As the NCAA Softball Tournament selection show ended last Sunday night on ESPN2, a playoff regular was missing from the field of teams that will compete for a national title.

BYU softball has appeared in every NCAA tournament since 2004, missing the event this season for only the fifth time in program history. The school’s postseason streak came to an end when the Cougars were kicked from the tournament field on the draft show.

Despite ending the season on a 17-game winning streak, with a 42-10 overall record and the highest winning percentage in school history, BYU’s 2022 schedule will not include a playoffs.

The Cougars’ year ended abruptly, with the conclusion coming last Saturday after beating Saint Mary’s 10-0 to clinch a share of a 13th straight conference championship.

It’s only the third time under head coach Gordon Eakin that the Cougars will miss the playoffs — the last time in only his second year at the helm.

Even so, Eakin knows there’s a lot to be positive about.

“There are so many good things that have happened with our team throughout the year,” the longtime BYU coach said. “In their personal growth off the field, in their athletic growth on the field, in their academic achievements, there is so much to celebrate.

“Am I proud of this team and will I look at this season and this team with good memories? I would say absolutely. I think it’s a success. I wouldn’t trade the players of this team for anything in the world.

Still, the Cougars’ absence from this year’s tournament is somewhat disconcerting. BYU has more wins than 55 teams in the field and fewer losses than 53.

Ultimately, the Cougars’ tournament chances took their biggest hit in the school’s first round of conference play against Loyola Marymount in early April.

BYU has lost two straight to the Lions after starting the series with a 4-0 shutout victory.

“You have to move on,” Eakin said of his side’s loss to LMU. “You can only control what you can control.

“We lost that rubber game 1-0 in a game that we didn’t play well. We felt like we should have won it. Loyola is playing very well, but all we can do is control our results.

The losses left the Cougars with a tough climb to defend their West Coast Conference title. BYU has done everything it can to achieve that goal, winning every game since those losses.

“I can’t remember a conference championship that didn’t have pressure,” Eakin said. “I think they were all under pressure.

“Now are there more teams trying to take us down because we’ve been on top for so long? Absolutely. … We know we’re a target and we know teams want to take us down, but I guess if you are a real competitor you probably want to knock out every team you play.

Eakin felt that pressure mounting as he added material and successes to the Cougars’ impressive history.

“I guess I probably feel a bit more pressure to keep winning consistently so I would say it’s increased a bit over the years, but I can’t remember a single year in my coaching career where there was no pressure to win a conference championship.

BYU’s conference title aspirations were realized after LMU lost a game to Santa Clara the final weekend of conference play, opening the door for the Cougars to become co-champions with the Lions.

But without an outright championship, BYU’s door to NCAA Tournament hopes finally closed when LMU received the coveted automatic offer.

“I don’t know many sports franchises that have had nothing but success and never been interrupted,” Eakin said.

“I think the message as we move forward, in a conference that only plays 15 conference games, you (have to) bring your A game to the stadium every day (to) win a conference championship.”

BYU will learn from this season. While it ended on a bit of a bittersweet note, after missing out on a 17th straight NCAA Tournament finish, it will serve as the Cougars’ biggest motivation going forward.