The Mississippi State women’s golf team’s season ended in heartbreak Wednesday afternoon.
After more than seven inches of rain caused the Baton Rouge Regional to be postponed on Monday and later Tuesday, NCAA officials told all qualified teams the University Club course was “playable but not at a championship caliber,” which in turn canceled the regional and ended MSU’s season prematurely. As a result, the top six teams from the regional advanced to the NCAA Championships. The Bulldogs were the No. 12 seed in the field.
A video circulated on Twitter of NCAA officials telling players and coaches of their decisions, sparking outrage and pleas from voices in the crowd to let the regional go on. Once players and coaches voiced displeasure with the decision, the NCAA officials turned their back to the crowd and entered the clubhouse.
“The NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee regrets that the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships regional in Baton Rouge could not be conducted as scheduled this week,” the NCAA said in a statement. “The Committee, NCAA staff and the Games Committee in Baton Rouge have been in constant communication throughout the past several days about the course conditions that have led to this unprecedented and most difficult decision.”
MSU’s final meet of the season ended up being the SEC championships, where it finished second after besting a pair of top-five teams during match play. It was the program’s best finish ever in the event, and it earned MSU its 10th NCAA appearance.
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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