The Loyola women’s basketball team has continued their winning streak with the best start in program history at 16-0, and currently have a 17-1 record.

Their performance has earned them a ranking of 10th in the most recent National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics top 25 polls, their highest ranking since 2015 when they were seventh.

Head coach Kellie Kennedy said he has been proud of the team’s performance so far.

“The team has been great. We’re practicing really well, and they are all really focused and determined on what they want to accomplish this year and it’s shown up in our play on the court,” Kennedy said.

The team also has an undefeated record in Southern States Athletic Conference play and will look to continue their success in the conference as they seek to earn their 10th conference title in the last 11 seasons, Kennedy said.

Junior guard Jazmene McMillan said she hopes to go farther in the national tournament this year, as opposed to last year when they only made it to the second round.

McMillan leads the team in 3-point shooting at 44% from beyond the arc.

“We want to dominate our conference like we have in the past,” said McMillan. “We know that if we prepare and play the best we can during conference play, we’ll be ready for the national tournament when the time comes.”

Senior forward Sandra Cannady has led the team offensively averaging 15.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. Cannady also earned three conference Player of the Week awards this season.

“I’m really proud of it,” said Cannady. “I feel like I didn’t play well and wasn’t there for my teammates the way I wanted to be last year, so the recognition keeps me motivated to keep playing well and helping my teammates.”

Another notable milestone during this streak came for senior guard Taylor Thomas, who became the third active member of the team to score 1,000 points in her career for the Wolf Pack, joining Kennedy Hansberry and Tay Cannon.

“It felt amazing to earn that accomplishment,” Thomas said. “I feel truly blessed to reach this milestone in my career and I want to thank my teammates for believing in me and helping me achieve it.”

The Wolf Pack will continue conference play as they head into the conference tournament which kicks off at the end of February.

“We’re still just taking it one game at a time,” said Thomas. “We just try to go out and compete in each game like it’s our last one. We’ve had success with that strategy and I think it’s going to help us get where we want to be.”