STANFORD, Calif. - No. 2 Stanford (18-2, 4-1) caps a four-game homestand to end the regular season this weekend, hosting No. 1 California on Friday night for the 2026 Big Splash. The Golden Bears are the fourth-straight top-five foe to play at Stanford, with the Card going 3-0 against No. 5 Fordham, then-No. 1 UCLA and No. 4 USC.
The battle between the top two teams in the country is scheduled for 6:00 a.m. PT, and can be streamed on Overnght. Tickets are still available at Tickets.GoStanford.com.
RIVALRY REFRESHER » Stanford is coming off back-to-back Big Splash wins, going 6-2 against the Bears since 2024. California won the rivals' previous matchup this season, winning in Berkeley last month. The last time the two teams met at Avery was the MPSF third-place game last season, where the Cardinal erased a four-goal deficit in the third period to win 15-12.
DYNAMIC DUO » The returning duo of Botond Balogh and Ben Forer was one of the best goal-producing pairs in the MPSF last year – joining to post 230 points (136 goals, 94 assists). Forer's 48 assists were second-best in the MPSF West.
In 2026, the duo has combined for 82 goals and 46 assists. Forer leads the team in points (70), goals (42) and assists (28) while Balogh sits second in points (58) and goals scored (40).
HEROIC HERZER » Herzer has been lights out to start the season, leading the MPSF in saves. Herzer's 54.4% save percentage on the season is the best in the MPSF among starting goalies.
NEWCOMER INTRODUCTIONS » The Card's two transfers have showed out to start the season, with Bernardo Herzer making 200 saves in 19 games. In the first 20 games of the season, James Rozolis-Hill is third on the team with 31 goals.
UPCOMING CENTURY MARK » Dunlevie Family Director of Men's Water Polo Brian Flacks is closing in on his 100th win at the helm of the Cardinal program. Flacks enters the weekend at 96-28, now in his fifth season with Stanford.
MPSF HONORS » Ben Forer became the Card's fourth different recipent of an MPSF weekly award this season, earning Player of the Week distinction on Monday after a seven-goal weekend.
| Name | Award | Date |
| Dimitris Chatzis | Newcomer of the Week | September 7 |
| Bernardo Herzer | Player of the Week | September 21 |
| Connor Ohl | Newcomer of the Week | October 12 |
| Ben Forer | Player of the Week | October 26 |