The NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee has announced the selection of 72 teams and 36 individuals to participate in the 2024 NCAA Women’s D-I Regionals. South Carolina, Stanford, Wake Forest, LSU, USC, and UCLA have each earned No. 1 seeds for this prestigious event. Thirteen SEC schools, including four No. 1 seeds, have earned spots in the regional fields, making it the conference with the most representation. The Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten are also well-represented with nine, eight, and seven schools respectively.
This year’s tournament will feature six regional tournaments, each consisting of 54 holes, an increase from the four tournaments in previous seasons. Additionally, five teams from each regional will advance to the NCAA Women’s Championship, aligning it with the number of men’s teams that qualify. The national championship will be held at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., marking the first time the event will be hosted at this venue. The North course, newly renovated by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, will begin a three-year run as the host for the women’s and men’s championships.
Each regional site will have 12 teams and six individuals competing, with the top five teams and the low individual golfer not on those teams advancing to the NCAA Women’s Championship. The national championship will include a stroke-play segment to determine the individual champion over 72 holes, followed by a match-play bracket featuring the top eight teams to determine the team champion. Various schools have advanced to match play since the format was adopted in 2015, with Stanford being the only school to reach match play all eight times.
The defending NCAA women’s champion is Wake Forest, who defeated USC in the finals last year. Stanford’s Rose Zhang, who has turned pro since winning the individual title last year, will not be defending her title, ensuring a new individual champion in 2024. The NCAA Women’s Championship is scheduled to take place from May 17-22, showcasing the top collegiate women’s golf talent in the country.
The Auburn Regional will take place at the Auburn University Club in Alabama, featuring teams such as Kennesaw State and East Tennessee State. The Bermuda Run Regional at Bermuda Run Country Club in North Carolina will include teams like Delaware and Charleston Southern, as well as individual competitors like Lauren Olivares and Christin Eisenbeiss. The Bryan Regional at The Traditions Club in Texas will see teams like Sam Houston and Little Rock competing, along with individual players like Carla Bernat and Daniela Abonce.
The Las Vegas Regional at Spanish Trail Country Club will feature Kent State and Lauren Lehigh, while the East Lansing Regional at Forest Akers Golf Course in Michigan will include teams like Illinois State and Notre Dame, along with individuals like Catie Craig and Carmen Griffiths. The Cle Elum Regional at Tumble Creek Club in Washington will see teams like San Jose State and Long Beach State, along with individual players like Emma Bunch and Riana Mission. This year’s NCAA Women’s D-I Regionals promise to be an exciting showcase of talent and competition in the world of collegiate women’s golf.