Some came in highly-touted. Others flew under the radar. But as the fall sports enter their regular season’s final month, one thing is certain: these rookies have made an immediate impact. We reveal the fall’s top true freshmen in the latest edition of the Farm 5.
Farm 5: Best Wins To Date (Sept. 21)
Farm 5: Summer Standouts (Aug. 30)
Amir Bashti
Men's soccer had climbed to No. 4 in the country thanks to an incredible 15-match unbeaten streak spanning two months prior to last night's loss at Washington. Defense has been the calling card, but the Cardinal has balanced it out with opportunistic scoring. Bashti, who has assisted on one of Jordan Morris’ four game-winners, scored goals in back-to-back games against Oregon State and UCLA while contributing 16 shots. Bashti has missed only two games, and for good reason: he competed with the U.S. U-20 National Team at the Stevan Vilotic-Cele Tournament in Serbia during the first week of September.
Alana Cook
Among those leading the charge for Pac-12 champ women’s soccer has been Cook, who has seamlessly stepped into a center-defender position – a tall task for a true freshman. An experienced U.S. Youth National Team participant, Cook has played nearly every minute of the season and helped Stanford blank 10 of its 18 opponents while permitting just 10 goals. Cook has made contributions in the offensive zone as well, scoring the game-winning goal in a 2-1 season-opening comeback victory at Hawai’i and setting up the winning score at Washington with a quality run through the midfield and an assist. Cook boasts a unique blend of skill, size, speed, intelligence and physicality that forces the opposition to find alternate routes to the goal.
Hayley Hodson
When senior middle blocker and three-time All-American Inky Ajanaku suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason, many wondered how Stanford would overcome the loss. It’s not as if No. 7 Stanford lacked for talent, with a roster already featuring the likes of Madi Bugg, Jordan Burgess, Merete Lutz and Brittany Howard. That depth was enhanced by the addition of Hodson, who arrived as Volleyball Magazine’s top-ranked recruit. Bidding to become the first freshman to lead the Cardinal in kills since Alix Klineman in 2007, Hodson ranks first on the squad in kills (3.84) and points (4.53) per set with eight double-doubles. A four-time Pac-12 Player of the Week, Hodson simply has not disappointed.
Bryce Love
After scoring six points against Northwestern in the season opener, Stanford’s offense has been basically unstoppable, scoring at least 30 points in seven straight games. Christian McCaffrey, Barry Sanders and Remound Wright – all have been doing their damage. But in a 31-7 rout of UCF, Stanford fans were introduced to Love. The explosive running back finished with three touches for 143 yards, including an impressive 93-yard catch and run. Emerging as a big-play threat whenever he touches the ball, Love has rushed for 68 yards on 18 attempts and totaled 209 yards on 10 receptions.
Blake Parrish
Up until this point, all eyes have been fixated on senior Bret Bonanni. Rightfully so, as the three-time All-American became Stanford’s all-time leading scorer over the weekend in a win over Long Beach State. Bonanni remains the focal point of a Cardinal offense that features five upperclassmen among its top seven scorers. Included in that mix is Parrish, who is enjoying a solid rookie campaign with 15 goals scored. Parrish was able to make an impact early on, scoring in each of his first five contests, a feat accomplished by only four other Cardinal players. No. 5 Stanford closes the regular season with three games at home – your last chance to catch Parrish in action.