The Northern Arizona women's golf team's NCAA regional run came to an abrupt and unfortunate halt on Tuesday—not because of a bad round, but because they simply ran out of players.

The Lumberjacks, who earned an automatic berth by winning the Big Sky Conference title last month, were disqualified from the NCAA Women's Regional at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas, after senior Lizzie Neale withdrew before the second round was completed. That left NAU with only three active competitors, one short of the required minimum of four.

It's a heartbreaking end for a program making its first NCAA postseason appearance in four years. The Lumberjacks' online roster lists eight players, but only four made the trip to Texas. According to reports, several players had left the team for various reasons—including one dismissal—and the coaching staff had to convince one player to return just to field a full squad for regionals.

The four who traveled were Neale, Amy Hodgkins, Frankie Dezis, and Lydia Lin—the same group that competed in the Big Sky Championship. Notably absent was senior Nina Lukyanenko, who finished tied for 10th at the conference tournament.

As a result, Northern Colorado, the Big Sky runner-up, was initially set to replace NAU in the postseason. However, after NAU managed to field four players, they were allowed to compete—until Tuesday's disqualification.

There is a small silver lining: Hodgkins (tied for 15th), Lin (tied for 39th), and Dezis (50th) will be permitted to compete as individuals in Wednesday's final round, keeping their seasons alive even as the team's run ends prematurely.

This marks only the second time a team has been disqualified from NCAA Regionals. The first came in 2018, when East Carolina was forced to withdraw from the Austin Regional after three players fell ill, leaving just two able to compete.

For college golf fans, it's a stark reminder that sometimes the biggest challenges aren't on the course—they're in the roster. And for teams like NAU, the depth needed to survive postseason pressure is just as crucial as the swing.