Dorothy had it right. There’s no place like home.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The past and present members of Georgia’s swimming and diving team know that all too well. On Saturday, the No. 1-ranked Lady Bulldogs will be attempting to win their 100th consecutive meet within the friendly confines of Gabrielsen Natatorium when Wisconsin visits at 10 AM.

[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia’s women are 100-1 all-time at home dating back to the start of the 1995-96 season. After starting off 1-1 in their new digs that year, the Lady Bulldogs have been untouchable since, claiming a Division I record of 99 consecutive victories.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “The motivation of the winning streak is a big deal to our kids,” Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. “We don’t have to say too much to get them fired up, especially our seniors who don’t want it to end on their watch. We’re all excited about this opportunity.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] To put the 99-straight streak in perspective, on Nov. 8, 1995, when it started:
[su_spacer size=”40″] • “Seinfeld” was the nation’s top-rated show, and the “No soup for you” episode originally aired a week earlier. Other shows in the top 20 included: “ER,” “Friends,” “Home Improvement,” “Coach,” “NYPD Blue,” “Roseanne,” “Frasier,” and “Murphy Brown.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] • The original “Toy Story” was the No. 1 movie.
[su_spacer size=”40″] • The nearly year-long O.J. Simpson double-murder trial had ended a month earlier.
[su_spacer size=”40″] • The Atlanta Braves had just won the World Series in six games over Cleveland.
[su_spacer size=”40″] • 1995 brought the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the introduction of the George Foreman Grill, a website called eBay, and the inaugural X Games.
[su_spacer size=”40″] • 12 members of the current UGA squad had not yet been born.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] “It means a lot more to us than people may think,” Bauerle said. “We’re proud of the amount of wins, but the greatest accomplishment may be that it encompasses 20 years. That connects all the swimmers and divers who have competed in this pool to something special. The team in 1995-96 started it off and it’s been fun to watch it evolve.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] At Stegeman Hall, the Lady Bulldogs’ previous home, Georgia went 64-8-1 under Bauerle, giving him an Athens record of 164-9-1.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Other notable home win streaks from collegiate athletics include: Miami (Fla.) football, 58 from 1985-94; Kentucky men’s basketball, 129 from 1943-55; and Connecticut women’s basketball, 99 from 2007-12.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Prior to Saturday’s meet, the members of Georgia’s senior class — Hali Flickinger, Brittany MacLean, Annie Zhu, Crawford Berry, Matias Koski, Michael Trice, Nick Salyers, Ty Stewart, Garrett Powell, Aidan Sweeney and Spencer Madanay — will be recognized.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4, while both Wisconsin teams are rated No. 17.
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For more information on the Georgia’s Swimming and Diving teams, follow on:

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Twitter: @UGASwimDive

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Instagram: @ugaswimdive

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Face Book: UGA Swimming and Diving

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