by Ellen Sawin, NCSA College Relations
“Best” can be defined in many ways. But if you’re judging by records, wins, and titles, there’s a handful of teams that standout from the rest of the pack.
Most people know that the UCLA men’s basketball team was successful thanks to an impressive team coached by John Wooden. They won 88 straight games from 1971-1974. That record qualifies them to be considered among the “best” collegiate teams in history.
Then you have to consider UNC’s women’s soccer team, who won 92 games in a row from 1990-94. Or what about the Penn State volleyball team that won 109 straight matches from 2007-2010, under Coach Russ Rose?
These teams have unparalleled winning percentages, but they aren’t the only teams with impressive undefeated streaks. From 1953-57 Oklahoma Football won 47 straight games, and then from 2008-2011 UConn women’s basketball won 90 in a row. Yet none of these records match that of the Yale Swim team, who won 201 straight meets from 1940-1961. And more recently, Trinity Squash, who won 252 matches since 1998 until they lost to Yale this past January. So what record is the most impressive? And does that record make them the “best” team in history?…
This is a debate that many people have an opinion on. One idea is that the best team is determined by the number of seasons they went undefeated, the number of national titles, or the amount of games they won in a row. There are also different things people take into consideration. For instance, how many teams compete in that sport, what division level does that team compete in, and how many teams did they upset along the way?
No matter what the answer is to any of these questions, each of these teams is impressive in their own way and to their fans. If you ask a volleyball player about winning streaks, they’ll brag about Penn State for days, after all they not only won 109 matches in a row, but they went 37 matches without even losing a set (volleyball plays best out 5). Ask most guys and they’ll boast that no team will ever be better than Wooden’s Bruins. And what about the fact that Trinity squash has 13 national titles and remains undefeated. This accomplishment is unparalleled.
So back to the original question: which team is the “best” in history? As much as this goes against my inner athlete, I have to declare it a tie (though deep down I have to vote for my sport and go with Penn State volleyball. (You can voice your opinion in our (facebook group). Each of these teams has in turn, increased press coverage, followers, and notoriety. This is something many of these sports would not have had without their respective winning streaks. And as athletes, coaches, and fans of collegiate sports in general, we can’t help but respect all of the athletes and coaches that were a part of any one of these teams. And now we’re left to wonder, what team will be the next to join these ranks? What other team will be argued as possibly the best collegiate team in history?