With the season revving up again, it’s worth noting the eight teams who are still undefeated. That means they haven’t lost to any opponent yet, regardless of their level of play. Sorry, Puget Sound and Lewis & Clark, but it was too difficult to make these lists using only Division III games.
There are three other teams that sport double-digit winning streaks in conference, none of whom are ranked. Then there are those teams who are still looking for their first win.
Without further adieu – and with a nod to the folks on the message boards who are tracking this stuff – here are a few streaks to watch the rest of the way.
Undefeated
Most of these teams have a winning streak as long as their list of games played this season. That makes sense – good teams win games and make the playoffs, at least in their conference, where they eventually lose or win the national title.
Elizabethtown is the exception to the rule. The Blue Jays have 10 wins overall dating back to last season when they missed the four-team MAC Commonwealth playoff. They head to York (Pa.) this weekend where they’ll face fellow bluebirds Johns Hopkins. If E-town leaves town with two Ws, its next big test will be January 19 at home versus DeSales (8-1).
Here are the other undefeated teams with their next big test.
– Elizabethtown (9-0, 10 wins overall)
– Williams (10-0): From 0 to difficult in 8 days, the Ephs play winless Mitchell on Friday and archrival Amherst on January 12.
– Rochester (9-0): Next weekend’s Chase Tournament is very deep with ranked Brockport State, upstart Nazareth and undefeated Geneseo State involved.
– Coast Guard (8-0): After Lesley on Saturday, the Bears won’t be able to coast by WPI (7-3) to start NEWMAC play.
– Emerson (8-0): The Lions play Rivier, who gave No. 15 Wheaton (Ill.) a fight before falling in overtime. Later Emerson travels to Nashua to play Rivier on the road. I’m really fighting the urge to make a “Lake and Palmer” joke here.
– Mass-Dartmouth (8-0): Next week the Corsairs play Salem State (9-1), who appears on this list for a different good reason.
– Stevens (8-0): The Ducks have a big weekend ahead at RIT and Nazareth (7-1). Other than a win against CCNY (1-10), Stevens hasn’t played a road game this year.
– Geneseo State (6-0): The Chase Tournament looms large for the Knights as it does for Rochester
Masters of their domain
Here are the longest active winning streaks in conference play, dating back to last year or longer if necessary. This includes conference playoff games but not games against conference opponents in the NCAA tournament. Why? Because. So there.
– Aurora: 14 straight in NATHC
– Salem State: 12 straight in MASCAC
– Centre: 10 straight in SCAC
– Manhattanville: nine straight in Skyline; plays in MAC Freedom this year
– Averett: nine straight in USAC
– Wooster: nine straight in NCAC
I feel your pain
I’ve never played for an undefeated team, but I’ve played for a winless one. If you’re a competitive person, it’s painful beyond words. Since I’ve also played on a one-win team, I also know that one win makes a huge difference. Here’s hoping all these guys are on the right side of at least one score this year.
– Rockford (0-9 this season, 18 straight overall)
– Albertus Magnus (0-8, 14 overall)
– Mitchell (0-10, 13 overall)
– Delaware Valley (0-9, 12 overall)
– Alma (0-11, 11 overall)
– Denison (0-11, 11 overall)
– St. Mary’s (Minn.) (0-9, 11 overall)
– Philadelphia Bible (0-9, 11 overall)
– Colorado College (0-10, 10 overall)
– Maine-Presque Isle (0-7, 10 overall)
– Monmouth (0-8, 9 overall)
Something’s gotta give
You may already know who heads the list for longest active conference losing streak. According to my count, Caltech hasn’t won a SCIAC game in (5^3 + 4^3 + 3^3 + 2^5 + (1 x 11)) tries. But they can probably point out multiple math errors in that last sentence. At least one of these teams is guaranteed to drop off the list since Centenary moved into the PnAC and plays Marywood twice.
– Caltech: 259 straight in SCIAC
– Austin: 17 straight in SCAC/ASC
– Centenary: 17 straight in PnAC/Skyline
– Marywood: 16 straight in PnAC
– Crown: 16 straight in UMAC
– Lynchburg: 14 straight in ODAC
– Elmira: 14 straight in Empire 8
– Bard: 13 straight in NEAC/Skyline
– Rockford: 13 straight in NATHC
– Luther: 12 straight in IIAC
– MCLA: 11 straight in MASCAC
– Beloit: 10 straight in MWC
If time permits, I’d like to get the list of undefeated and winless women’s teams. And I’m sure there are errors with the men’s lists. In fact, I made them…uh…on purpose. Yeah, that’s it. On purpose. So go ahead, see if you can find them and post them below. Please?
St. Mary’s womens team is also winless. Bad times in Winona.
As of today, 03 January 08, the LVC women are 10-0. They’re at home tomorrow night v. Keystone College.
St. Mary’s beat Coe last night, actually. Surprising on both ends.
As mentioned earlier, here is the list of undefeated and winless women’s teams. Corrections welcomed.
– UW-Whitewater (12-0): The Warhawks handed UW-Stevens Point its only loss, but lots of tests remain in the rough and tumble WIAC.
– Amherst (11-0): The Jeffs have a date with undefeated Tufts on January 18, but they can’t overlook rival Williams (7-3).
– Eastern Connecticut (11-0): Maybe No. 15 Southern Maine isn’t a Final Four team this year, but beating them is still a tall order.
– Lebanon Valley (11-0): The Flying Dutchmen don’t see an opponent with a winning record until the big showdown with No. 6 Messiah on January 22.
– Hope (10-0): You can’t overlook rival Calvin, but Albion (9-2) looks like the tougher game.
– Howard Payne (10-0): Texas-Tyler (7-3) leads the other side of the ASC but the two games with McMurry are the big tests.
– Loras (10-0): The Duhawks have a chance to swipe a lot of Top 25 votes when they travel to Simpson on January 19.
– Thomas More (10-0): Even without Leigh Sulkowski, Washington & Jefferson (8-2) is the biggest challenge to the Saints.
– New York University (9-0): On January 12 Brandeis (7-2) comes calling and so does the rest of a tough season in the UAA.
– Tufts (9-0): The next five opponents have winning records. That includes two tournament teams (Fitchburg State, Emmanuel) and aforementioned Amherst.
– Randolph-Macon (7-0): Opponents Guilford (6-1) and Virginia Wesleyan (7-2) both have good records but neither has a signature win yet. This one is a mystery to me.
– Cortland State (7-0): William Smith (5-1) is solid and that trip to Potsdam State (5-3) is a long, long bus ride.
Winless
– Hollins (0-7, 21 straight)
– New Rochelle (0-9, 17 straight)
– Hilbert (0-11, 15 straight)
– Texas Lutheran (0-9, 13 straight)
– Martin Luther (0-10, 12 straight)
– Milwaukee Engineering (0-12, consecutive losing streak unknown)
– Claremont Mudd Scripps (0-8)
– Southern Vermont (0-8)
– Wilson (0-8, consecutive losing streak unknown)
– Principia (0-6, seven straight)
– Wesleyan (Ga.) (0-6, seven straight)
– Morrisville State (0-5)