Stanford (40-13, 14-10 Pac-12) has been awarded the No. 9 overall seed in the NCAA Championship and will host its first regional in 12 years when competition gets underway on Friday afternoon.
Stanford owns a 47-43 record in NCAA competition and will be making its 20th appearance in program history. The Cardinal has qualified for the postseason in four straight seasons, including a memorable 2022 campaign in which Stanford won the Tuscaloosa Regional and reached its first Super Regional since 2011.
The Cardinal, which owns a 41-27 record in NCAA Regional competition, has served as an NCAA Regional host on six other occasions (2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2004, 2001). Stanford has hosted both NCAA Regionals and NCAA Super Regionals only once in its history (2009). The Cardinal went unbeaten in the regional round before dropping two of three to Arizona the following weekend in Supers.
Stanford has made six NCAA Super Regional appearances (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2022) and reached the NCAA Women's College World Series twice (2001, 2004).
Stanford has produced its first 40-win campaign since 2012. The Cardinal has been a top-10 fixture in the national polls for much of the season, ranking as high as No. 5 in the nation. Stanford has totaled 10 victories against top-25 opponents this season. The Cardinal is also 29-13 against teams ranked among the top-75 in RPI.
Stanford finished tied for fourth place in the Pac-12 at 14-10, clinching its first winning conference record since a 13-11 finish in 2013. Stanford's 14 conference victories were its most since 1998, when the Cardinal closed out its Pac-10 slate in third place at 17-11.
Stanford was well represented among the All-Pac-12 awards, with seven individuals and 10 overall selections, the most since producing 10 and 12, respectively, in 2013. NiJaree Canady, River Mahler and Alana Vawter booked spots on the first team, the Cardinal's most first-teamers since 2009 (Alissa Haber, Ashley Hansen, Missy Penna).
In addition to her first-team all-conference status, Mahler was named to the All-Pac-12 Defensive Team and All-Pac-12 Freshman Team – the only conference player to earn a spot on all three teams.
