Things didn’t fare too well this week down LSU way in bayou country as the NCAA Women’s Regional was a total washout — and it was controversial.
Farleigh Dickinson University AD Brad Hurlburt calmly announced to all the women’s teams set to compete that the tournament as done – kaput – finished — without one shot being hit.
Poor Brad stood on the steps of the clubhouse at the University Club in Baton Rouge on Wednesday and dropped the bomb.
“This is one of the most gut-wrenching decisions and announcements that I’ve ever been a part of,” Hurlbut said. “Even though the course is playable, it’s not playable at a championship level.
he stood on the steps of the clubhouse at the University Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, shortly before 1 p.m. ET, NCAA Committee representative Brad Hurlbut delivered a message that nobody wanted to hear.
“This is one of the most gut-wrenching decisions and announcements that I’ve ever been a part of,” Hurlbut said in a video posted to Twitter. “Even though the course is playable, it’s not playable at a championship level. Again, heart-wrenching decision that we had to make.”
Then the players started shouting:
“We can play! It’s a championship, let us play!”
“There were puddles — but they were supposed to have pumps and hoses and squeegees,” Miami head coach Patti Rizzo said. “I walked 18 holes and took a video of every single hole — there were so many options they could’ve done.”
NCAA rules stipulate that regional competition cannot extend past Wednesday, and that if 18 holes could not be completed then the committee would use seeding as its criteria. But many coaches, even some outside the top six, agreed that 18 holes in these conditions would not properly identify the teams worthy of qualifying for nationals.
One coach who wished to remain anonymous called it a “lose-lose” situation..
Click here for the Twitter feed that recorded the mess:
There needed to be a “rain plan” — “Adapt, Improve!” is what Gunny Highway told his young charges in Heartbreak Ridge.
So, we’re sending poor Brad Hurlburt and friends to the DLN Dog House.
It’s dry inside.
4 Comments
baxter cepeda
Extremely unfortunate situation; especially considering these ladies lost their conference titles last year for covid.
They should have extended this Wednesday rule for at least this year considering everything.
We can only imagine how disappointing it is for everyone involved. Imo they should have played if it was playable in any way. But can respect the decision. Maybe just a short stint in the doghouse; one night or so for these organizers.
Tom Edrington
It’s coming to light that other area courses offered to let them move to another venue; I see Barstool wants to stage an event for all the players who didn’t make it….NCAA stuff is tough for Barstool to deal with but they’re trying; The NCAA basically sucks; I’ve had a number of coaches tell me that over the years.
baxter cepeda
The ncaa has many issues, no doubt about it.
They do good things also but they absolutely need to get on many of their deficiencies because reasonable criticism is ever growing.
Tom Edrington
OK Baxter, enough on this, I’m issuing a cease-and-desist, we’ve got a major championship on the horizon and one heckuva shootout brewing at the Byron Nelson.