Just one unexpected instance, and Northern Arizona’s postseason was effectively over before it began. The issue showed a case of insufficient team planning that arose when the roster was stretched to its limit.

Northern Arizona’s women’s golf team was disqualified from the 2026 NCAA Waco Regional for not having enough players to continue the team competition. The team started the regional at Ridgewood Country Club with four golfers, including:

• Lizzie Neale (Senior; No. 170 nationally)
• Amy Hodgkins (Junior; No. 311)
• Frankie Dezis (Junior; No. 394)
• Lydia Lin (Freshman; No. 627)

During the second round, Neale withdrew. However, that’s not usually an issue, as the NCAA has a Player Substitution Policy for Division I women’s golf. It allows each team to bring an additional player to the regionals and finals. At any point before 10 minutes before a player’s starting time, a coach may substitute the additional player for any team member. Thus, even if someone withdraws due to injury, illness, or another reason, the team can continue.

Unfortunately for Northern Arizona, though, there were no additional ones available. The team entered with only 4 playing members. So, when Neale withdrew, only three members remained on the team, which the NCAA does not allow. So, they had to face disqualification.

The reason for Neale’s withdrawal is unknown right now, but the NCAA is looking into it. It’s not like the Lumberjacks don’t have any additional golfers on their roster. They carry an eight-player roster, but several players left the program for various reasons in the months leading up to the regional. One of them got married, and another was persuaded to return to keep the team viable.

Missing the trip altogether was the star performer, Nina Lukyanenko. She finished T10 at the Big Sky Championship and is ranked No. 822. Of the three others missing, two were freshmen. This tightened the travel roster and left the team with no bench at the regional.

This is only the second similar incident in NCAA women’s regional history. Previously, East Carolina was knocked out of the 2018 NCAA Austin Regional for the same reason. Only two healthy golfers remained for the second round, as a virus‑like illness from contaminated course water coolers made them ill.

If Northern Arizona had not been able to field four players at the Big Sky Championship or had informed the league about the same, the automatic qualifier would have passed to Northern Colorado as runner‑up. They would have had a chance to compete as a team.

But while the team was disqualified, the remaining three members can still compete as individuals. At the end of Round 2, Amy Hodgkins has finished with a par score and T15 on the leaderboard. Frankie Dezis finished 50th, while Lydia Lin is at T39.

With Northern Arizona eliminated, there are 11 teams competing at the NCAA Waco Regional.

SMU Women’s takes Waco regional lead

At the end of Round 2, SMU Women’s is leading the scoreboard with a comfortable margin of 8 strokes over the runner-up, Texas A&M. Contributing most to the team is Kirra St. Laurent, who is also a co-leader after the first two rounds.

Her first round featured 2 birdies and 3 bogeys, but she covered well in the second round. It had only one bogey on hole 7, while there were 7 birdies on holes 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 18. Helping her push the scoreboard in the team’s favor are Celine Chen (-2), Grace Jin (-2), Emily Odwin (-1), and Mackenzie Lee (-1). Chasing them closely are Texas A&M, followed by LSU, Oregon, Baylor, and Tulsa.

SMU entered the regionals as the No. 4 seed. Thus, they need to finish inside the top five after three rounds to advance to the NCAA Championship. So far, things are going great for them. However, they will have to maintain the lead to play the NCAA Championship from May 22 to May 27, 2026.

The event will be played at the Champions Course of Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, California, and is hosted by the University of Texas at Austin.

SMU Women strengthened its push toward the NCAA Championship with a commanding performance in Waco. But on the other hand, Northern Arizona’s tournament came to a frustrating end.