STANFORD, Calif. - No. 1 Stanford (6-0, 0-0 MPSF) returns to Avery Aquatic Center, hosting No. 5 Arizona State (18-1, 0-0 MPSF) on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. in the conference opener for both teams. It's the second of four home matches for the Cardinal this season.
• Stanford outlasted UCLA 8-7 in the final of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational on Feb. 15, securing its fourth tournament title in five seasons and eighth in school history (2026, 2025, 2023, 2022, 2018, 2011, 2009, 2007). The Cardinal led 3-1 after the first period and 6-4 at halftime and won the game despite being held scoreless in the fourth quarter, winning its fourth straight against the Bruins. Jenna Flynn completed a hat trick midway through the second quarter, Juliette Dhalluin contributed two key goals and three assists while Christine Carpenter finished with eight saves for the Cardinal, which defeated California 14-7 in the semifinals and host UC Irvine 15-6 in the opening round.
• Jenna Flynn was named MPSF/Delfina Player of the Week for Feb. 17 after leading No. 1 Stanford to the Barbara Kalbus Invitational title. Flynn totaled a combined 11 goals, five assists, two steals and 18 shot attempts over three games. Flynn, who leads the Cardinal with 23 goals, has recorded hat tricks in five of six games. It's the fourth career MPSF weekly award for Flynn and first as Delfina Player of the Week.
• The Cardinal has scored at least 15 goals in four of its six games, including a season-high output on Jan. 24 in a 23-11 win over Long Beach State at the Brigitte Donner Daws Memorial Invitational. Offensive balance has been instrumental in the team's success, with Stanford boasting at least 10 different goals scorers in three contests.
• The nation's only program to have participated at every NCAA Championship since the event's inception, Stanford put finishing touches on a dominant campaign in 2025. In addition to producing one of only four 15-0 starts in school history, the Cardinal recorded three wins apiece against fellow contenders USC and UCLA while holding the nation’s No. 1 ranking for most of the season. Stanford also captured both the NCAA and MPSF crowns in the same season for the fourth time in school history (2025, 2023, 2022, 2014).
• Stanford, which is chasing its fourth national championship in five seasons and 11th NCAA title overall, outlasted USC 11-7 to capture the 2024 NCAA crown. The championship match followed a similar regular-season script of the Cardinal pairing a balanced offense with a suffocating defense. Stanford scored at least 10 goals in every game, averaged 15.9 overall and received 20 goals from nine different players. The Cardinal also excelled defensively, with its 168 goals allowed the fewest of any school in the nation.
• The Cardinal boasts four players with significant international experience. Jenna Flynn (United States), Juliette Dhalluin (France) and Serena Browne (Canada) represented their country at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Last summer, the Cardinal added a fourth in Sienna Green (Australia), a 2024 Olympic silver medalist and All-American transfer from UCLA who totaled 50 goals in two seasons.
• Stanford’s already-decorated coaching staff also got even stronger this summer, with the most revered and accomplished player in the history of women’s water polo returning to The Farm. Joining the staff as associate head coach is Brenda Villa, one of only two four-time Olympic medalists (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) who won 20 medals overall in her playing career representing Team USA. A three-time All-American and Hall of Famer who led the Cardinal to its first NCAA title in 2002, Villa became Stanford’s first Peter J. Cutino Award recipient and was later named the Female Water Polo Player of the Decade (2000-09) by FINA Aquatics World Magazine.
• The all-time leader in NCAA team championships (137), Stanford has captured at least one NCAA title for 49 consecutive seasons, a streak that dates back to the 1976-77 campaign. More impressive, the country’s next longest active NCAA streak belongs to North Carolina with 7.