STANFORD, Calif. – Top-ranked Stanford opens the 2018 NCAA Tournament on Friday at 7 p.m. when it plays host to Seattle in an opening-round matchup at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
The Cardinal (17-0-2, 10-0-1 Pac-12) was crowned Pac-12 champions for the fourth straight season last week with wins at California (Nov. 2) and Arizona State (Nov. 4). During the regular season, Stanford led the Pac-12 in goals per game (2.68) and goals-against average (0.46). The championship was Stanford's 13th as a program and eighth under the Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe.
Live streaming and statistics for Friday's contest will be available at GoStanford.com.
Tickets for Friday's first-round matchup against Seattle are on sale NOW!
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) November 6, 2018
Buy ?? https://t.co/0nMfmREjAP#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/3yGVaPFwAZ
Friday's Opponent, Seattle
• Friday marks the first ever meeting between Stanford and Seattle.
• The Redhawks (10-7-3, 6-1-1 WAC) ride an eight-game unbeaten streak into Friday, having won their last four contests. Most recently, Seattle defeated Kansas City in the WAC Tournament championship to earn the automatic berth.
• Jessie Ray leads the Redhawks in goals (8) and assists (7) while five other players have scored three or more goals. In net, Ariana Romero (9-6-1) owns a 0.88 goals-against average and 0.819 save percentage with six shutouts.
Stanford Postseason History
• This is Stanford's 28th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, dating to 1990.
• The Cardinal claimed the No. 1 overall seed for the third straight season – Stanford has been slated to host the first four rounds of the postseason tournament in nine of the last 10 seasons.
• Stanford's streak of appearances in the competition is at 21 seasons – the Cardinal has not missed the postseason tournament since 1997.
• The Cardinal owns eight College Cup appearances, including seven since 2008 and most recently in 2017 when Stanford captured its second national championship. From 2008-12, Stanford appeared in five consecutive final fours, winning the 2011 College Cup in Kennesaw, Ga.
• The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe has guided Stanford to the NCAA Tournament in each of his 16 seasons at Stanford – Ratcliffe's record in the postseason stands at 43-11-4. • Last season, Stanford outscored opponents 21-3 in the postseason and 16-1 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
• Pac-12 schools have won three of the last five College Cups (UCLA – 2013, USC – 2016, Stanford – 2017).
Undefeated in the regular season ?, but the real season starts soon... ?? #GoStanford
A post shared by Stanford Women's Soccer (@stanfordwsoc) on Nov 4, 2018 at 5:06pm PST
Four in a Row
• Stanford captured its fourth consecutive Pac-12 championship last week with a 2-0 win at California (Nov. 2) and a 4-1 win at Arizona State (Nov. 4). The championship is Stanford's 13th as a program and eighth under the Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe, who is in his 16th season on The Farm.
• Stanford finishes the regular season riding a 29-game unbeaten streak in Pac-12 play, a run that dates to Oct. 6, 2016. The streak ties for the 15th-longest such streak in NCAA Division I history.
Streaking Stanford
• In addition to Stanford's unbeaten streak in conference play, the Cardinal owns a program-record unbeaten streak of 41 games, dating to Aug. 25, 2017.
• The streak is the sixth-longest in NCAA Division I history and is the longest since UCLA went 44 games unbeaten from 2013-14.
• During the streak, the Cardinal is outscoring opponents 131-15.
• Stanford is unbeaten in 25 straight home games, a streak dating to Nov. 18, 2016. During that span, Stanford is outscoring teams 90-7 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
Top of the Polls
• Stanford enters the postseason atop the United Soccer Coaches top-25 poll, a spot it has held since Oct. 10, 2017.
• Eight of Stanford's 19 regular-season opponents ranked or received votes in the poll – North Carolina (3), UCLA (4), USC (6), Santa Clara (7), BYU (24), Arizona (RV), Colorado (RV) and Washington State (RV).
• During the month of September, Stanford hosted four teams currently ranked in the top seven – USC (Sept. 30), North Carolina (Sept. 9), Santa Clara (Sept. 16) and UCLA (Sept. 27) – with a 3-0-1 record.
Leaders of the Pac
• Entering the postseason, Stanford leads the Pac-12 in several offensive categories, including goals per game (2.68), points per game (7.79) and shots per game (23.00)
• Led by goalkeeper Alison Jahansouz (15 starts) and defenders Alana Cook (19 starts), Naomi Girma (18 appearances, 17 starts), Tegan McGrady (17 starts) and Kiki Pickett (18 appearances, 17 starts), Stanford leads the Pac-12 in goals-against average (0.46) and ranks second in shutouts (11).
• Nationally, Stanford ranks first in win-lost-tied percentage (0.947), second in goals per game and fifth in goals-against average.
• Catarina Macario leads the league in points per game (2.07), goals per game (0.86) and shots per game (5.14). In Pac-12 play, Macario paced all players in points per game (2.50), goals per game (1.12), game-winning goals (3) and shots per game (6.38).
• Jordan DiBiasi ranks seventh in points (26) and assists per game (0.42), while her 1.55 points per game in league action ranked fifth.
• Jahansouz leads the conference in goals-against average (0.46) and shutouts per game (0.53), ranking second in save percentage (0.851). In league play, Jahansouz led the Pac-12 in goals-against average (0.34), save percentage (0.880) and shutouts per game (0.67).
#BeatCal, 40-games unbeaten & our 4th straight @Pac12 Title, all in a day's work. Let's finish strong tomorrow at Arizona State! ???? #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/V7IIXOUGDm
— Stanford Women's Soccer (@StanfordWSoccer) November 3, 2018
Team Academic Award
• Stanford was awarded the United Soccer Coaches' Team Academic Award for the 2017-18 season, as announced Oct. 5. A total of 773 collegiate programs (484 women, 289 men) posted a team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher to earn the award. Stanford was one of 191 schools to have both its women's and men's programs recognized.
• Posting a cumulative team GPA of 3.48, Stanford earned the recognition for the sixth straight season and eighth time in nine seasons – the Cardinal finished with the second-highest GPA of any Pac-12 school.
• Last season, Michelle Xiao was awarded the NCAA Elite 90 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the College Cup. Xiao's 4.032 GPA leads the team, also earning CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honors in 2017.
Candidate Cook
• Senior captain Alana Cook is a finalist for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award with the winner announced during the College Cup in December. A senior from Far Hills, New Jersey, Cook has started all 84 games since her freshman season – last season, she, along with 2017 Senior CLASS Award winner Andi Sullivan, captained Stanford to its second national championship.
• A two-time Pac-12 All-Academic honoree and 2017 academic all-region selection, Cook is very active in the community. She has participated in the Gardner Elementary's Walk-A-Thon, Bay Area clinics for Female Footballers and clinics with the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative. Also active with local American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) teams, Cook also serves in a program in which student-athletes sit with local youth at Stanford's athletic events.
• Cook looks to join Sullivan, Nnemkadi Ogwumike (2012) and Candice Wiggins (2008) as Stanford's only Senior CLASS Award winners.
Thank You, Seniors
• Stanford honored its five graduating seniors prior its final regular-season home match on Oct. 21 – Averie Collins (management science and engineering), Alana Cook (symbolic systems), Jordan DiBiasi (science, technology and society), Tegan McGrady (communication) and Michelle Xiao (biomechanical engineering).
• Entering Friday, the class owns a 78-5-5 record, including a 41-1-2 clip in regular-season Pac-12 play.
• The five have combined for 13 All-Pac-12 nods, 10 Pac-12 All-Academic selections and four Academic All-Region selections.
2018 Season Recap
• Jordan DiBiasi scored both goals in a 2-0 win at California as Stanford clinched its fourth straight Pac-12 Championship (Nov. 2).
• Catarina Macario's extraordinary volley was Stanford's only tally in a 1-1 double-overtime tie at Washington State (Oct. 28).
• Catarina Macario scored both goals in a 2-0 win at Washington while Alison Jahansouz finished with four saves to earn the shutout (Oct. 25).
• Stanford erupted for a season-high seven goals in a shutout win over Colorado (Oct. 21). Catarina Macario scored twice off the bench, Abby Gruebel scored and assisted two others and Alison Jahansouz made three key saves to earn the shutout.
• Goals by Sophia Smith and Beattie Goad lifted Stanford to a 2-0 win over Utah to improve to 6-0-0 in Pac-12 play (Oct. 18).
• Three first-half goals powered Stanford to a 5-0-0 start in Pac-12 play with a 3-0 win at Oregon State (Oct. 7). Tegan McGrady opened the scoring with a marvelous free kick, and Belle Briede and Jordan DiBiasi also netted for the Cardinal.
• Catarina Macario's stunning free kick in the 100th minute lifted Stanford to a 1-0 overtime win at Oregon (Oct. 4). Lauren Rood made a career-high four saves to earn the shutout win.
• Sophia Smith's golden goal in the seventh minute of overtime lifted Stanford to a 1-0 win over No. 2 USC – Alison Jahansouz picked up her fourth shutout of the season with four saves (Sept. 30).
• Catarina Macario scored two spectacular goals and Sophia Smith added a third as No. 1 Stanford defeated No. 16 UCLA, 3-2, for its 20th straight Pac-12 win (Sept. 27).
• Catarina Macario scored and assisted Jordan DiBiasi's goal in a 2-0 win over Arizona to start Pac-12 play. Alison Jahansouz made two saves to earn the shutout (Sept. 21).
• Sophia Smith scored Stanford's only goal in a 1-1, double-overtime tie against No. 7 Santa Clara, snapping Stanford's 29-game win streak. Alison Jahansouz made four saves and the Cardinal outshot the Broncos, 28-10, in the draw (Sept. 16).
• Madison Haley scored twice and won a penalty kick as Stanford defeated Cal Poly, 3-0, to improve to 7-0-0 on the season. Abby Greubel also scored, and Lauren Rood earned the shutout (Sept. 13).
• Madison Haley scored in the 92nd minute to secure a 2-1 win over No. 2 North Carolina. Catarina Macario finished with two assists, Alison Jahansouz tied a career high with five saves and the Cardinal improved to 6-0-0 while extending its program-record win streak to 28 games (Sept. 9).
• Jordan DiBiasi, Abby Greubel and Sophia Smith scored in Stanford's 3-1 win over Notre Dame (Sept. 7).
• Stanford clinched its longest win streak in program history with a 2-1, overtime win at Minnesota on Sept. 2. Sam Hiatt's golden goal in the 94th minute sealed the win after Beattie Goad opened the scoring in the first half (Sept. 2).
• Goals from Catarina Macario and Jojo Harber, as well as five saves by Alison Jahansouz, lifted Stanford to a 2-0 win at BYU. (Aug. 30)
• The Cardinal improved to 20-0-0, all-time, against San Francisco with a 5-1 win at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Making her collegiate debut, Sophia Smith scored once and assisted another. Catarina Macario added two goals, Jordan DiBiasi scored with two assists and Civana Kuhlmann upped her team-leading point total to five with one goal and one assist. (Aug. 24)
• Stanford began its 2018 campaign with a convincing 5-0 win at UC Davis. Michelle Xiao, Tierna Davidson, Alana Cook and Civana Kuhlmann scored and Alison Jahansouz handled the only shot she faced all day to earn the shutout. (Aug. 17)
Off The Farm
• Goalkeeper Alison Jahansouz serves as an analyst at Asset Management Ventures in Palo Alto – she has also interned with Grand Rounds in San Francisco as a data analyst.
• Jahansouz also serves as a research assistant in the Engleman Lab at the Stanford Blood Center, previously working as a research assistant for Matt Spitzer in 2015 at the Stanford Blood Center, studying immunology for breast cancer treatment. In the summer of 2018, Jahansouz served as a graduate researcher in the SURF program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.
• Midfielder Michelle Xiao currently conducts research under the guidance of Dr. Geoff Abrams, studying the effects of microRNAs on tendinopathy -- as a part of the Stanford Bio-X USRP program, worked in the Stanford Soft Tissue Biomechanics Lab (STBL) analyzing MRI of knee cartilage to detect early osteoarthritic changes.
• During the summer of 2016, Xiao spent time in the medicinal chemistry research lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center working on synthesizing small molecules that could treat Alzheimer's Disease. She published a paper from this research in the Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters Journal titled "Design and Synthesis of New Piperidone Grafted Acetylcholinesterase".
• Defender Carly Malatskey currently manages Main Quad Rentals at Stanford, which primarily rents beds to Stanford students. Malatskey currently takes classes at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, studying innovation and organization as part of her science, technology and society major.
• In December of 2017, Malatskey participated in an Innovation and Entrepreneurship program in Israel, working with startups and larger companies such as Ebay and Intel.
• In 2017, midfielder Jaye Boissiere was a consulting intern with Z.S. Associates, a healthcare firm, after spending the summer of 2016 researching immigration policy at Stanford's political science department.
• Boissiere has also conducted research on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia with the Maternal Fetal Medicine department at Stanford Hospital, where she was born.
• Senior Tegan McGrady interned at NBC Bay Area News in the summer of 2018.
• Defender Sierra Enge volunteers with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a program that provides support for physically disabled athletes.
• Forward Ceci Gee has coordinated and hosted multiple fundraising events in order to buy and deliver soccer gear for underprivileged girls' soccer teams in Nairobi, Kenya.
• In the summer of 2018, defender Alana Cook interned at SyncThink Inc. under former Stanford head of athletic training Scott Anderson.
• In the summer of 2018, defender Beattie Goad interned in Susie Nilsson's lab at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), focusing on stem cell and cancer research -- presented research at Stanford's human biology symposium on Aug. 10
• Defender Sam Hiatt volunteers at the Northwest Harvest Food Bank and Special Olympics.
• Forward Catarina Macario organized a collective soccer donation of equipment and clothing for children in Brazil.
• Defender Jojo Harber is a six-year member of the National Charity League (2012-17), spending time volunteering with the Special Olympics, YWCA and Northwest Harvest Food Bank.
• Defender Kiki Pickett is a participant in the Food From the Heart program and at the Unity Shoppe.
• Forward Madison Haley is a service coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club in South Dallas, having served as the treasurer for the National Honors Society as well as a tutor at Lee A. McShan Elementary School.
Preseason Awards Wrap Up
• Stanford had an NCAA-high five student-athletes named to the watch list for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, the highest individual honor in college soccer – Tierna Davidson, Catarina Macario, Jaye Boissiere, Tegan McGrady and Alana Cook each made the list.
• Davidson and Macario were named to TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Best XI first team with Cook and Jordan DiBiasi earning berths on the second XI. McGrady was picked for the third XI while freshman Sophia Smith was named to the freshman XI.
Champions Again
• Stanford captured its second national championship in 2017 after a 3-2 win over UCLA in the College Cup final on Dec. 3, 2017. Jaye Boissiere's goal in the 67th minute broke a 2-2 tie, and Stanford held on for its 22nd win in a row to claim the title.
• The Cardinal also won its 12th Pac-12 Conference Title and third in a row.
• Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the eighth time – no other coach has won the award more than twice.
• Andi Sullivan, the winner of the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy, Tierna Davidson and Catarina Macario were named first-team All-America while a further eight returners eared All-Pac-12 recognition.