sports manages or assists in numerous events a year throughout the Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa County areas, and is the lead sports tourism agency for Escambia County.  Events include a high school all-star series, 5K-15K runs, half marathon, fishing tournament, soccer and softball tournaments, collegiate conference and national championships, and annual awards and scholarships banquets to name a few. Pensacola Sports is dedicated to building a better community through sports. Be Moved! Learn more about Pensacola Sports here.

About the SEC

Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the Southeastern Conference is an NCAA Conference with 14 member institutions. The SEC crowns champions in 21 sports: 12 women's sports and nine men's sports. Since its formation in 1933, the SEC has directed and organized interscholastic athletic competitions, conducted tournaments and prescribed eligibility rules for student-athletes. The Conference also facilitates and assists its member institutions in maintaining intercollegiate athletic programs compatible with the highest standards of education and competitive sports. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have been in the SEC since its formation in 1933. The league has expanded twice, adding Arkansas and South Carolina in 1991, then Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012. To learn more, visit secsports.com.

Fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary School watch the Georgia vs. Kentucky game at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

Georgia and Kentucky play at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

Fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary School watch the Georgia vs. Kentucky game at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

Fans watch the Georgia vs. Kentucky game at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

Georgia and Kentucky play at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

The SEC Women's Soccer Tournament field at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park