LSU women await NCAA regional fate

Ranked No. 6 in the nation this week, the LSU Lady Tigers know they’ll be playing somewhere in an NCAA golf regional. Now it’s just a matter of finding out where.

NCAA women’s regional golf assignments will be announced during a webcast at 8 p.m. Monday on NCAA.com.

There are three regional sites this year, all set for May 10-12: the Penn State Blue Course in State College, Pa. (East regional), the Ohio State Scarlet Course (Central) in Columbus, Ohio, and the Colorado National Golf Club (West) in Erie, Colo.

“I think we’re going to the Central or the West,” LSU coach Karen Bahnsen said, “but you never know.”

The top eight teams from each regional — plus the top two individuals from teams that don’t advance — move on to the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship, May 22-25 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.

LSU is coming off a sixth place finish at the Southeastern Conference championship tournament, April 19-21 in Fayetteville, Ark. Freshman Madelene Sagstrom led the Lady Tigers with a tie for third place.

Despite LSU’s middle-of-the-pack finish in the SEC event, the Lady Tigers remained in the top 10 thanks to the strength of the field.

LSU has won three team titles this season with one individual title by defending NCAA champion Austin Ernst in the Cougar Classic in September in Charleston, S.C.

Men’s regional fields will be announced May 7. The Tigers are likely to receive a bid, ranked No. 20 this week in the golf coaches’ poll and No. 23 according to Golfweek.