LAKE CHARLES – With the calendar switching to March, it's only fitting the success of McNeese's men's and women's basketball teams have solidified that McNeese is indeed a basketball school.
Through Tuesday's games nationwide, the Cowboys and Cowgirls have combined to win 53 games – Cowgirls 27-4 (21-1 SLC) overall and the Cowboys at 26-5 (19-3 SLC).
Only two programs in the nation have more wins, UConn with 58 with its No. 1-ranked women's team at 31-0 and men's team at 27-3 and ranked No. 4; and Miami (OH) with 54 wins behind its men's team that improved to 30-0 on Tuesday and is ranked 19
th while the women's team is 24-5 and is ranked No. 7 in the latest mid-major top 25 poll.
To put it into perspective, McNeese has more wins combined than programs like Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Texas Tech, and Michigan State, just to name a few. And on top of that, McNeese is one of just 34 out of 365 Division I basketball playing schools where both men's and women's teams have won at least 20 games.
"I could not be more proud of these two programs. For McNeese to be ranked No. 3 in the nation… it's simply amazing," said McNeese VP/Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer.
"The success we've achieved isn't accidental. It's the result of an extraordinary amount of hard work from a lot of people. When you see what's happened with our university's enrollment -and feel the energy across campus and throughout the community- I think it's safe to say basketball has been a big part of that. Being able to see the vision we had years ago become a reality is something I take great pride in. What's even more exciting is knowing that with Coach Armstrong and Coach Guzzardo, we're just getting started!
"The next step is clear: win these two tournaments and put both programs on the national stage, exactly where they've proven they belong. For a school like McNeese, with our size and budget, to be ahead of programs like University of Michigan and other Power Four institutions says a lot. We've arrived. We are a nationally relevant basketball school. And we're only getting started."
Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls are having record-setting seasons.
The Cowgirls have set single-season school records for most wins in a season (27), most Southland Conference wins in a season (21, also a conference record), and longest winning streak which is currently at 20 games which is the 3
rd-longest streak in the NCAA behind UConn (47) and UCLA and Rice, each at 22 games.
The Cowgirls are ranked No. 83 in the latest NCAA NET rankings, the highest-ever in school history.
For the Cowboys, their 26 wins are the second-most in a regular season in school history (28 in 2023-24 and 26 in 1955-56) while the 19 league wins matches a school record set last season and is the second-most in conference history (SFA with 20 this season). Currently on an eight-game winning streak, the Cowboys have won 27 straight games inside the Townsley Law Arena which is the 3
rd-longest current streak in the NCAA behind Miami OH and Duke at 31 each and Akron with 30 straight wins.
Over the last three seasons, McNeese has compiled an overall record of 84-16 including a 55-5 conference mark. The 55 wins in league play over a three-year span are the most by any school and rank No. 1 in the NCAA. The Cowboys are ranked in all mid-major top 25 polls and as high as No. 4. McNeese is No. 60 in the latest NCAA NET rankings.
Both the Cowboys and Cowgirls will return to action next week when they tip-off in the Air Force Reserve Southland Conference Tournament. The Cowboys will play in the semifinal round on Tuesday night at 8:30 while the Cowgirls will have their first game in Wednesday's semifinal round at 10:30 a.m.
NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Combined Best Records
Team Men Women Total
UConn 27-3 31-0 58-3
Miami OH 30-0 24-5 54-5
McNeese 26-5 27-4 53-9
Michigan 27-2 24-5 51-7
Gonzaga 28-3 22-9 50-12
Vanderbilt 22-7 27-3 49-10
Virginia 25-4 22-8 49-12
Stephen F. Austin 27-4 22-9 49-13
Duke 27-2 21-8 48-10
North Carolina 23-6 25-6 48-12
