Wednesday was a historic day for the West Virginia University golf squad, as the Mountaineers learned they have earned a bid to the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Men's Golf Championship.
Their selection marks the second time since the program returned to action in 2015-16 that WVU has made the field -- it's also the first time any Mountaineer will have competed at the event since 2021, and the first team appearance for the unit since 2019. Overall, it will be just the third occurrence in the history of the event that WVU has qualified, joining the 2019 and the 1947 iterations of the team.
“This year never felt like we were in,” WVU head coach Sean Covich told MetroNews. “Even until the last two seconds. I felt like we were going to be in based on how we finished at the Big 12’s and based on how we played at home, and based on the rankings. But you just never know. That’s why I was so emotional. You realize how hard it is with so many great players and great programs.”
𝙏𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 🎟️
— WVU Golf (@WVUGolf) May 1, 2024
For the second time since the program was reinstated in 2015-16, the Mountaineers are heading to the NCAA Tournament! pic.twitter.com/43sJEl1xqC
WVU was given the No. 10 seed in the Rancho Santa Fe Region, hosted by San Diego University at The Farms Golf Club. The Mountaineers will compete against 13 other opponents and five individuals from non-qualifying teams at their NCAA regional, including fellow Big 12 programs Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Kansas. The event is set for Monday, May 13th - Wednesday, May 15th.
The team gathered on team facilities to watch the selection show on Wednesday, with the entire room erupting at the news -- video footage can be seen of the team's reaction below.
The WVU golf team has earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They are the No. 10 seed in the Rancho Santa Fe Regional hosted by San Diego (May 13-15): pic.twitter.com/OHQ7AO3y8c
— Joe Brocato (@joebrowvm) May 1, 2024
WVU is one of 81 teams amongst the 292 Division 1 men's golf programs to qualify for the 2024 postseason -- they will need to finish amongst the top five teams at the Rancho Santa Fe regional following a 54-hole stroke play competition to advance to the final National Championship event. The lowest-scoring individual from the teams that did not advance will also qualify, giving WVU the chance to send a individual if they fail to advance as a team.