‘Gutting.’ Fans, players react to NC State’s CWS run ending due to NCAA COVID protocols
N.C. State’s impressive College World Series run ended early Saturday morning after the NCAA ruled its upcoming game against Vanderbilt a “no contest” due to COVID-19 protocols.
Here’s the reaction on Twitter from players, fans, alumni and the media.
Warning: Graphic/offensive image included.
Heartbroken. Absolute nightmare way to end it. To say I’m proud of my teammates would be an understatement. I’ll love this team forever. Thank you to all those who supported us through the highs and lows this year. pic.twitter.com/N6gtKLJuUq
— Evan Justice (@evanjustice34) June 26, 2021
Beyond disappointed in the @NCAA decision. I am looking forward to a real statement from them. Couldn’t be more proud of a alum with how @NCStateBaseball represented the university. They showed heart, passion, confidence and resilience. Any person/team can learn a lot from them!
— Scott Wood (@ScottWood15) June 26, 2021
Regardless of how you feel about the protocols in place, NC State’s players (and everybody else) knew the deal. Unvaccinated players were always going to be subject to contact-tracing. There was a way to avoid this. They chose not to do it. Now they’re suffering the consequences. https://t.co/Dh59oHYpDU
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) June 26, 2021
Words can’t even describe this feeling. An opportunity of a lifetime, something you dream of as a little kid just snatched away in the blink of an eye. I love this team more than anything and couldn’t be more proud to be apart of this team. https://t.co/3WH7DhvqQx
— D.B. (@DevonteBrown03) June 26, 2021
I am very proud to be a NC State Alum. Thank you @NCStateBaseball for taking us on the ride. Anything I say within this tweet will not do justice to these kids that worked their tails off to get where they’re at. I’m sorry it ended this way.
— Carlos Rodón (@Carlos_Rodon55) June 26, 2021
Words cannot describe what my teammates and I are feeling right now. A team that put countless hours working towards a national championship and having an opportunity for one and @NCAA doing everything in their power to take it away from us. I’ll go to war any day with these guys pic.twitter.com/ZaOdqBgDh3
— Dalton Feeney (@DaltonFeeney) June 26, 2021
The long reach of karma? Remember when Lee Fowler, Vanderbilt alum and former AD at NC State, was on the men's basketball selection committee and hosed Vanderbilt?
— Randy Ford (@DocDunc1) June 26, 2021
Will never forget this feeling. Our coaching staff deserve better. Us players deserve better. Our fans deserve better. Everyone that believed in us deserve better. We all deserve better. @NCAACWS you have ruined the biggest moment of our player’s lives so far. What a joke. https://t.co/P3evtjhhSI
— Matt Willadsen (@MattWilladsen) June 26, 2021
Dear @VandyBoys,
— 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast (@11point7) June 26, 2021
Please do everyone a favor and refuse to play until NC State is in the other dugout. It’s the right thing to do.
You will have the respect from millions of people.
Sincerely,
College Baseball
Wonder where NC State will hang their “Forfeited the College World Series Because We Couldn’t Get Our Players to Take the Vaccine” banner?
— Jonathan Hawkins (@jvhawkins) June 26, 2021
Truly a new rock bottom in 40 years of lows
Whether or not NC State’s DQ from CWS has been justified is ambiguous.
— Coach Christi, DNP (@SnapMyAd) June 26, 2021
However i’ve been in healthcare long enough to know a dog & pony show when i see one. If NCAA was THAT serious about safety Omaha would NOT be at 100% with virtually no screening pic.twitter.com/TcCgsWfweJ
Maybe NC State’s coach should’ve gotten his players vaccinated like Tennessee’s did. People are complaining about this but they knew the rules and they decided to play Russian roulette. https://t.co/xQOMPrXyVs
— Carlos Williams (@Smart_Sapper12B) June 26, 2021
At nearly 3:00 am, NC State entered the stadium to take a final picture by the CWS logo
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) June 26, 2021
The underdog throughout, already beating Arkansas, Stanford, and Vandy, are going home because of COVID-19 protocols
It was their 3rd CWS appearance in school history
(@KendallRogers) pic.twitter.com/Ej5DQXhMM0
@NCAA how brutal of a way to end things for a team that has worked their asses of to get to this point. Can’t even stick to your protocols that you put in place, awful leadership. Hey, but whatever makes you your money, right and puts your beloved vandy boys in the title game. pic.twitter.com/wR7gCVQmmk
— Cade Feeney (@CadeFeeney) June 26, 2021
This dude, who controls every aspect of their lives, doesn’t wanna push them to be vaccinated? And then unvaccinated guys get infected, triggering more tests, ending their season? Welp.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) June 26, 2021
I feel for NC State, but this information really challenges my capacity for that empathy. https://t.co/A8G9jaaQHb
Couldn't be more embarrassed for all the people on this website bashing NC State baseball players for not being vaccinated when they had more positive tests from vaccinated players than unvaccinated ones.
— Max Goren (@MaxGoren) June 26, 2021
This team went so far just to get robbed of a shot at the title. Gutting. https://t.co/1QLoUsoWQy
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
To say that the @NCAA decision to prematurely end our season is based on the safety of the players is a lie. Thank you WPN for your constant support this year. More thanks to everyone involved with @NCStateBaseball for the ride of a lifetimepic.twitter.com/5oyhbsEFbB
— Cam Cotter (@cameron_cotter) June 26, 2021
This story was originally published June 26, 2021 at 11:27 AM with the headline "‘Gutting.’ Fans, players react to NC State’s CWS run ending due to NCAA COVID protocols."