Soccer’s Record Success In Context
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas soccer team, at 13-1-0 overall and 6-0 in SEC play, is off to its best start in school history. Being ranked nationally at No. 11 is another accolade and team record that’s lifting the program into a highly-anticipated conference showdown with No. 4 South Carolina (12-0-1, 6-0-0) on Sunday.
Within the context of Arkansas athletics, only six other sports on campus have enjoyed similar starts, and only four sports — men’s basketball, baseball, women’s basketball and women’s tennis — can lay claim to 13-1 starts in school history.
Men’s basketball had five 13-1 starts in school history, including a program-best 23-1 start to the 1982-83 and 1976-77 seasons. Those five starts also included four NCAA Tournament appearances and an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1977-78.
Baseball had four 13-1 starts and two 12-1-1 starts, including an 18-1 start to the 1996 season and a 22-1-1 start to the 1982 season. Those six starts also included an NCAA District VI appearance, NCAA Central II Regional appearance and three NCAA Regional appearances.
Women’s basketball also had five 13-1 starts in school history, including a program-best 15-0 record to the 2007-08 season and identical 15-1 starts to the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. Women’s tennis posted a 13-1 start to the 1986-87 season as part of a 16-1 start on the way to its best winning percentage (.786) in school history.
Football has not had a 13-1 start but can lay claim to an 11-0 final record in 1964, an 11-1 record in 1977 and a 10-1 record in 1965 and 1968. Those four seasons include the school’s only national championship in 1964, two Cotton Bowl appearances and an appearance in both the Orange and Sugar Bowls.
Swimming and diving, likewise, has not had a 13-1 start but has had five one-loss seasons in school history, including a school-best 10-1 record in the 2008-09 and 2012-13 season.
The soccer team looks to make more history Sunday, as it travels to Columbia, South Carolina, to take on the No. 4 Gamecocks. With a victory, the Razorbacks would have their third win over a top-five team this season, set the program record for longest winning streak (9 games) and extend their winning streak against SEC opponents (7 games).
