Stanford (13-6, 8-4 MPSF)
Statistics
UNPRECEDENTED SEASONThe 2021 season was the most unprecedented in the history of the sport, given the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Stanford opened the season on March 6 on the road at Arizona State, its latest start date in program history. The Cardinal battled through a challenging schedule that saw each of its opponents ranked in the nation's top-16, going 13-6 overall with an 8-4 mark in the MPSF. Stanford was the No. 3 seed going into the MPSF Tournament, but earned a runner-up performance with wins over Indiana and UCLA, punching its ticket to a 20th-straight NCAA Tournament. There, Stanford won its first game against Fresno State before falling in the semifinals to UCLA.
TOP-10 WINSStanford earned six victories over top-10 opponents during the 2021 season, beating national runner-up UCLA twice, once at home and again at the MPSF Tournament. The Cardinal also swept the season series with rival California, earning 13-8 and 10-9 victories.
ALL-AMERICA HAULThe Cardinal totaled at least four All-Americans for the 17th straight season, as Sarah Klass, Jewel Roemer, Emalia Eichelberger, Chloe Harbilas and Hannah Constandse earned honors from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). Both Klass and Roemer were named to the first team, while Eichelberger landed on the second team, Harbilas on the third and Constandse as honorable mention.
FRESHMAN PHENOMJewel Roemer produced an impressive rookie campaign with the Cardinal, named the MPSF Newcomer of the Year, the eighth in program history. Roemer finished the season with 44 goals, ranking second on the team, including a team-best 14 multi-goal performances. Her season-high of five goals came at No. 1 USC, as she produced her top performances against the nation's best competition. She was a three-time MPSF Newcomer of the Week, while being named to both the NCAA and MPSF All-Tournament Teams.
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— Stanford Women's Water Polo (@Stanfordh2opolo) April 29, 2021
A rocking rookie season, as Jewel Roemer earns a top honor from @MPSFWomensWP, also named to the league's second team.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ixyOPpd8jZ
AT AVERYAfter going 7-1 at home in 2021, Stanford is 121-11 at Avery since 2008.
CONFERENCE HONORSFor the eighth time in the last nine years, Stanford featured at least five MPSF All-Conference honorees, including both Sarah Klass and Emalia Eichelberger on the first team, Chloe Harbilas and Jewel Roemer on the second team, Hannah Shabb named honorable mention, and Roemer also landing on the All-Newcomer Team.
ELITE 90Sophie Wallace was named the winner of the NCAA Elite 90 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships. She's the third winner in program history, boasting a perfect 4.00 GPA and set to declare a major of Science, Technology & Society.
A post shared by Stanford Women's Water Polo (@stanfordh2opolo)
HEAD OF THE KLASSSarah Klass again proved herself as Stanford's offensive leader for the second year in a row, pacing the Cardinal with 47 goals scored in games, including 12 multi-goal performances. Her 47 goals ranked fifth in the MPSF, while she finishes her career on The Farm with 137 career goals. Her 67 sprint wins dwarfed her competition in the MPSF, featuring an 88.2% win percentage. Her top performance of the season came in a seven-goal performance against Indiana, career-high.
SOLID IN NETFinishing her career as a three-time All-American, Emalia Eichelberger started all 19 games as Stanford's primary goalkeeper, finishing the year with 153 saves. She finished the season with a goals against average of 8.4 and made a season-high 15 saves in Stanford's victory at Arizona State to start the year.
HIGH RECOGNITIONHead Coach John Tanner was named the College Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee prior to the start of the 2021 season. In its second year, the award aims to recognize and award the work of quality coaches and providers that are creating significant impact in their sport throughout the year.
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— Stanford Women's Water Polo (@Stanfordh2opolo) February 16, 2021
In a year of unprecedented uncertainty and challenges, John Tanner's leadership has been honored by the @USOPC_News and Team USA.
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FROM TOP TO BOTTOMWhen it came to performance in the classroom, there wasn't a weak link on the team, as Stanford's entire eligibility earned All-Academic recognition by both the MPSF and Pac-12 Conference.