STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 2 Stanford Cardinal wraps up the 2024 regular season on Friday night, hosting the Big Splash against No. 7 California at Avery Aquatic Center. Stanford has already secured the No. 3 seed in next weekend's MPSF tournament, and has split this season's two previous meetings with the Golden Bears.
The Card has been to Berkeley twice this season, beating California 15-10 in September, and falling 13-11 in October.
HOME STRETCH » With only one game left in the 2024 season, the Cardinal sits at 18-3 (3-2).
TOP COMPETITION » California comes to The Farm ranked No. 7 in the country. Stanford already boasts 10 top-10 wins on the season, including four top-four wins.
LEADING THE CARD » Riley Pittman has the team lead for both points and assists, with 76 and 34, respectively. Pittman's 34 assists are the third-best in the MPSF West.
SOREN TO NEW HEIGHTS » Soren Jensen has posted a banner year on The Farm, leading the team in goals (43) and multi-goal games (13).
FRESHMEN ON FIRE » The freshmen have been key contributors so far this season, with Ryan Ohl, Botond Balogh, Ben Forer and Will Schneider combining for 85 points (54 goals 31 assists).
STAUNCH DEFENSE » Stanford has done a great job limiting opponent attacks this season, allowing just 185 goals in 21 games, the fewest in the MPSF and an average of just 8.81 goals a game.
RECORD ON WATCH » The Card record books are due for an update, with Jackson Painter's 178 career goals just 6 shy of the 10th-most in program history.
POSTSEASON CLOSING IN » The Cardinal has locked up the No. 3 seed at the MPSF Championships, which will be hosted by UCLA from Nov. 22-24.
VETERAN STANDOUTS » The Card returns three All America selections from 2023 in Painter, Pittman and Ethan Parrish. The trio extended a nearly-fifty-year run of Stanford landing multiple student-athletes on an All America team every year since 1975.
CARDINAL, WHITE AND BLUE » Four Cardinal products took home bronze with Team USA at this summer's Paris Olympic Games. Ben Hallock, Alex Bowen, Dylan Woodhead and Drew Holland were a part of the first Olympic medal since 2008, with Hallock serving as the team captain.