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For those planning on driving to Stanford on Friday to watch either the women's volleyball team open NCAA Tournament play at home or the Cardinal football team take on UCLA for the Pac-12 Championship, well, it could be a perfect storm when it comes to parking.

If the forecast for heavy rain wasn't enough, free parking will be limited on campus. Football kicks off at 5 p.m., with volleyball's first serve against Jackson State coming at 8 p.m., which follows an earlier first-round match at 5:30 p.m.

Fans attending the NCAA women's volleyball first-round matches are asked to take alternate routes to get to campus to avoid traffic, entering from Serra Street or taking the 280 exits. Embarcadero Road likely will be shut down because of football traffic.

A limited number of spaces will be available in the Maples parking lot starting at 4 p.m., when it is open to the public. A volleyball ticket must be presented at the time of entry. The parking structure at the Graduate School of Business (PS7) located across the street from Maples also will be free lot, or fans can use the Wilbur garage (PS6). All other lots around Stanford Stadium will be $25 per vehicle.

Traffic in and around Stanford's campus will be extremely heavy between 2-6 p.m. Keep in mind that bus and shuttle services may be delayed due to heavy traffic. For questions, call 650-736-PARK (7275).

The Track House and Varsity/Sunken Diamond parking lots will be closed to commuters starting at 10 p.m. on Thursday through Friday. Both lots will be reserved for valid Track House or Sunken Diamond Pac-12 FCG parking permits only.

Displaced commuters (A or C permit holders) will be allowed to park in Galvez Field or Eucalyptus Grove/Lot #9 (accessible via Galvez Street or Lasuen Drive) on Friday from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. After 2 p.m., all cars entering the lots will require a FCG parking permit or $25 (cash only). If cars are parked prior to 2 p.m. they may remain in parking lots for the duration of the day/night.

The Maples Parking lot and PS-7 (Knight Management Center) are not part of the FCG parking plan and will be open for commuters for business as usual. A or C permits will be enforced in these lots like a normal business day.

For the football game, have your pre-purchased FCG parking pass or have cash ready prior to arriving at the entrance to lots.

Lot #2 opened Wednesday for valid Lot #2 FCG parking permits only. Lot #1, #2 (via El Camino) and #3 will open on Friday at 11 a.m. All other parking lots will be open at noon on Friday.

Women's water polo
Stanford women's water polo head coach John Tanner announced the signing of Cassidy Papa to a National Letter of Intent Wednesday, bringing the Cardinal's recruiting Class of 2014 to six.

Tanner announced the signings of Julia Hermann (Solana Beach, Calif./Torrey Pines HS), Danijela Jackovich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central HS), Sophia Monaghan (Princeton, N.J./The Lawrenceville School), Jamie Neushul (Goleta, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) and Jessica Webster (La Jolla, Calif./The Bishop's School) on Nov. 14.

Papa, a 5-7 driver from Newport Beach, Calif., plays her prep water polo at Corona del Mar High School.

"Cassidy is fast, clever and alert, making her a great fit with how we play the sport," said Tanner. "Her dedication to developing her craft is uncommon, which gives her huge credibility with coaches and teammates."

Papa is currently with the U.S. Youth National Team in Perth, Australia, preparing for the FINA Youth World Championship which begins Dec. 1. She had previously spent time with the youth national team in Hungary over the past two summers.

At Corona del Mar, Papa scored 81 goals as a junior last spring, leading the Sea Queens to the CIF Southern Section Division I championship game. She is a two-time Daily Pilot Newport Mesa Dream Team selection, and after the New Year will return to action for her senior season with the Sea Queens.

Papa will join Stanford for the 2014 season. The Cardinal, two-time defending national champion, opens the 2013 season Jan. 25 against Michigan at Avery Aquatic Center.

— Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics

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