Virginia Joins Esteemed Company with Sixth Consecutive NCAA Championship
When the University of Virginia captured its sixth consecutive NCAA championship on Saturday night in Atlanta, the Cavaliers became the first women’s swimming program to claim that many titles in a row. By totaling 589 points and defeating runnerup Stanford by more than 200 points, UVA broke a tie with Texas (1984-88) and Stanford (1992-96) for the most consecutive crowns in the pool.
But Virginia also joined elite company in all sports.
In the history of NCAA women’s athletics, only six programs have captured six straight national championships. The outdoor track and field program at LSU, which was guided by coach Pat Henry, leads the way with 11 straight titles from 1987-1997. Second on the list is the soccer program at the University of North Carolina, which won nine championships in a row from 1986-94, the legendary Mia Hamm part of the run.
The University of Maryland lacrosse program won seven straight titles from 1995-2001 while Stanford tennis (1986-91) and Villanova cross country (1989-94) claimed six crowns in a row.
There is no doubt that Virginia, under the leadership of coach Todd DeSorbo, will be favored to lift a seventh consecutive championship trophy next March, with the likes of Claire Curzan, Anna Moesch and Sara Curtis back in the mix, along with a bevy of additional scorers.
NCAA History (Programs to Win Six Consecutive National Titles)
11 – LSU Outdoor Track (1987-97)
9 – North Carolina Soccer (1986-94)
7 – Maryland Lacrosse (1995-2001)
6 – Stanford Tennis (1986-91)
6 – Villanova Cross Country (1989-94)
6 – Virginia Swimming (2021-26)
