[Mick]

No NCs yet this year.  Realistically, there are only 3 teams that you could consider among the NC elite in their respective sports - men's gymnastics, women's tennis and women's water polo.  The odd format for the golf championship (3 rounds of stroke play followed by match play for the top 8 teams) has led to some lower ranked teams getting hot and winning recently.  Men's golf could make some noise.  They have 2 of the top players in the country.

Men's and women's swimming will do well and will rake in Director's Cup points, but neither is much of a threat to win it all.  It would be a big surprise if any other team contends for a NC.

I wonder if women's lacrosse will make some noise.  They are 5-1 and 3-0 on the road, their only loss was by one point.  They just beat two ranked opponents.  Currently ranked #19, so it may be a stretch.

I wouldn't count out men's volleyball.  Currently #5 in the MPSF, they are "only" 14-7 overall and 11-7 in league play but they have won five in a row.  They beat #3 Pepperdine at Pepperdine in four sets, and haven't been swept all season.  They swept USC 3-0 in a match recently, but they are a combined 0-4 against BYU and Long Beach State, the top two teams in the MPSF.  All matches have been quite close, however.  Middlehitter.com ranks Stanford #3 behind BYU and LBSU.  BYU is very solid, but LBSU has lost to three separate MPSF teams. 

[Mick]

No NCs yet this year.  Realistically, there are only 3 teams that you could consider among the NC elite in their respective sports - men's gymnastics, women's tennis and women's water polo.  The odd format for the golf championship (3 rounds of stroke play followed by match play for the top 8 teams) has led to some lower ranked teams getting hot and winning recently.  Men's golf could make some noise.  They have 2 of the top players in the country.

Men's and women's swimming will do well and will rake in Director's Cup points, but neither is much of a threat to win it all.  It would be a big surprise if any other team contends for a NC.

I wonder if women's lacrosse will make some noise.  They are 5-1 and 3-0 on the road, their only loss was by one point.  They just beat two ranked opponents.  Currently ranked #19, so it may be a stretch.

I wouldn't count out men's volleyball.  Currently #5 in the MPSF, they are "only" 14-7 overall and 11-7 in league play but they have won five in a row.  They beat #3 Pepperdine at Pepperdine in four sets, and haven't been swept all season.  They swept USC 3-0 in a match recently, but they are a combined 0-4 against BYU and Long Beach State, the top two teams in the MPSF.  All matches have been quite close, however.  Middlehitter.com ranks Stanford #3 behind BYU and LBSU.  BYU is very solid, but LBSU has lost to three separate MPSF teams.