At the NCAA Championships, 30 women’s college golf teams will play at Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona.
It was 24 last year. It was 24 two months ago. The women now play on the same playing field with the men.
NCAA Div. The NCAA Div. These numbers are higher than 24 and 12 in 2022. This decision is less than two months since the committee first announced that there would be 27 qualified women’s teams for the NCAA Championships.
Jeff Hull, Furman women’s golf coach, said that he was surprised but happy. “I think they realized that (27 teams), it wasn’t likely going to work. The biggest thing I see is that we all want more people to be able to participate in the national championship.
The original plan had allowed for three more teams to enter the NCAA Championship. The top four teams in each region advanced to the final after 24 teams had qualified.
The championship committee would have used a strength-of field metric to balance the competition at the six regional qualifying sites. There were 27 teams. Four teams would have advanced to the finals from three regional sites. Five teams would advance from the three other regional sites.
Sam Houston State’s head women’s and men’s coach Brandt Kieschnick said that he welcomed the changes.
He said, “I think college golf definitely gets deeper.” There will be some amazing stories. We’ll see more underdogs competing to win national championships, whether it’s a middle-major or another person getting through.
It’s going be great for women’s Golf. It will grow the game.”
Last year, Duke and Florida, Michigan State, Northwestern, Northwestern, Virginia Tech, and Miami finished fifth in their regionals. Northwestern lost in a playoff at the site where it was to miss the NCAAs. The Wildcats would have been allowed to play if those standings had been adjusted with the new rules.
The changes mean that fewer people will not be advancing on teams to the NCAA Championship. Each regional site will only allow one person to qualify, instead of two.
Hull stated that he felt like there should be a separate national championship to recognize individuals. “There will be many great individuals who won’t get the chance to compete for it,” Hull said. “College golf can be a team sport but it can also be an individual sport. There should be more opportunities for talented individuals to compete in a national championship.
After the final count, 156 women’s college players – same as men’s side – will be in Scottsdale May 19-24 to compete at a national championship.
Kieschnick stated that the men’s product is very interesting, entertaining, and has a wide viewership. It will be successful if it matches the men’s activities. It will be a positive.”
