POMONA, Calif. – Fresh off two weeks in South Korea representing the United States at the World University Games, the Stanford women’s water polo program went down to Southern California over the weekend and won gold at the 2015 US Open of Water Polo.
The Cardinal claimed the 15-team women’s tournament with a 14-10 victory over SOCAL at Pomona-Pitzer’s Haldeman Pool on Sunday. The US Open brings together many of the best club water polo teams in the United States in addition to top-ranked collegiate squads and pipeline national teams.
Rising senior goalkeeper Gabby Stone claimed MVP honors for the women while Stanford alumnus Tony Azevedo, playing for the New York Athletic Club, did so on the men’s side. Fellow Cardinal Jordan Raney and Jamie Neushul joined Stone on the all-tournament team along with 2010 Stanford graduate Kelly Eaton, who represented the New York AC "A" squad.
Stanford grads Jessica Steffens, Lauren Silver and Cassie Churnside also competed for NYAC’s “A” team alongside Eaton and finished third.
Semifinal shootout win over NYAC. @GoStanford team pic @StanfordAlumni Jess, Lolo, Kelly & Cassie. pic.twitter.com/ptghVQr1dD
— Stanford Water Polo (@Stanfordh2opolo) July 19, 2015
It has been a busy summer for Stanford all across the globe. In addition to the Cardinal’s fifth-place finish in South Korea, incoming freshman Makenzie Fischer, alumnae Ashley Grossman ’15, Kiley Neushul ’15 and Melissa Seidemann ’13 and rising senior Maggie Steffens have led the United States Senior Women’s National Team to an undefeated 15-0 mark in the months of June and July and gold medals at the Kunshan Cup in China, the FINA World League Super Final in Shanghai and the Pan Am Games in Toronto.
Additionally, 2015 graduate Emily Dorst and rising senior Gurpreet Sohi attended the ESPY Awards at Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on July 15 to accept the women’s Capital One Cup for Stanford, given to the nation’s most successful athletics program.
Highlighted by national championships in golf and water polo, the Cardinal accumulated 136.5 points to edge second-place Florida (131) and third-place Penn State (105) for its third women’s Capital One Cup.
Stanford claimed three national championships in 2014-15, increasing its overall total to 127. Of its 127 championships, 107 are NCAA titles, including 2015 crowns in women’s water polo and women’s golf. Also this past season, the Cardinal captured its fifth IRA National Championship over the last six seasons in women’s lightweight rowing. The Cardinal has won at least one NCAA championship in each of the last 39 seasons, representing the longest active streak in the nation.