The Stanford women’s soccer team has been picked to finish second in the Pac-12, by a vote of conference coaches.
Stanford was picked to finish second behind defending champion conference and NCAA champion UCLA and received one first-place vote (coaches could not vote for their own team). Upstart Cal was the third-place choice.
Stanford returns nine starters from last year’s 15-6-1 team that reached the NCAA Round of 16 for the eighth consecutive season and brings in a strong seven-player recruiting class.
The Cardinal opened camp last week, though three players – sophomores Stephanie Amack and Jane Campbell, and freshman Andi Sullivan – are in Canada representing the United States at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
Stanford has won nine conference championships since 1993, including four during consecutive perfect Pac-10/12 seasons from 2009-12. Stanford’s 44-match conference winning streak from 2008-13 is the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.
The Cardinal opens the Pac-12 season on Sept. 26 at Utah and plays at UCLA on Oct. 9 in a match televised by the Pac-12 Networks. The Cardinal’s home conference opener is Oct. 3 against Washington.
The 2014 Cardinal will be unveiled on Saturday when the Cardinal plays its season opener at North Carolina on Aug. 22.
Men’s soccer
Stanford’s season gets underway next week with a pair of exhibitions at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium, beginning with Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday.
After a season-opening road trip that includes stops at Creighton (Aug. 29) and Nebraska-Omaha (Aug. 31), the Cardinal returns to The Farm for the first of five straight games and its home opener against San Jose State on Sept. 6.
Stanford is coming off of a breakout 2013 season, finishing 10-7-4 overall and reaching the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, the Cardinal’s first postseason appearance since 2009.
Under third-year head coach Jeremy Gunn, Stanford defeated Loyola Marymount and No. 15 Cal State Northridge in the NCAA Tournament before falling 1-0 on a late goal at No. 2 Washington.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics