High school girls basketball: Incarnate Word Academy enters season with 100-game win streak, the nation's longest

By Kevin Askeland Nov 20, 2023, 3:00pm

Missouri powerhouse became the 35th team in history to win 100 consecutive games or more last season.

Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis) became the 35th team in high school girls basketball history to extend a winning streak to 100 games last year by capturing Missouri's Class 6 state championship. Now, the Red Knights will see how far they can climb on the all-time consecutive wins list.

Ranked No. 23 in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 rankings, Incarnate Word Academy is a good bet to add to the nation's longest active win streak. Should the Red Knights equal their 2023 season (32-0), they would finish in the top seven among the all-time longest streaks and break the Missouri state record, which currently stands at 123 in a row by Strafford from 2016 to 2019.

The all-time record is 218 by Baskin (La.) from 1947 to 1953 during the 6-on-6 era. The longest 5-on-5 streak is 138 games by Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) from 2015 to 2020.

Ellensburg, No. 2 on the active list with 51 consecutive wins, could approach the Washington state record. Currently at No. 4 on the state list, Ellensburg can pass Kamiakin (Kennewick) and Central Valley (Spokane Valley), both of which have won 56 in a row in their history. Colton holds the state record with 79 in a row while Ellensburg played only 25 games a year ago .

The longest active wins list includes games played as of Nov. 18.
One of Missouri's top prospects in the Class of 2025, Nevaeh Caffey is among the top returners for Incarnate Word Academy. (Photo: David Smith)
One of Missouri's top prospects in the Class of 2025, Nevaeh Caffey is among the top returners for Incarnate Word Academy. (Photo: David Smith)
Longest active win streaks

1. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.), 100
2. Ellensburg (Wash.), 51
T3. Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.), 36
T3. Jackson South Side (Jackson, Tenn.), 36
T3. New Covenant School (Anderson, S.C.), 36
T3. Hebron Christian Academy (Dacula, Ga.), 36
T7. Meadville (Mo.), 32
T7. Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.), 32
T7. West Rowan (Mt. Ulla, N.C.), 31
T10. Providence Academy (Plymouth, Minn.), 30
T10. Tri-Village (New Madison, Ohio), 30
12. Bigfork (Mont.), 29
T13. Saco/Whitewater/Hinsdale (Saco, Mont.), 28
T13. North Bend Central (Neb.), 28
T13. Colfax (Wash.), 28
T13. St. Mary's (Annapolis, Md.), 28
T17. Pleasant Valley (Iowa), 27
T17. Bishop Garrigan (Algona, Iowa), 27
T17. Hanover (Kan.), 27
T17. Andover (Mass.), 27
T17. Camden (S.C.), 27
22. Goodland (Kan.), 26
T23. Hamlin (Hayti, S.D.), 25
T23. Ridgeline (Millville, Utah), 25
T23. North Marion (Farmington, W.Va.), 25
T23. Cody (Wyo.), 25
T23. Wossman (Monroe, La.), 25
T28. Mountain City Christian Academy (Anchorage, Alaska), 24
T28. Hamden (Conn.), 24
T28. Elkhorn North (Elkhorn, Neb.), 24
T28. Damascus Christian (Damascus, Ore.), 24
T28. Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.), 24
T33. Neah Bay (Wash.), 23
T33. Rockford (Mich.), 23
T33. Rock Point (Ariz.), 23
36. Mountain Iron-Buhl (Mountain Iron, Minn.), 22
36. Grace Christian (Anchorage, Alaska), 22
36. Deerfield-Windsor (Albany, Ga.), 22
36. Seiling (Okla.), 22
36. Clackamas (Ore.), 22
41. Panther Creek (Cary, N.C.), 21
41. Carroll County (Hillsville, Va.), 21
41. Nooksack Valley (Everson, Wash.), 21
44. Foxborough (Mass.), 20
44. Bishop Guertin (Nashua, N.H.), 20
44. Roy/Mosquero (Roy, N.M.), 20
44. Bethany (Okla.), 20