January 15, 2025
Incarnate Word Academy sets national win streak at Sophie Cunningham Classic
Detailing a legacy of excellence
History was made on Saturday as Incarnate Word Academy, based in St. Louis, Missouri, won its 139th consecutive game, defeating the Blue Valley North from Overland Park, Kansas, 68-51 at the Sophie Cunningham Classic in Columbia. The Red Knights’ last loss occurred on Feb. 8, 2020, in a game against Cunningham’s alma mater, Rock Bridge High School. Central Plains High School, located in Calflin, Kansas, previously held the national record. Incarnate’s winning streak began in 2020, and includes five consecutive Class 6 state championships.
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Incarnate shared the news on X, formally known as Twitter, with the caption “History made.”
While the streak is quite the achievement, Incarnate Word’s head coach Dan Rolfes told Max Preps that the streak isn’t always the teams main focus. “I think our kids are use to playing with a lot of pressure, with state championship and tournament championship games,” he said. “I think for this one, they felt pressure not just for our team but teams in the previous years. They didn’t want to let the program down. They know this win was for every kid who has put on an Incarnate uniform.”
He continued, “I’ll look at the girls and say ‘Let’s get 139 more.'” Rolfes said. “No one wants to lose, but there’s obviously huge lessons in every victory and every defeat. If it makes us better and helps us to our ultimate goal, winning a state title, then we have to learn from it.”
Incarnate Word’s list of former basketball players includes WNBA superstar and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier. After graduating from high school in 2015, she went on to shine at the University of Connecticut, and has earned multiple All-Star selections throughout her professional career. Her new league, Unrivaled, begins play January 17.
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Also part of the school’s legacy is Felicia Chester-Wootton, the player who helped Incarnate Word clench the 2006 Missouri State Championship title during her senior year. After graduating, she played at DePaul University and was drafted to the Minnesota Lynx in the second round of the 2011 WNBA draft.
Natalie Potts, who graduated from Incarnate Word in 2023, went on to become a two-time Missouri MaxPreps Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021. Currently, she plays for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2024. She is averaging 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season.
