NCAA rules committee approves robot ump for challenging balls and strikes in SEC Tournament | National Sports

The robot umpire is coming to college baseball, at least on an experimental basis.

The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee on Monday approved the Southeastern Conference’s request to implement a challenge system for balls and strikes for each game of the 2026 SEC Tournament. It will be similar to the system used in Major League Baseball.

kAm%62>D 42? 492==6?86 2? F>A:C6’D DEC:<6 @C 32== 42== G:2 2? 2FE@>2E65 32== EC24<:?8 DJDE6> E92E >@?:E@CD E96 6I24E =@42E:@? @7 6249 A:E49[ C6=2E:G6 E@ E96 DA64:7:4 32EE6C’D K@?6]k^Am

kAm“%96 :?EC@5F4E:@? @7 E9:D 492==6?86 DJDE6> 2E E96 $tr %@FC?2>6?E C67=64ED @FC 4@?E:?F65 4@>>:E>6?E E@ :??@G2E:@?[” r@>>:DD:@?6C vC68 $2?<6J D2:5] “%9:D 255:E:@? C6AC6D6?ED 2 4@?E:?F65 DE6A 7@CH2C5 7@C @FC 82>6[ 2=:8?D >@C6 4=@D6=J H:E9 E96 AC@76DD:@?2= =6G6= 2?5 DFAA@CED E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 @FC DEF56?E\2E9=6E6D 2D E96J AC6A2C6 7@C DF446DD 2E E96 ?6IE =6G6=]”k^Am

kAmt249 E62> H:== 92G6 E9C66 492==6?86D E@ DE2CE E96 82>6] x7 2 492==6?86 😀 DF446DD7F=[ E96 E62> H:== C6E2:? E96 492==6?86] x7 E96 @C:8:?2= 42== 😀 4@?7:C>65[ E96 E62> H:== =@D6 E96 492==6?86]k^Am

kAm&A@? 2 492==6?86[ E96 A:E49 =@42E:@? H:== 36 4@>A2C65 282:?DE E96 6=64EC@?:4 DEC:<6 K@?6] %96 C6DF=E H:== E96? 36 5:DA=2J65 @? E96 DE25:F> G:56@3@2C5 2?5 3C@2542DE]k^Am

kAm%96 $tr 32D632== E@FC?2>6?E H:== 36 A=2J65 |2J `h\ac 😕 w@@G6C[ p=232>2]k^Am

kAm%96 pFE@>2E:4 q2==\$EC:<6 DJDE6> H@F=5 36 2==@H65 7@C @E96C 4@?76C6?46 E@FC?2>6?ED :7 2 4@?76C6?46 H2?E65 E@ FD6 :E 2?5 7@==@H65 E96 D2>6 AC@E@4@=D 2D E96 $tr]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! 4@==686 DA@CEDi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\DA@CEDQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\DA@CEDk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.