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Women's Soccer

Cardinal Visits SMU Friday

No. 6 Stanford will continue ACC play this week when it visits SMU on Friday

Match Notes
Women's Soccer
at
atSMU
Dallas, TX
4:00 PM PDT
Live StatsACC Network Extra

MATCH NOTABLES

Friday's clash will be the third in as many seasons between the two programs after previously meeting in 2004 ... the Cardinal is outscoring SMU 19-5 in the seven all-time meetings between the programs ... three of the five Cardinal victories over the Mustangs have been shutouts ... Stanford is 1-0-0 on the road against SMU and 2-1-0 overall under Paul Ratcliffe

QUICK PASSES

  • Stanford enters the week ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and No. 4 according to TopDrawerSoccer ... carried the Preseason No. 1 tag for the first time since 2018 and was the top-ranked team through the first five polls this season ... is 74-10-11 over its last 95 matches and has managed a clean sheet in 48 of its last 91 contests, including seven of the first 10 this season … has outscored the opposition 91-25 over its last 27 matches ... went 7-2-1 against ranked opponents a year ago, including 3-0-0 at home, and is 3-1-0 so far this season ... is the only program to have reached the College Cup in each of the past three seasons ... has now made three consecutive trips for the fifth time in program history, and the first since 2017-19 ... has been ranked in each of the last 53 United Soccer Coaches polls dating back to October 4, 2022 ... has recorded at least 15 wins in each of the last 19 seasons in which it has played 15 matches (played just 12 matches during the 2020-21 season) and has reached 20 wins in 11 of those seasons ... is the winningest program in California since 2010, compiling 310 victories
  • The Cardinal owns a 139-8-11 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season but had a 20-match win streak dating back to the 2024 season snapped with a 2-2 draw vs. USC on September 3 and saw it's 21-match home unbeaten streak (20-0-1) snapped with a 1-0 loss to Louisville on September 17 ... has managed unbeaten home slates in seven of the last 13 seasons
  • Stanford has won two of the last nine College Cups - most recently capturing the title in 2019 ... made its 13th appearance in the College Cup last year, including its third in as many years ... also made its seventh appearance in the College Cup final and second in the last three seasons ... is 3-4 in national championship matches … 12 of Stanford’s 13 College Cup appearances have come since 2008
  • Stanford finished the 2025 season as the national runner up for the second time in three seasons after dropping the championship match to Florida State
  • The Cardinal won the 2025 ACC regular-season and tournament championships for the first time in program history
  • Caroline Birkel represented the U.S. at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland ... was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list to start the season ... has recorded three shutouts this year to run her career total to six ... has been named TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI second team, Preseason All-ACC and is listed on the United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper to Watch list ... was named ACC Goalkeeper of the Year last year
  • Lizzie Boamah represented the U.S. at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland ... was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on September 22 after making a game-saving tackle in the 90th minute to secure a shutout victory over No. 3 Wake Forest on September 20
  • Lily Freer was named TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI first team last year
  • Erica Grilione posted a goal and an assist in Stanford's 6-0 shutout win over UC Irvine (August 23)
  • Brooke Holden scored in four consecutive matches from August 23 to September 3 and has contributed 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists) ... posted a goal and an assist in Stanford's 6-0 shutout win over UC Irvine (August 23) ... notched the equalizer in the 87th minute vs. USC on September 3
  • Kaiya Jota represented England at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland
  • Eleanor Klinger represented England at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland
  • Charlotte Kohler was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list to start the season ... co-Offensive Player of the Week on August 25 after managing a goal and an assist in matches vs. No. 14 Georgetown (August 20) and UC Irvine (August 23) ... owns six career matches with at least one goal and an assist ... has scored in seven of the 10 matches this season, including each of the first four to start the year ... managed a point in each of the first seven matches of the year, and has a point in eight of 10 overall ... finished with two assists against Cal State Fullerton on August 30 for her fifth career match with multiple assists ... has contributed on 11 of Stanford’s 27 goals this year while totaling 18 points (7 goals, 4 assists) ... has managed 49 goal contributions in her career (24 goals, 25 assists) … TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI first team, Preseason All-ACC and is listed on the United Soccer Coaches Midfielders to Watch list ... was named United Soccer Coaches All-America third team a year ago and led the nation with 17 assists last season – the second-most in a single season in Stanford history and averaged .68 assists per match to rank third nationally
  • Sadie Leal-Schuman was named ACC Freshman of the Week on September 1 after scoring one goal and three assists for five points in 163 minutes played as Stanford posted a pair of shutouts over No. 17 UCLA and Cal State Fullerton ... notched an Olimpico goal in the 30th minute against Cal State Fullerton (August 30), bending her corner kick into the net for her first career goal, and also added an assist against the Titans ... has amassed six assists in the last eight matches, and has compiled eight points this season (1 goal, 6 assists) ... has recorded a pair of multi-assist matches this season
  • Peyton Marinos notched the game-winner in the 77th minute as Stanford defeated No. 3 Wake Forest 2-0 on September 20
  • Y-Lan Nguyen represented the U.S. at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland ... has been named TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI first team and is listed on the United Soccer Coaches Midfielders to Watch list ... was named TopDrawerSoccer National Freshman of the Year a year ago
  • Sammy Smith was named ACC Defender of the Week on September 1 after helping Stanford post a pair of shutouts over No. 17 UCLA and Cal State Fullerton
  • Alex Tay represented Ghana at the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland and the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in August of this year
  • Jaden Thomas was named IWSOC National Player of the Week on September 10 after securing a hat trick with an assist at Santa Clara on September 6 ... was the first Stanford hat trick since Jasmine Aikey had three against California on November 3, 2023 … hat trick was also her first career multi-goal match … with three goals and an assist against the Broncos, compiled seven points – the most for a Cardinal player since Jasmine Aikey had eight points vs. San Jose State on November 11, 2022 ... is just the 13th player in Stanford history to record seven-plus points in a match
  • Bella Winn has contributed 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists) this season ... managed a goal and an assist in back-to-back matches against UC Irvine and No. 17 UCLA, including scoring the game-winner against the Bruins (August 27) ... is listed on the United Soccer Coaches Forwards to Watch list
  • London Young was named the inaugural ACC Freshman of the Week on August 18 after helping Stanford post a 1-0 shutout victory over Cal Poly

NOW AND LATER

  • No. 6 Stanford will continue ACC play this week when it visits SMU on Friday
  • Kickoff between the Cardinal and Mustangs is set for 4 p.m. PT and Steve Lansdale and John Liddle will have the broadcast call on ACC Network Extra
  • Following the clash with SMU, Stanford will remain on the road to play Syracuse on Thursday, October 8 at 4 p.m. PT
  • The match against the Orange will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

  • Celebrate Senior Night with us as we honor our seniors prior to a match against California on Friday, October 16
  • Join us for our annual Pink Match on Thursday, October 29 vs. NC State as we raise breast cancer awareness and take the field in our pink jerseys

LAST TIME OUT

  • In a battle of top-10 powers from the ACC, No. 6 Stanford defeated No. 3 Wake Forest by a score of 2-0 on September 20 from Cagan Stadium
  • The loss was the first suffered by Wake Forest this year, as the Demon Deacons dropped to 9-1-0 overall and 2-1-0 in the conference
  • The tightly contested match saw the two teams play to a scoreless draw through the first 45 minutes ... Stanford held a narrow 5-1 lead in shots after the first half, and finished with a 14-4 advantage overall in the contest, but it took a Peyton Marinos goal in the 77th minute to break the deadlock
  • Wake Forest nearly equalized in the 90th minute following a mistake by the Cardinal backline ... leading 1-0 and looking to run out the clock, Stanford played a ball back toward its goalkeeper Caroline Birkel, but the pass was run upon by Wake Forest’s Kylie Maxwell ... dribbling around Birkel, Maxwell had an open net in front of her, but junior Lizzie Boamah chased her down and slid to push the ball over the endline for a corner kick
  • Birkel and Boamah, in addition to midfielder Y-Lan Nguyen, returned to action on Sunday following a stint with the U.S. at the 2026 U-20 World Cup in Poland
  • Stanford added a goal in the 90th minute as Wake Forest pressed forward in the final seconds and Charlotte Kohler picked the pocket of Wake Forest goalkeeper Valentina Amaral and dribbled half the field into the open net
  • Wake Forest had allowed just two goals in the first nine matches of the season before allowing two to the Cardinal

HEADED HOME

  • Stanford features two players from the state of Texas on this year's roster - junior forward Jaden Thomas and freshman defender London Young
  • Thomas is from Dallas, Texas and attended The Hockaday School where she was the 2024 Gatorade Texas State Player of the Year and a three-time All-Southwest Prepatory Conference selection (2021, 2023-24)
  • Young prepped at Emerson High School in McKinney, Texas where she developed into the top-ranked defender in the class of 2026 according to TopDrawerSoccer

BOAMAH RETURNS TO EARN ACC WEEKLY HONOR

  • Returning to the Cardinal lineup on September 20 following a stint with the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup in Poland, junior Lizzie Boamah helped secure a 2-0 shutout victory over No. 3 Wake Forest and earn ACC Defensive Player of the Week on September 22
  • The conference weekly honor was the first of Boamah's career, and ran Stanford’s 2026 season total to five selections after London Young earned Freshman of the Week on August 18 following the first week of competition, junior Charlotte Kohler was selected co-Offensive Player of the Week on August 25 following week two, and Sadie Leal-Schuman (Freshman of the Week) and Sammy Smith (Defensive Player of the Week) were lauded on September 1
  • Boamah played all 90 minutes at center back as Stanford limited Wake Forest to just four total shots (one on goal) in the shutout ... the native of San Diego, Calif. made a match-saving play in the 90th minute with Stanford leading 1-0, running down Wake Forest's Kylie Maxwell in front of an open net and sliding to push the ball over the end line for a corner kick ... Stanford would add a goal as Wake Forest pressed forward in the final seconds, but Boamah's sliding effort was the difference between Stanford earning three points and settling for one
  • North Carolina's Lilliah Blum was named Offensive Player of the Week, Sonoma Kasica of Notre Dame earned Goalkeeper of the Week, and Miami's Madelynn Sadusky claimed Freshman of the Week

CARDINAL RETIRES MEYER'S NO. 19

  • Stanford officially retired the No. 19, last worn by Katie Meyer from 2018-21, during a ceremony September 3 prior to the Cardinal’s match vs. USC
  • The pregame ceremony featured Katie’s parent, Steve and Gina, being presented with framed No. 19 jerseys before the Cardinal unveiled a No. 19 decal that adorns a portion of the wall along the south end of the facility
  • “Katie was an extraordinary competitor, an exceptional leader and, most importantly, an incredible person who had a profound impact on everyone around her,” The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe said. “She played the game with such passion and courage, and she brought a joy and energy to our program that was uniquely Katie. Retiring the No. 19 is a meaningful way for us to honor her legacy and ensure that future generations of Stanford women’s soccer players understand the impact she had on this program, this university and the people who had the privilege of knowing her.”
  • A two-time team captain, fearless competitor, and beloved teammate, Meyer proudly represented the Cardinal with passion, confidence, and unforgettable spirit ... among her many memorable moments on the field, Meyer played a defining role in Stanford’s run to the 2019 national championship, making four saves in regulation and two more in the penalty shootout as the Cardinal defeated No. 2 North Carolina in the College Cup final
  • Meyer tragically passed away in 2022, after which her family established Katie’s Save, an organization dedicated to advocating for systemic change at colleges and universities, promoting mental health, protecting students and preventing suicide
  • In recognition of Katie’s lasting impact on The Farm, Stanford Athletics created the Katie Meyer Leadership Award in 2026 ... presented annually at the Stanford Athletic Board Awards ceremony, the award honors the student-athlete who best embodies Meyer’s unwavering leadership, dynamic spirit and relentless commitment to excellence — qualities that defined her legacy ... the inaugural recipient was women’s soccer player Andrea Kitahata, who was a teammate of Meyer’s during the 2021 season

CLEAN SHEETS TO START THE SEASON

  • The Cardinal managed a clean sheet in each of its first five matches of a season for the first time since recording a shutout in the first nine of the 2014 campaign
  • Stanford finally conceded a pair of goals in a 2-2 draw to USC on September 3, but proceeded to record a 4-0 shutout at Santa Clara on September 6 to run its shutout total to six in the first seven matches of the year
  • The Cardinal has managed a clean sheet in seven of the 10 matches overall this year, but is 0-2-1 when allowing a goal this season
  • Over the first five matches this year, Stanford allowed just 26 total shots - including 10 on frame
  • Stanford has been especially stingy in the first half, allowing only 21 total shots by its opponents in 450 combined first-half minutes

TWO TO WATCH

  • Stanford sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Birkel and junior midfielder Charlotte Kohler were among the players named to the 2026 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List to start the season
  • A Cardinal player has claimed four of the last nine MAC Hermann trophies, with Jasmine Aikey earning the honor last season ... Andi Sullivan won the award in 2017, followed by Catarina Macario becoming a back-to-back winner in 2018 and 2019 ... Kelley O'Hara was the first Stanford player to win the MAC Hermann Trophy at the conclusion of the 2009 season ... O'Hara was followed by Christen Press (2010) and Teresa Noyola (2011) to bring Stanford's total to seven winners
  • The Hermann Trophy is presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club and is the nation's highest individual honor, recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by a vote of Division I head coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches
  • The award is named in honor of the late Robert Hermann, the St. Louis, Mo., businessman and soccer executive who founded the National Professional Soccer League — the first professional soccer league in the United States, which later became the North American Soccer League ... Hermann was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012

HOME SWEET HOME

  • Stanford owns a 139-8-11 record at Cagan Stadium since the start of the 2014 season but had a 20-match win streak dating back to the 2024 season snapped with a 2-2 draw vs. USC on September 3 and saw it's 21-match home unbeaten streak (20-0-1) snapped with a 1-0 loss to Louisville on September 17
  • Stanford's 1-1 draw with Washington on October 14, 2023 ended a string of 21 straight wins at home – a stretch that dated back to October 3, 2021 … the Cardinal would extend it's unbeaten streak to 34 straight matches (32-0-2) before No. 1 Duke snapped the string with a 4-1 victory on October 10, 2024
  • The Cardinal finished 14-0-0 at home last season and outscored its opponents 64-9 in those matches
  • So far this year, Stanford is 5-1-1 at home and has outscored the opposition 22-3
  • Including last year, Stanford has managed unbeaten home slates in seven of the last 13 seasons
  • Including a 2-0 victory over No. 14 Georgetown this year, Stanford is unbeaten in its last 38 home openers (37-0-1) dating back to 1989 ... lone tie came vs. Portland in 2013
  • The Cardinal is outscoring opponents 132-14 with 27 shutouts over those 38 home openers
  • Stanford owns a 38-4-1 record overall in home openers in program history (since 1984)
  • Stanford had a 43-match unbeaten streak at home snapped during the 2020-21 season with a 1-0 loss to Cal on March 20 ... went 42-0-1 over the span, which began at the beginning of the 2017 season ... played to a 1-1 draw vs. then-No. 7 Santa Clara on September 16, 2018 for the only tie over the 43-match string

CARDINAL IN THE TOP 10

  • Stanford opened the 2026 season at No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches poll after finishing 2025 as the national runner-up ... was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll for the first time since 2018 and carried the top ranking through the first five polls this year
  • The Cardinal opened the 2025 season at No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, reached as high as No. 1, and was ranked in the Top 10 throughout the year
  • Including the final poll, the Cardinal was ranked in the top three in each of the last 13 polls in 2025
  • Has been ranked in the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Top 10 for 22 consecutive weeks dating back to the final poll in 2024
  • The ACC held the No. 1 ranking in all but one week last year ... North Carolina, Duke, Stanford, Virginia, Notre Dame and Florida State all occupied the top spot
  • In the last 42 weeks of the United Soccer Coaches Poll, dating back to 2023, an ACC team has been ranked No. 1 in all but four polls
  • So far this season, the ACC's Stanford, Duke and North Carolina have held the top spot in the IWSOC poll

RING, RING...THE NATIONAL TEAM IS CALLING

  • Caroline Birkel, Lizzie Boamah and Y-Lan Nguyen represented the U.S., Kaiya Jota and Eleanor Klinger suited up for England, and Alex Tay played for Ghana, at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland that began on September 5
  • Stanford went 3-2-1 over the six matches with players away from the program due to the U20 World Cup
  • Stanford's six overall selections were the most of any program in the nation ... the three U.S. selections were tied with North Carolina for the most from any college program, while Jota, Klinger and Tay were the lone collegiate players on their rosters
  • The USA opened the World Cup on September 6 with a 2-1 loss to Italy before drawing Japan 2-2 on September 9 and defeating New Zealand 9-0 on September 12 to advance out of the group stage ... the Americans saw their World Cup run end in the Round of 16 after a 1-1 draw resulted in Brazil advancing 5-4 on penalties on September 16
  • England got their World Cup campaign underway with a 1-1 draw against Canada on September 5 before defeating Tanzania 5-1 on September 8 and falling 2-1 to Brazil on September 11 ... the Young Lionesses' run ended when it dropped a Round of 16 match to Nigeria 3-0 on September 17
  • The Black Princesses opened their Women's World Cup campaign with a 3-0 setback against Ecuador on September 6, rebounded for a 3-1 victory over South Korea on September 9, but had its World Cup run end with a 4-0 setback at the hands of France on September 12
  • For the second time ever, and in its 12th installment, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup features 24 nations ... the competition started in 2002 as a 12-team tournament played at the U-19 level ... the 2004 tournament also featured U-19s before moving to U-20s for the 2006 tournament
  • The 24 teams that are competing in the tournament are host Poland, England, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain from Europe; the USA, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica from Concacaf; Benin, Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria from Africa; Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia from South America; Korea Republic, Japan, Korea DPR and China PR from Asia; and New Zealand and New Caledonia from Oceania
  • The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup features 24 countries divided into six groups of four teams ... the top two finishers in each group and the four best third-place finishers advance to the Round of 16 taking place on September 16 and 17 ... the quarterfinals were played on September 19 and 20 with the semifinals being contested on Wednesday, September 23 ... the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Final and Third-Place Match will be held on Sunday, September 26

SUCCESS UNDER RATCLIFFE

  • This fall marks the 24th season under the direction of Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe
  • Ratcliffe is Stanford's all-time winningest soccer coach with a 420-76-44 record in his tenure on The Farm
  • Ratcliffe has guided Stanford to three national championships, seven NCAA finals, 11 conference titles, 12 College Cup appearances, a berth in the NCAA third round in 16 of the past 20 seasons, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 22 of his 23 seasons

SPREADING THE WEALTH

  • So far this season, 12 players have scored goals, and three more have contributed an assist, as 15 players have factored into points
  • Charlotte Kohler leads the way with seven goals and four assists for 18 points through the first 10 matches
  • Brooke Holden has amassed 10 points by way of four goals and two assists, while junior Bella Winn has scored three goals with four assists for 10 points
  • Freshman Sadie Leal-Schuman owns the team lead in assists with six, teaming those with one goal for eight points
  • Jaden Thomas has also totaled eight points, anchored by a hat trick and an assist for seven points at Santa Clara on September 6

GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

  • With a 1-0 shutout victory over Cal Poly to start the season, Stanford now owns a 20-match unbeaten streak in season openers (19-0-1) dating back to 2007 ... Stanford has posted 12 shutouts over the 20-match streak
  • The Cardinal has won 16 straight season openers ... played to a 1-1 draw at Boston College to start the 2010 season
  • Stanford last dropped a season opener in 2006 - a 2-1 defeat at Utah
  • Stanford is 37-4-2 all time in season openers - including 21-2-1 under Paul Ratcliffe

CARDINAL TABBED SECOND IN STACKED ACC

  • Coming off a 2025 season in which it won its first ACC regular-season and tournament titles, Stanford was picked to finish second this year by the league’s coaches
  • Stanford secured three first-place votes and totaled 233 points, just six points behind ACC favorite Notre Dame with seven first-place votes and 239 overall points ... Duke, which collected three first-place votes, was third with 224 points, followed by defending national champion Florida State (three first-place votes, 213 points) and North Carolina (one first-place vote, 207 points) to round out the top five
  • The United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll included No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Duke, No. 4 Florida State, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia, No. 18 Wake Forest and No. 25 Clemson, while Louisville entered the year receiving votes

PAIR ON PRESEASON ALL-ACC SQUAD

  • In addition to the preseason poll, the ACC coaches also selected a Preseason All-ACC team, with sophomore Caroline Birkel and junior Charlotte Kohler earning spots on the squad
  • Birkel is the reigning ACC Goalkeeper of the Year and was named United Soccer Coaches All-Region third team as a freshman
  • Kohler earned United Soccer Coaches All-America third team and All-Region second team honors a year ago

AYE AYE, CAPTAINS!

  • Stanford named a pair of players team captains ahead of the 2026 season - senior Mia Bhuta and junior Charlotte Kohler
  • Bhuta was previously voted a team captain a year ago, while Kohler is a first-year captain on The Farm

RELOADING FOR 2026

GATORADE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

  • Three current Stanford players were named their respective state Gatorade Players of the Year at the conclusion of their high school careers
  • Charlotte Kohler (California), Sammy Smith (Idaho) and Jaden Thomas (Texas) each earned the selections for the 2023-24 school year
  • Kohler and Smith are both two-time Gatorade Players of the Year after being lauded as juniors following the 2022-23 season

RILEY CLAIMS HER HALL OF FAME SPOT

  • A four-time Olympian and five-time World Cup participant while captaining New Zealand, Ali Riley will be inducted into the Stanford Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 on Friday, September 25
  • Joining Riley as members of the class are Inky Ajanaku (women’s volleyball), Kevin Hogan (football), Kristian Ipsen (men’s swimming and diving), Onnie Killefer (field hockey), Owen Marecic (football), Ali Riley (women’s soccer), Erika Roddy (women’s rowing), Laura Shane (lacrosse), Erik Shoji (men’s volleyball) and Kawika Shoji (men’s volleyball)
  • Riley will be the 10th inductee from women's soccer and the first since Kelley O'Hara in 2025
  • Riley led the Cardinal to four NCAA appearances (2006-09), back-to-back NCAA College Cups (2008-09) and a national runner-up finish (2009) ... Top Drawer Soccer First-Team All-American (2009), NSCAA Third-Team All-American (2009) ... member of Pac-10 title squad (2009), fueling the Cardinal to its first conference championship in seven seasons ... two-time All-Pac-10 selection (first team in 2009, second team in 2007) ... Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2009), 3-time Pac-10 All-Academic selection (2007-09) ... four-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), representing New Zealand ... five-time World Cup participant (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), representing New Zealand ... retired in September 2025 following a decorated professional career, including winning WPS championships with FC Gold Pride (2010) and Western New York Flash (2011) while recognized as a 5-time New Zealand Player of the Year

SMITH ACHIEVES WINTER OLYMPIC DREAMS

  • Less than two months after starting at defender in the 2025 College Cup final for Stanford, Sammy Smith achieved her lifelong goal of making an Olympic team
  • Smith earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Cross Country Ski Team ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, which began February 6, 2026, and participated in the women's sprint classic
  • Stanford has long been regarded as the preeminent training ground for national team competition ... in Summer Olympics competition, affiliates have captured 335 overall medals from 196 medalists, including a school-record 39 medals at the 2024 Paris Games, representing the most student-athlete medals won in an Olympics by any school ... for the third consecutive edition of the Summer Games, Stanford also totaled the most Team USA selections (37) and Team USA medals (36)
  • However, this one just felt a bit different ... Smith’s selection to the national team is extremely rare, if not, unprecedented: a current varsity student-athlete competing for the national team of a different sport within the same academic calendar year ... a native of Boise, Idaho, Smith is believed to be Stanford’s first American varsity student-athlete to also participate in a Winter Olympics since Bonny Warner, a member of the Cardinal’s field hockey team from 1982-84 who competed for Team USA’s luge squad in 1984, 1988 and 1992 ... Stanford’s most recent Team USA Winter Olympian was Rachael Flatt, a figure skater who competed in the 2010 Games and graduated in 2015
  • Following a sophomore campaign in which she appeared in every match for the Cardinal, including starting 14 at defender, Smith quickly shifted her attention to the slopes and traveled to Lake Placid, New York, for the U.S. Cross Country Championships from Jan. 4-9 ... just 27 days removed from the national title match, Smith won both the skate sprint and classic sprint to make her case for inclusion on the Olympic team
  • Needing another strong performance to solidify her standing, Smith traveled to the 2026 FIS Cross Country Skiing World Cup in Oberhof, Germany, from Jan. 17-18 ... in a potential preview of Olympic competition to come, Smith sprinted to a career-best 12th-place finish and was the top American in the field
  • All that was left to do was await the announcement of the 97-member U.S. Ski & Snowboard Olympic Team ... that announcement came early on the morning of Jan. 22 as Team USA nominated its athletes for the Olympic Games
  • The Milano Cortina Games took place across Italy, becoming the most geographically widespread Games in history ... athletes competed across 25 venues in four main clusters: Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina and Val di Fiemme, with 116 medal events on the schedule ... for ski and snowboard events, Bormio hosted men’s alpine, Cortina hosted women’s alpine, cross country, ski jumping and nordic combined took place in Val di Fiemme and freestyle, freeski and snowboard in Livigno

REPRESENTING THE SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM

NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES

  • The Cardinal has made 34 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 27 in the last 28 seasons ... has made seven appearances in the College Cup final, including four in the last nine seasons - 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2025 ... Stanford is 3-4 in national championship matches ... Stanford has won two of the last nine College Cups - most recently capturing the title in 2019
  • Stanford has appeared in 13 College Cups, including five straight from 2008-12, with its three national championships coming in 2011, 2017 and 2019 ... 12 of the 13 College Cup appearances have come since 2008
  • In addition to the three national titles, Stanford has also been the national runner-up four times (2009, 2010, 2023, 2025)
  • The Cardinal has compiled a 78-26-9 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play
  • Stanford has reached the second round in 27 of the 34 appearances, has earned a berth in the NCAA third round in 16 of the past 20 seasons, has reached the NCAA quarterfinal round in three consecutive years and 13 times since 2008, and has advanced to the College Cup in three straight seasons and 12 times in the last 18 campaigns ... is 13-for-18 all-time advancing to the College Cup from the round of eight
  • Stanford has opened the NCAA Tournament at home 24 times in program history ... hosted the first round in 13 straight seasons from 2007-19 ... is a perfect 23-0-0 in first-round matches played at home (received a first-round bye in 1999)
  • Stanford is 62-4-5 all-time in postseason games hosted on The Farm, and has won 22 straight (last loss: 1-0 (2OT) vs. Santa Clara on November 18, 2016) ... is 50-1-2 over the last 53 postseason home games dating back to 2008
  • The Knowles Family Director of Women's Soccer Paul Ratcliffe owns a 67-16-6 record in postseason action while at Stanford, having guided the Cardinal to 12 College Cup appearances, seven College Cup finals, and the NCAA Tournament in 22 of his 23 seasons
  • Stanford earned the No. 1 overall seed in four straight tournaments from 2016-19
  • In a season in which Stanford set a program record with 102 goals, it was the Cardinal's grit, determination and mental toughness that ultimately secured the program's third national championship on Dec. 8, 2019 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif. ... after 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, top-seeded Stanford defeated No. 2 North Carolina 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout with Kiki Pickett scoring the deciding penalty kick and Katie Meyer making a pair of saves in the shootout
  • Stanford captured its second national championship on Dec. 3, 2017 with a 3-2 win over UCLA ... Kyra Carusa and Andi Sullivan opened the scoring for the Cardinal and, after the Bruins fought back with two goals to tie the match at 2-2, Jaye Boissiere’s stunning left-footed strike in the 67th minute put Stanford on top for good
  • After qualifying for the College Cup for the fourth-straight season, Stanford broke through in 2011 with its first national championship in program history ... Teresa Noyola’s header in the 53rd minute was the only goal of the match as goalkeeper Emily Oliver and the Cardinal shut down the Blue Devils for 90 minutes

HOME OF CHAMPIONS

  • Stanford is the all-time leader with 139 NCAA team championships (71 men, 68 women), and 178 national championships overall
  • The Cardinal owns the most recognizable streak in college athletics, having won at least one NCAA team title during each of the last 50 seasons, dating back to the 1976-77 campaign
  • During the 2025-26 season, artistic swimming, men's gymnastics, sailing and women's golf won national titles, with the gymnastics title stretching the NCAA team title streak to 50 years
  • Stanford has won the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 26 of the possible 32 seasons, including a 25-year streak from 1995-2019

#OLYMPIANSMADEHERE

  • Less than two months after starting at defender in the 2025 College Cup final for the Stanford women’s soccer team, Sammy Smith achieved her lifelong goal of making an Olympic team ... Smith earned a spot as a member of the U.S. Olympic Cross Country Ski Team ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, which got underway February 6, 2026 ... Smith’s selection to the national team is extremely rare, if not, unprecedented: a current Division I varsity student-athlete competing for the national team of a different sport within the same academic calendar year ... a native of Boise, Idaho, Smith is believed to be Stanford’s first American varsity student-athlete to also participate in a Winter Olympics since Bonny Warner, a member of the Cardinal’s field hockey team from 1982-84 who competed for Team USA’s luge squad in 1984, 1988 and 1992 ... Stanford’s most recent Team USA Winter Olympian was Rachael Flatt, a figure skater who competed in the 2010 Games and graduated in 2015
  • Stanford concluded the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a school-record 39 medals, shattering its previous best while cementing its reputation on the world’s biggest stage as the nation’s top collegiate program
  • The 39 medals were 12 more than the previous record of 27 at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games
  • Stanford’s haul of 39 medals (12 gold, 14 silver, 13 bronze) was the most by any school at one Olympics
  • Cardinal student-athletes medaled in 13 of Stanford's 36 varsity sports: artistic swimming, women’s basketball, women’s fencing, men’s gymnastics, sailing, men’s rowing, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, men’s track and field, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, men’s water polo, women’s water polo
  • The Cardinal boasted 19 first-time medalists - a total that ranks second in school history behind the 21 at the 2008 Beijing Games
  • If Stanford was a country in the 2024 Games, it would have finished tied with Canada for 11th place
  • Boasting a school-record 59 Olympians with Cardinal ties, Stanford won at least 20 medals for the sixth time in school history (2020, 2016, 2008, 1996, 1924)
  • The Cardinal’s 59 Olympians (20 male, 39 female) represented 14 countries across 20 varsity sports
  • In addition to the 59 qualifiers, Stanford’s Olympic representation also included five alternates, one national team head coach and three national team assistant coaches
  • For the third straight Olympics, Stanford totaled more Team USA selections (37) than any other school, reinforcing its status as the preeminent training ground for U.S. national team competition
  • Stanford has won 128 medals combined over the last five Summer Games
  • All told, Stanford’s affiliates have captured 335 overall medals (162 gold, 93 silver, 80 bronze) from 196 medalists, and the Cardinal has produced at least one medalist in every Olympics in which the U.S. has competed since 1912