Greg Sankey takes stance on issues affecting college baseball, softball

Vanderbilt baseball provided the perfect start to summer in Greg Sankey’s eyes – the SEC commissioner labeling the national championship on June 26 as such Monday.

But it also provided a reminder of the opportunity to better support baseball, softball and more sports, Sankey said at SEC football media days in Hoover, Ala. Sankey pegged the scholarship situation for many sports as an issue, while also focusing on the need for a third paid assistant coach in baseball and softball instead of the volunteer assistant role.

“It's time for change to this rule,” Sankey said.

The NCAA allows three full-time roles on baseball and softball staffs – a head coach and two assistant coaches.

The member conferences had an opportunity to change that legislation in April. The SEC proposed an amendment to allow — not require — institutions to employ four full-time staff members and do away with the volunteer coach position. It failed by a vote of 36-25 with three conferences abstaining.

The SEC voted overwhelmingly in favor. The Pac-12 and the ACC voted yes. The Big Ten and Big 12 voted no. Their decisions — worth four votes each — could have swung the proposal.

“No one who opposed the SEC's proposed legislation observed that four coaches in baseball or softball, a head coach, two assistants and a volunteer, no one observed that that's too many coaches,” Sankey said. “In fact, if the number of coaches is correct, why do we maintain the structure like this?

College baseball coaches have spoken out in favor of having a third full-time paid assistant role, including Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin and Michigan’s Erik Bakich during the College World Series. The pair followed Mississippi State senior outfielder Jake Mangum in making strong comments in Omaha.

“It’s the most short-sighted-thinking aspect of our game that we've been a part of,” Corbin said. “(Coaches) leave baseball because they can’t afford to stay in it. … Why that hasn't been changed, why that hasn't been turned over in the last couple of years is really, really sinful. It's dehumanizing in so many different ways.”

As it stands, college baseball and softball staffs have a fourth coach as a volunteer assistant. It is not a full-time role and does not receive benefits. Most coaches earn pay through coordinating summer camps and receiving a cut of the profits.

“There are not many times when you can look at something and say, ‘This is exactly what is right and this is what is wrong,’" Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said. “This is just what is right. It is impossible to argue for the sport of baseball that it is not the right thing to compensate someone who is working full-time. …

“It is literally disrespectful to label it a volunteer.”

Sankey also discussed the scholarship situation for sports such as baseball and softball, which do not fall into the “head count” scholarships that sports including football and men’s and women’s basketball enjoy. Instead of providing full-ride scholarships, baseball and softball are among the sport with “equivalency” scholarships that are divided through the roster.

Baseball is limited to 11.7 athletic scholarships to divide among 27 players. Softball has 12 scholarships split among 18 players.

“Our athletics director and senior rule administrators started a deep exploration as to the whys and the history and what new options may be available for us in the future in providing scholarships to student-athletes,” Sankey said. “We expect to provide information and a perspective to the NCAA during the next academic year.”

More: REXRODE: Vanderbilt's Tim Corbin is grateful for his team, angry for his sport

More: Do colleges need a third paid baseball assistant? Here’s what Tennessee volunteer coach Ross Kivett does