TicketsCINCINNATI - The latest rating-percentage index (RPI) for women's soccer was released by the NCAA today and the University of Cincinnati once again made history, this time moving up eight positions to #12 in the September 25 release. The Bearcats, off to a 7-1-2 start following a 1-0-1 opening weekend of play in the American Athletic Conference, utilized a 0-0 draw with UCF, who is #4 in the RPI, and a 1-0 defeat of USF (#49) to move up from #20, the then-record best for UC.
The ranking is unchartered territory for the Bearcats, especially given where the program was just five seasons ago. Following the end of the 2012 season, the final rankings were released and UC sat at #227. Fast forward to today and fifth-year head coach Neil Stafford's program has ascended 215 positions since he and his staff came to Cincinnati.
// CLIMBING HIGHER
During the 2013 season, Stafford's first with the program, the Bearcats rose to as high as #117 in the RPI, a meteoric climb of 110 positions. That was followed by 42-place improvements in back-to-back years with the 2014 squad reaching a height of #75 before the 2015 team, winners of the American Athletic Conference Tournament and participants in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, climbed to as high as #33. While the 2016 team didn't eclipse #33, it did manage to build consistency as it lowered its season-best ranking five weeks in a row down to a best of #70. Then, when the 2017 season got underway, the Bearcats really turned it on.
This year, UC opened with a seven-match undefeated streak, posting a 6-0-1 record before falling at LSU, 1-0. Following the match, it was reveled the Bearcats, thanks to the best start in program history, would enter the RPI rankings at #20, surpassing the previous record of #21 in the final rankings of 2001. UC added to that history this week at #12, giving the AAC two teams in the Top 12 with UCF remaining at #4.
// STRONG SHOWINGS
According to the latest RPI release, the Bearcats have already faced five teams in the Top 50, posting a 3-1-1 record in those matches with wins over #22 Purdue, #37 Northwestern and #49 USF while tying #4 UCF. The lone loss came at #11 LSU. Memphis (#33) is the only other foe on the schedule that is currently in the Top 50. Four other teams on the UC schedule are currently ranked in the Top 100, including #83 Pittsburgh, who UC tied earlier this year, and AAC foes SMU (#61), ECU (#80) and Houston (#93).
// BY THE NUMBERS
UC's highest RPI each year under Stafford:
2012 - #227 (final ranking before Stafford)
2013 - #117 (improvement of 110)
2014 - #75 (improvement of 42)
2015 - #33 (improvement of 42)
2016 - #70
2017 - #12 (improvement of 58 from 2016 and 21 from 2015)
// UPCOMING ACTION
The Bearcats hit the road this week for a pair of AAC matches, their first road conference matches of the year. First, UC will meet UConn in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday night in Storrs, Conn. Then, the two-match road swing comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Bearcats meet the Temple Owls in Philadelphia. Neither team has played an AAC match this year.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
The ranking is unchartered territory for the Bearcats, especially given where the program was just five seasons ago. Following the end of the 2012 season, the final rankings were released and UC sat at #227. Fast forward to today and fifth-year head coach Neil Stafford's program has ascended 215 positions since he and his staff came to Cincinnati.
// CLIMBING HIGHER
During the 2013 season, Stafford's first with the program, the Bearcats rose to as high as #117 in the RPI, a meteoric climb of 110 positions. That was followed by 42-place improvements in back-to-back years with the 2014 squad reaching a height of #75 before the 2015 team, winners of the American Athletic Conference Tournament and participants in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, climbed to as high as #33. While the 2016 team didn't eclipse #33, it did manage to build consistency as it lowered its season-best ranking five weeks in a row down to a best of #70. Then, when the 2017 season got underway, the Bearcats really turned it on.
This year, UC opened with a seven-match undefeated streak, posting a 6-0-1 record before falling at LSU, 1-0. Following the match, it was reveled the Bearcats, thanks to the best start in program history, would enter the RPI rankings at #20, surpassing the previous record of #21 in the final rankings of 2001. UC added to that history this week at #12, giving the AAC two teams in the Top 12 with UCF remaining at #4.
// STRONG SHOWINGS
According to the latest RPI release, the Bearcats have already faced five teams in the Top 50, posting a 3-1-1 record in those matches with wins over #22 Purdue, #37 Northwestern and #49 USF while tying #4 UCF. The lone loss came at #11 LSU. Memphis (#33) is the only other foe on the schedule that is currently in the Top 50. Four other teams on the UC schedule are currently ranked in the Top 100, including #83 Pittsburgh, who UC tied earlier this year, and AAC foes SMU (#61), ECU (#80) and Houston (#93).
// BY THE NUMBERS
UC's highest RPI each year under Stafford:
2012 - #227 (final ranking before Stafford)
2013 - #117 (improvement of 110)
2014 - #75 (improvement of 42)
2015 - #33 (improvement of 42)
2016 - #70
2017 - #12 (improvement of 58 from 2016 and 21 from 2015)
// UPCOMING ACTION
The Bearcats hit the road this week for a pair of AAC matches, their first road conference matches of the year. First, UC will meet UConn in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday night in Storrs, Conn. Then, the two-match road swing comes to a close Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Bearcats meet the Temple Owls in Philadelphia. Neither team has played an AAC match this year.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.