Stanford’s schedule for the 2016 Women’s Cancun Challenge was announced by tournament officials on Monday afternoon. The Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya just south of Cancun, Mexico will host the event, slated for Nov. 24-26.
The Cardinal is part of the four-team Mayan Division, which also features Northeastern, Purdue and Wichita State. Teams will battle in a round-robin format, playing the other three teams across the Thanksgiving holiday.
Stanford begins its Cancun Challenge with Northeastern on Thursday, Nov. 24 at 8 a.m. PT. On Friday, Nov. 25 the Cardinal will play Wichita State at 8 a.m. PT before wrapping up the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 26 against Purdue at 10:30 a.m. PT.
Stanford has never faced Northeastern, is 0-1 against Wichita State and 8-3 against Purdue. The Cardinal’s only other meeting with the Shockers came on December 4, 1980, a 71-68 loss at New Mexico State’s Roadrunner Classic.
Stanford has won three straight over the Boilermakers, including last November’s 71-65 overtime victory to claim the Gulf Coast Showcase title in Estero, Fla.
Stanford’s last trip to Mexico was a memorable one. The program’s 83-59 win over Florida Gulf Coast at the Hardwood Tournament of Hope in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on November 27, 2013 was the 900th in the career of Tara VanDerveer, the Cardinal’s Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball and Naismith Hall of Famer.
Stanford made its 18th overall trip to the Elite Eight and 10th in the last 13 years in 2015-16, posting a 27-8 overall record and a 14-4 mark in Pac-12 play.
The Cardinal won 25 games for the 15th straight year and became the seventh Division I institution to reach the 1,000-victory plateau when it beat Oregon State on February 26.
Seating is limited for the event and all fans should book land travel packages through Triple Crown Sports for admission into games in Mexico. Travel packages are the only way to guarantee admission to games at this time.
For travel package information, contact Sarah Sullivan at 970-672-0533 or by email atsarah@triplecrownsports.com, or visit the website at www.cancunchallenge.net.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics