STANFORD, Calif. - A strong 2023 campaign for the Cardinal came to a close in May, highlighted by numerous accolades for the team and student-athletes along the way. Two players garnered USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American selections, along with two conference players of the year, and academic recognition for the entire team.
Regular Season
Stanford began the season with recognition in both of the major polls, sitting 14th in the ILWomen/IWLCA Rankings and No. 9 on the USA Lacrosse Magazine list. With a challenging schedule featuring seven ranked opponents in seven of the 17 regular season games, the Cardinal kicked off the season with an exciting matchup against No. 13 Virginia at Cagan Stadium. Among Stanford's big games this season was one against Pac-12 rival No. 19 USC. In a heated matchup, the Cardinal took down the Women of Troy 15-12 on The Farm.
The regular season was full of impressive performances across the board for Stanford, including seven weekly Pac-12 awards and a national offensive player of the week award for Annabel Frist. Kara Rahaim collected two Pac-12 defensive player of the week honors while Ashley Humphrey and Frist each added two offensive honors, and Sarah Jaques collected an offensive award as well.
The Cardinal's season came to a close in the Pac-12 tournament against Colorado in the second round. Stanford's campaign concluded with a 10-8 record.
Breaking Records
Multiple players made strides in the record books during the season. Kara Rahaim moved into third in the Pac-12 record book for career saves with 413 and fourth in career ground balls with 114. Ashley Humphrey became Stanford's all-time leader in assists in just her second year of action. She led the conference in assists for the second-straight season with 42, moving her career total to 130, the second-most in Pac-12 history. Her 199 points are also the fourth-most career points in both the history of the Pac-12 and Stanford. Annabel Frist took over draw control duties and led the conference with 138 draw controls, the second-most ever in a single season in the Pac-12 and the ninth most draw controls per game in the NCAA with 7.67. Her 192 career draw controls are already the third-most in Stanford history after just two seasons of play.
Awards and Accolades
Stanford racked up awards in the postseason, beginning with a flurry of conference accolades. Kara Rahaim was named Co-Goalkeeper of the Year, the second straight yearly award for the star stopper. She also brought home the Pac-12 Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, the first Stanford lacrosse athlete to earn the honor. Annabel Frist was named the inaugural Pac-12 Draw Specialist of the Year as well. The pair were also named All-Pac-12 First Team selections, along with Ailish Kelly, Ashley Humphrey, and Caroline Mondiello. Sarah Jaques and Jay Browne rounded out the conference awards with All-Pac-12 Second Team honors. Ashley Humphrey and Annabel Frist both were named USA Lacrosse Magazine All-Americans while the former was also named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
Was there ever any doubt ??
— Stanford Lacrosse (@StanfordWLax) May 2, 2023
The @pac12 Draw Specialist of the Year is Annabel Frist ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/7zftNiD1Ej
In the classroom, 15 players were named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, the most of any team in the Pac-12. Stanford was also named an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad, awarded to teams that have a team GPA of 3.2 or higher. 24 athletes were also named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, again leading the conference's lacrosse teams.
Academic Honor Squad ?????? 15 Academic Honor Roll members ??
— Stanford Lacrosse (@StanfordWLax) July 26, 2023
Safe to say the Cardinal crushed it in the classroom this year ????
?? » https://t.co/4zFZR6fBos#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/Tj362AjyaD