SSC 40 Greatest Moments: Fifty-Nine in a Row
The University of Tampa volleyball team posted an unheard-of 59 consecutive Sunshine State Conference victories spanning 2011-2015, the longest streak in SSC volleyball history.
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Beginning on October 29th, 2011 the University of Tampa began an epic reign over Sunshine State Conference volleyball. The Spartans won 59 consecutive games against conference foes over the next four years
Tampa dispatched Saint Leo, 3-1, to begin their streak of wins overs SSC members. The Spartans concluded the 2011 season with nine straight wins before falling in the national semifinals to Concordia-St. Paul.
The next two seasons Tampa was unblemished in conference play, winning 32 games overall in each season. The Spartans finished as national runners-up in 2012 and as national semifinalists in 2013, each time falling to a familiar foe, Concordia-St. Paul.
In 2014 the Spartans powered through for their second National Championship in program history. UT went 34-1 overall, winning their last 30 games to garner the title. Again perfect in SSC play, the Spartans swept 11 of the 16 matches.
On an October 2015 road trip to Lynn, No. 1 ranked Tampa fell to the Fighting Knights, 3-2. Nearly four years after the streak began it had come to a close. Tampa bounced back, finishing the season 27-6 overall, 15-1 in SSC play, and securing their sixth straight conference championship and a trip to their seventh consecutive regional tournament.
"While the streak was alive, I did not think or talk about it even once. Now that it is over, I realize how difficult it was to win 59 straight conference games in the Sunshine State Conference," commented Chris Catanach, University of Tampa Head Coach.
"From top to bottom, this is the best Division II Volleyball Conference in the country. This accomplishment is a testament to the awesome kids who chose to attend and compete for The University of Tampa Volleyball program. "
Tampa has become synonymous with Division-II volleyball. The Spartans currently hold 25 regular season SSC titles and 17 NCAA South Region titles. UT has two national championships in their six appearances in the title game (2006, 2014).