We're Going Streaking!!!

What is a streak? The handy online website known as Dictionary.com defines a streak as ‘an unbroken series, as of wins or loses,’ while that definition may work for some I define a streak as a ‘ridiculously long repeated occurrence of an event.’

Some of the top streaks in sports are ones that will never be broken and are simply put, amazing. For example, the Iron Man, Cal Ripken Jr. played in 2,632 consecutive games from 1982 to 1998, which is the best streak of all-time in my opinion. Then you have Joe Dimaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Oklahoma Sooners Football winning 47 games in a row (Buy Your FSLS Now!) and my favorite the University of Kentucky’s Basketball (My alma mater) 129 game home winning-streak stretching from 1943-55.

You may ask what does this have to do with Charlotte athletics and the answer is a lot because three current teams are putting up some pretty impressive numbers against their A-10 opponents.

Starting off for the Niners is the Men’s Golf team, which has won four-straight Atlantic 10 Titles and made an appearance in the NCAA Championship five straight years. Since 2006, the 49ers have claimed the conference title by an average of 11 strokes with its largest margin coming in 2008 by a 28-stroke victory. Not too shabby.

Moving along to our next team would be the women’s track and field squad. Since joining the A-10 in 2006, Charlotte’s women have won every single championship both indoor and outdoor against their A-10 counterparts. The complete utter domination of the A-10 is astounding as the women have racked up eight titles. Well done.

Finally we have a team that is currently in action with the women’s soccer squad. The team is in the midst of a 12-match home winning streak that dates back to 2007, when I was still in college (Dang I’m getting old.) Not only have the women won at home but they also haven’t lost a regular season game in their last 14 matches and have won 16-straight A-10 matches, which includes tournament play. I applaud that trio of streaks.

Also for those of you basketball nuts here is a basketball tidbit: Both of the basketball teams have put up winning streaks that have dated for at least three years: the women’s bball team won 22 games from 2005-07 when their streak came to an end against #8 George Washington, while the men’s roundball squad won 61 straight games at home from 1973-77 as Charlotte greats Cedric Maxwell and Melvin Watkins never lost a game at home during their career.

That’s it for today’s lesson on streaks and make sure to come out to Transamerica Field this weekend as the women’s soccer team will look to extend their home winning streak and regular season winning streak with games against Francis Marion (Today, 7 p.m.) and Villanova (Sunday, 1 p.m.).

-- Patrick McCoy, 49ers Media Relations --