Runaway Winners: Navy Midshipmen Dominate Patriot League Competition

Eight years ago, Virginia became the first ACC member since Duke in 1999-00 to win the regular-season league title by as many as four games in final standings. The most dominant club in conference competition this season was Navy (won Patriot League by six games with 17-1 mark after averaging nine defeats in PL play the previous 15 years). The Jon Perry-coached Midshipmen incurred their lone league loss at American University (65-51). In an incredible achievement, Perry is a rookie bench boss at DI level. By contrast, luminaries Nate Oats and Brad Stevens were relatively close to Perry by being in their third campaigns when dominating leagues with Buffalo and Butler, respectively.

No power league in the last 12 years has had a team finish atop conference standings by at least five games. Colgate was the first school to be so dominant in back-to-back regular-season conference competition (2022-23 and 2023-24) since Stephen Curry-led Davidson to Southern Conference crown by six games in 2007-08. Following is a list of most dominant league titlists in that span finishing at least six games ahead in standings (listed in reverse order):

Season League Champion (Coach) Conference Mark GA
2025-26 Navy (Jon Perry) Patriot League 17-1 +6
2023-24 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 16-2 +6
2022-23 Colgate (Matt Langel) Patriot League 17-1 +6
2021-22 Longwood (Griff Aldrich) Big South/North 15-1 +7
2021-22 Vermont (John Becker) America East 17-1 +6
2020-21 Navy (Ed DeChellis) Patriot League/South 12-1 +6
2019-20 New Mexico State (Chris Jans) Western Athletic 16-0 +6
2017-18 Buffalo (Nate Oats) Mid-American/East 15-3 +6
2014-15 Murray State (Steve Prohm) Ohio Valley/West 16-0 +6
2013-14 Wichita State (Gregg Marshall) Missouri Valley 18-0 +6
2013-14 Florida (Billy Donovan) SEC 18-0 +6
2011-12 Kentucky (John Calipari) SEC 16-0 +6
2011-12 Middle Tennessee State (Kermit Davis) Sun Belt/East 14-2 +6
2009-10 Butler (Brad Stevens) Horizon League 18-0 +6
2007-08 Davidson (Bob McKillop) Southern/South 20-0 +7