NCAA spring sports' postseason get underway
The GIST: It’s only been a few days since the last winter sports champs raised their trophies, but there’s no time to catch your breath — spring sports’ postseasons are already going pedal to the, ahem, medal with conference tourneys this weekend. Buckle up!
🏌️ Men’s golf: As the SEC barrels into the last round of stroke play today, No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 17 Alabama are tied for first in a crowded field. They’re both almost a sure bet to complete the upset of No. 1 Vanderbilt and No. 9 Florida and advance to tomorrow’s eight-team match play bracket. Who said golf wasn’t exciting?
- To the north, the ACC tees up their own tourney with stroke play today and tomorrow, followed by Sunday and Monday’s match play to decide the ’ship. TBD on which is harder: beating top-seeded No. 2 UNC or telling their golfers apart from one another.
⛳ Women’s golf: This weekend’s women’s conference tourneys are somewhat less exciting — most of the Top 25 teams are concentrated in the other Power Five conferences, which have already crowned their champs (congrats to No. 14 USC, No. 7 Texas A&M, and No. 22 Clemson).
- In the Big 12, dynasty No. 8 Texas is gunning for their fifth title in the last six years, while No. 15 Northwestern will try to hold off their Big Ten challengers. The former tees off at 9 a.m. ET today, but the latter has an even earlier 8:30 a.m. ET start.
🎾 Women’s tennis: Hope you’re good at multitasking because the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 are all serving up quarter-final action today in the race toward Sunday’s ’ships. If you watch only one tournament, make it the ACC’s — with eight Top 25 teams, led by No. 1 UNC, it’s sure to be cutthroat.
🎾 Men’s tennis: The men of the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 also hit the quarter-final courts today. Like the ACC women, the fellas of the SEC rule the Top 25 — in fact, they make up almost half of the Top 10. Despite all that clout, we’ve already seen an upset with Alabama’s 4–3 win over No. 15 Mississippi State yesterday. A little April Madness, anyone?
