STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford opens defense of its NCAA title on Jan. 28-29, with an appearance at the Cal Cup kicking off its 2023 campaign.
Stanford will be bidding to repeat as national champions for the first time since 2014-15, after capturing its eighth NCAA crown in school history last May following a 10-7 victory over USC. The nation's winningest women's water polo program, Stanford has reached the NCAA final in 11 of the last 12 seasons while appearing in every NCAA Championship since the event's inception in 2001.
After opening its season in Berkeley, the Cardinal makes its Avery Aquatic Center debut the following week, hosting the Stanford Invitational from Feb. 4-5, which features a field of Arizona State, California, Michigan and San Jose State.
Following a pair of matches in Davis and an appearance at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational (Feb. 24-26), Stanford travels to Indiana on March 5 to begin MPSF play.
Stanford hosts UCLA on March 11 at Avery, with the Cardinal looking to continue its recent dominance against the Bruins after sweeping all four meetings last season.
The Cardinal welcomes Santa Clara to The Farm on April 2, sandwiched between road matches at Arizona State and USC.
Senior Day is schedule for April 16 against San Jose State, with the Cardinal traveling to Cal on April 22 in the regular-season finale.
The MPSF Championships are set for April 28-30 and will be hosted by San Jose State.
The NCAA Championship is scheduled for May 12-14 and will be hosted by Pacific.
Stanford put the finishing touches on a dominant season in 2022, producing two double-digit winning streaks, seven weeks as the nation's No. 1 team and its first MPSF crown since 2014.
The Cardinal will be led by ACWPC All-Americans Aria Fischer (62 goals, 23 assists, 121 shots) and Ryann Neushul (69 goals, 33 assists, 106 shots), who along with former standout Makenzie Fischer, gave Stanford three 60-goal scorers for the first time in school history last year.
Maya Avital (210 saves) and Jewel Roemer (29 goals, 46 assists) earned All-America recognition as well, pacing a deep and talented roster that also features veterans Hannah Constandse, Sophie Wallace, Christina Hicks and Katie Lyons, along with a highly-touted freshman class.