STANFORD, Calif. - Four Cardinal players were lauded as IWLCA All-West/Midwest selections on Thursday, the organization announced. Annabel Frist, Madison McPherson, Lucy Pearson, and Aliya Polisky were each named to the second team.
It's the first time since 2021 Stanford has garnered at least four selections to an all-region team. The quartet of athletes helped guide Stanford back to the NCAA Tournament, including a 7-0 run in Pac-12 play and Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles.
Frist, the Pac-12 Draw Specialist of the Year, had a phenomenal season all around and particularly in the draw circle. In 2024, she averaged 10.50 controls per game and had at least 10 draw controls in eight of 12 games. Her 10.50 controls per game led the Pac-12 and sat third in the NCAA. After her 11 draw controls against Holy Cross, Frist moved into second place in Stanford history in career draw controls. She has 126 on the season which would be the second most in a single season, trailing only her tally from last season. Frist also chipped in 19 goals and eight assists for 33 points.
McPherson, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, made an immediate impact for the Cardinal. She led Stanford in both ground balls and caused turnovers this season, tying the Stanford record for caused turnovers in a season with 36. She led the Pac-12 in ground balls per game (2.67) and was second in the conference in caused turnovers per game (2.00). She helped guide a hounding Stanford defense that ranked eighth in the NCAA caused turnovers per game (10.56), fifth in ground balls per game (21.00), and 12th in scoring defense (9.00).
Pearson, named the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year, was a force in goal all season long. The sophomore was one of the best goalkeepers in the nation, starting every game for the Cardinal. She had the best save percentage in the Pac-12 and 16th-best in the NCAA (0.470), the second best goals against average in the Pac-12, also the 17th-best mark in the NCAA (9.46), and ranked third in the Pac-12 in total saves (132) and fourth in saves per game (7.33). She was a mainstay in the Stanford defense that ranked eighth in the NCAA caused turnovers per game (10.56), fifth in ground balls per game (21.00), and 12th in scoring defense (9.00).
Polisky, named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, was a huge offensive spark for Stanford. A Two-time Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week (3/12, 3/19) and ILWomen Midseason All-America Honorable Mention selection, Polisky Led Stanford in goals (53), points (71), shots (120), shots on goal (82), and free position goals (11). Shots total is a new Stanford season record and she had the fourth-most goals in a single season in program history (53) and 11th-most points in a single season in program history (71). She also led the Pac-12 in free position percentage (0.611) and ranked second in goals (53) and third in points (71). She was huge part of the Stanford offense that ranked first in the NCAA in shots per game (36.78), sixth in shots on goal per game (25.50), 10th in scoring margin (6.11), and 14th in scoring offense (15.11).
