Stanford women’s water polo driver Maggie Steffens was named MPSF/KAP 7 Player of the Week by the conference after her five-goal performance helped the third-ranked Cardinal to a 16-9 win at No. 10 San Jose State.
It is the third time this season that Stanford has earned the top-player honor from the MPSF. Kiley Neushul was honored on February 3 while Annika Dries took home the award on February 17.
Steffens scored three of her five goals in the third period as Stanford (11-1, 1-0 MPSF) used a 4-1 run to open the second half and stretch its lead to five at 11-6. From that point the Cardinal’s lead was never less than five as it cruised to the victory.
The hat trick was Steffens’ fifth of the season, and she is currently fifth on the team with 20 goals. No. 3 Stanford plays a doubleheader this Saturday, traveling to Fresno to take on Loyola Marymount at 1 p.m. and Fresno Pacific at 2:30 p.m., before taking a two-week break for final exams.
Women’s gymnastics
On a night dedicated to the senior class, No. 10 Stanford gave its two seniors perhaps the best sendoff they could – with a victory over Bay Area rival No. 22 California.
The Cardinal (13-2, 5-2 Pac-12) won three of four events and four Cardinal gymnasts combined for eight individual victories to send seniors Amanda Spinner and Shona Morgan out with a win.
Stanford has defeated California (7-6, 1-5 Pac-12) in 32 consecutive meets and holds a 41-1 record against the Golden Bears dating back to 1996.
Amid the team and individual accomplishments, Spinner delivered the highlight of the night with a performance that was meant to be appreciated and not scored.
After the final competitor performed, Spinner took the floor for the first time in her collegiate career and delivered a routine that brought both teams and coaches off their benches to cheer her on.
It was a special moment for the three-time team co-captain and emotional leader of the Cardinal.
Kristina Vaculik, the reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week, continued her outstanding season, claiming individual wins in four of five events including the all-around (39.550), bars (9.925), beam (9.875) and floor (9.900). Vaculik’s score on beam tied her collegiate best.
Nicolette McNair also had a great night, tying for the individual victory on vault with a 9.900, tying her collegiate best of 9.875 on bars to place second and earning a 9.850 on beam to tie for third.
Her performance on beam was especially impressive because it came after a missed routine in the second position.
Melissa Chuang had a career night, posting collegiate highs of 9.900 on vault and floor to tie for the individual victories in both events.
The Cardinal outscored the Golden Bears on vault (49.425-49.100), bars (49.225-49.125) and floor (49.300-48.900).
Stanford opened the meet with a season-best team performance of 49.425 on vault. Each gymnast scored 9.825 or higher and three posted scores of 9.900.
Chuang and Daum delivered back-to-back 9.900’s to begin the meet, and Nicolette McNair added a third score of the same number in the fourth position.
Vaculik and Danielle McNair concluded the event with a 9.850 and 9.875, respectively.
The Cardinal continued its momentum on bars with Nicolette McNair leading off with a 9.875. Taylor Rice and Danielle McNair followed with scores of 9.825 and 9.850, respectively. Vaculik anchored the team with a 9.925.
Stanford faced a bit of adversity on beam. After Morgan went 9.775 in the leadoff position, the second Cardinal gymnast missed her routine.
Nicolette McNair seemed to get the Cardinal back on track with a 9.850 in the third spot, but the fourth Stanford gymnast fell.
Vaculik and Spinner made sure the Cardinal finished strong in the event, posting scores of 9.875 and 9.850.
Stanford hit each of its six routines on floor to secure the victory. Morgan and Jenna Frowein went 9.775 and 9.750, respectively, to lead off the event. Rice delivered a 9.875 to finish fourth, followed by a 9.850 by Rachel Daum who finished tied for fourth.
Vaculik and Chuang anchored the floor lineup with a pair of 9.900’s.
The Cardinal will have a quick turnaround as the team heads to No. 4 Alabama on Friday for a dual meet.
Men’s gymnastics
Stanford freshman Akash Modi was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week for the third time this season, as announced by the conference Tuesday.
Modi claimed his fourth all-around title of the year and added an individual victory on parallel bars with a 15.800. His all-around score of 91.350 is the highest in the nation this season and the second-highest of any gymnast in the country since 2008 when the current scoring system was implemented.
Modi is the only gymnast in the country to pass the 90.000 mark in the all-around, doing it twice this season. He scored 15.000 or higher in five of six events to help No. 2 Stanford post its second-highest team score on the year with a 443.650.
Modi is ranked first in the nation in the all-around with an 89.933 three-score average. His overall season average of 89.487 is more than 1.2 points higher than any gymnast in the country.
Stanford remains home this weekend, playing host to No. 4 Ohio State and No. 10 California on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion.
Men’s tennis
Former Stanford standout Alex Kim is among the list of 2014 inductees for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame. Kim is one of seven inductees.
Kim was a two-time ITA All-American, earning those honors in his final two years. He was also named an All-Pac-10 honoree three times, including being the 2000 Pac-10 co-Player of the Year with teammate Geoff Abrams, the 2001 Pac-10 Player of the Year, and part of the 2001 Pac-10 Doubles Team of the Year with K.J. Hippensteel.
Kim twice won at least 20 singles matches in a season, and finished his career with a total of 78 wins, which is seventh in the history of Stanford men’s tennis. He won the NCAA singles championship to close out his junior year in 2000. Kim was a part of two USTA/ITA National Men’s Team Indoor Championships and two NCAA Team Championships (1998 and 2000).
The 2014 ITA Men’s Collegiate Hall of Fame Enshrinement Banquet, where the ITA will honor this year’s men’s ITA Hall of Fame inductees, will be held during the NCAA Division I Men’s & Women’s Tennis Championships held at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics