NC State baseball: Reaction pours in after NCAA forces Wolfpack to forfeit College World Series
By SDS Staff
Published:
The NC State Wolfpack baseball team is reeling after the NCAA announced early Saturday morning that they would have to forfeit a College World Series game against Vanderbilt, which sent them packing from the double elimination tournament in Omaha, Nebraska.
NC State had just 13 players eligible for Friday’s game against Vanderbilt due to “COVID-19 health and safety protocols,” and the Commodores defeated the Wolfpack 3-1 behind ace pitcher Kumar Rocker. That set up a Saturday rematch between the Commodores and Wolfpack for a chance to play in the national title; however, the NCAA announced early Saturday morning that the game would be declared “no-contest because of COVID-19 protocols,” making NC State forfeit the game and advancing Vandy to the national title.
“The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee has declared the Vanderbilt-NC State Men’s College World Series Game scheduled for Saturday, June 26 at 1:00 p.m. CT a no-contest because of COVID-19 protocols,” the NCAA’s statement read. “This decision was made based on the recommendation of the championship medical team and the Douglas County Health Department. As a result, Vanderbilt will advance to the CWS Finals. The NCAA and the committee regret that NC State’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to continue in the championship in which they earned the right to participate. Because of privacy issues, we cannot provide further details.”
NC State’s players came back to TD Ameritrade Park to take one last team photo before going home.
Members of @NCStateBaseball’s team just entered TD Ameritrade to take a picture.
Surreal. pic.twitter.com/ZShz0aoTqf
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 26, 2021
Following the NCAA’s announcement, in which it didn’t release any details, reaction poured in.
Hats off to those NC State boys…I can’t even imagine what they are going through right now. Worked their whole lives for a chance at a National Championship and in a blink of an eye it’s gone. Has to be the the most helpless feeling in the world!
— Tanner Allen (@Tanner_Allen10) June 26, 2021
Struggling how to process this news out of Omaha. Feel awful for NC State. I can’t imagine what is going through the minds of the seniors. Players who had one season canceled already- now a magical run canceled. Ripped out of their grasp by something out of their control. Gutted
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) June 26, 2021
Hey @ncaa you won’t let NC State players continue to play but you’ll allow 23,000 untested, unvaccinated, and potential unmasked fans attend??? What about player safety? Oh wait…that’s not truly what your protocols are about are they? pic.twitter.com/ffr0gwV3I1
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) June 26, 2021
Very shameful for @ncaacws You just cheated kids out of a dream they have worked their whole life for. https://t.co/wD6DlQwzU0
— Jeff Davidson (@JeffMDavidson) June 26, 2021
The #NCAA declaring NC State unable to play thus advancing Vanderbilt to the #CWS finals, is trash. Doing so at 2:15am on the east coast is low even for the NCAA. https://t.co/fZk4rZHJYr
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) June 26, 2021
Struggling to process this news. Elliott Avent has been at NC State for 25 years. This is just the third time ever the Wolfpack has been to Omaha. This team was one win away from its first-ever trip to the Finals. To have it end with a “no contest” is just excruciating. https://t.co/7wTCQF5oco
— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) June 26, 2021
Trying to think of a more brutal end to a season in any sport ever than NC State Baseball this year and coming up empty.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) June 26, 2021
Wow. @VandyBoys advances to CWS finals. What a heartbreaking way to head home for NC State. https://t.co/S1sWVubspK
— Zac Ellis (@rzacellis) June 26, 2021
Everything about this is just unreal. The 2AM news dump aspect, the denying those who are negative from NC State at least a shot, the lack of clarity about anything (no one is speaking).
This is awful, stupid, and probably unnecessary. I’ve never seen anything like this ever.
— Rob McLamb (@RobMcLamb) June 26, 2021
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