STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford (22-1, 5-1 MPSF) has been awarded the No. 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA Championship, scheduled for May 9-11 at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Extending its streak as the nation’s only program to have participated in all 24 NCAA Championships since the event’s inception in 2001, Stanford is chasing its 10th NCAA title in school history and third in the past four seasons.
The Cardinal, which is bidding for its first NCAA crown since repeating in 2022-23, also captured NCAA championships in 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011 and 2002.
The NCAA Championship field features nine teams, with the top seven having been placed directly in the bracket and the remaining two teams competing for the final berth in the single-elimination tournament.
Stanford’s postseason path begins Friday, May 9, against the winner of McKendree (21-7) and Wagner (21-8).
Fueled by MPSF Player of the Year Ryann Neushul, Stanford defeated UCLA 11-9 in overtime on Sunday to capture its eighth MPSF title and third in the past four seasons. Neushul scored nine goals over the three games combined and increased her career total to 223, passing sister Kiley Neushul (2012-15) to move into sixth place on the Cardinal’s all-time list.
There have been three seasons in which the Cardinal has won both the MPSF and NCAA titles (2014, 2022, 2023).
Stanford has enjoyed yet another dominant season in 2025, producing one of only four 15-0 starts in school history. The Cardinal swept three meetings against defending NCAA champion UCLA while suffering its only loss – a 12-11 defeat – at then-No. 2 USC on March 29. However, Stanford also defeated USC 10-6 in the championship game of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational on Feb. 23, capturing its third tournament title in the last four seasons and seventh overall.
The Cardinal, which boasts the nation’s top defense in fewest goals allowed, is led offensively by Neushul, Jenna Flynn and Jewel Roemer, with each player named to the Peter J. Cutino Award Watch List as the nation’s top player. The All-American trio took a leave of absence and redshirted the 2024 campaign while competing for Team USA at the Paris Summer Olympics.