[oldalum]

WVB has played one match with a full lineup, soccer one match, and tennis none, so it's very early; but it seems apparent to me already this is going to be a rebuilding/get the young players experience year for these three "defending" national championship teams. They all have excellent new/young players, all 3 are going to get much much better over the season (pandemic permitting), and I expect they will all go far in their NCAA tournaments. But a repeat national championship this year does not seem a realistic possibility for any of them. For this year, WVB has lost all but one starter from the championship team; its rebuilding year seems totally predictable and the eye test so far confirms it. WSoccer has 3 stars back from the championship team, but at least in the first match they were missing a higher number of their experienced players than I had anticipated (Doms, Rubinstein, Greubel-- opted out? injured?) and we started 4 frosh and played 6 total. And women's tennis lost 2 stars; the frosh are promising, but there are at least 3 absolute powerhouses this year (UNC, Texas, UCLA) who have played a lot of matches already, and we would need to beat 2 out of 3 of them to win the natty. Nothing's impossible, and I will enjoy watching all 3 improve over the season, but I think a repeat championship is just not a realistic expectation. 

Fortunately, this pandemic year seems like good timing for a rebuilding year and lowered expectations.

[oldalum]

WVB has played one match with a full lineup, soccer one match, and tennis none, so it's very early; but it seems apparent to me already this is going to be a rebuilding/get the young players experience year for these three "defending" national championship teams. They all have excellent new/young players, all 3 are going to get much much better over the season (pandemic permitting), and I expect they will all go far in their NCAA tournaments. But a repeat national championship this year does not seem a realistic possibility for any of them. For this year, WVB has lost all but one starter from the championship team; its rebuilding year seems totally predictable and the eye test so far confirms it. WSoccer has 3 stars back from the championship team, but at least in the first match they were missing a higher number of their experienced players than I had anticipated (Doms, Rubinstein, Greubel-- opted out? injured?) and we started 4 frosh and played 6 total. And women's tennis lost 2 stars; the frosh are promising, but there are at least 3 absolute powerhouses this year (UNC, Texas, UCLA) who have played a lot of matches already, and we would need to beat 2 out of 3 of them to win the natty. Nothing's impossible, and I will enjoy watching all 3 improve over the season, but I think a repeat championship is just not a realistic expectation. 

Fortunately, this pandemic year seems like good timing for a rebuilding year and lowered expectations.

[BobK]

Excellent review. Thanks
Women’s Volleyball has 13 athletes. Two L Smith and Campbell out for the year. Two Lougeay and Fidalak haven’t played yet. That’s 9 but given they played the first weekend with 8 and cancelled this weekend I fear injuries

Track and Field had scheduled only one indoor meet and that was at Texas Tech yesterday and didn’t go of course

[BobK]

Excellent review. Thanks
Women’s Volleyball has 13 athletes. Two L Smith and Campbell out for the year. Two Lougeay and Fidalak haven’t played yet. That’s 9 but given they played the first weekend with 8 and cancelled this weekend I fear injuries

Track and Field had scheduled only one indoor meet and that was at Texas Tech yesterday and didn’t go of course

[Spiny_Norman]

You can add WSwim to the rebuilding or transitional year as well. Several of the top swimmers sitting out this year, I assume training for the Olympics. Stanford got crushed last week in a dual match vs. Cal. It seems very likely that there will be a new NC in women's swimming this year after Stanford has won the last 3.

[Spiny_Norman]

You can add WSwim to the rebuilding or transitional year as well. Several of the top swimmers sitting out this year, I assume training for the Olympics. Stanford got crushed last week in a dual match vs. Cal. It seems very likely that there will be a new NC in women's swimming this year after Stanford has won the last 3.

[Jamesy]

Same for MWP. Championship streak in jeopardy. Men's gymnastics probably best bet given recent announcement that Brody Malone has opted back in.

[Jamesy]

Same for MWP. Championship streak in jeopardy. Men's gymnastics probably best bet given recent announcement that Brody Malone has opted back in.

[Farm93]

Too early to ignore the COVID protocol impact IMHO.

For example, in men's hoops many of the teams with one and done blue chips struggled early because they lacked team building time thanks to COVID protocols.  At the start many top schools were losing to all kinds of teams, but now many of those blue chip teams are finally getting their one and done types to a better level. 

For Stanford teams the lack of training together in 2020 is a big deal.   I am hopeful some of these teams will be much more competitive in late March or early April.  That won't help some team sports as the NCAA team titles are coming soon, but for sports with titles in May it could be OK.

Best chances still seem to be WWP, MGym and WTennis

I understand women's tennis may not look ready right now, but I have full faith in that program's ability to reach new heights when the NCAA team title is on the line.

Women's hoops is a relatively tough title to win given the depth across the USA, but the Stanford team certainly could do enough to win a title too.

[Farm93]

Too early to ignore the COVID protocol impact IMHO.

For example, in men's hoops many of the teams with one and done blue chips struggled early because they lacked team building time thanks to COVID protocols.  At the start many top schools were losing to all kinds of teams, but now many of those blue chip teams are finally getting their one and done types to a better level. 

For Stanford teams the lack of training together in 2020 is a big deal.   I am hopeful some of these teams will be much more competitive in late March or early April.  That won't help some team sports as the NCAA team titles are coming soon, but for sports with titles in May it could be OK.

Best chances still seem to be WWP, MGym and WTennis

I understand women's tennis may not look ready right now, but I have full faith in that program's ability to reach new heights when the NCAA team title is on the line.

Women's hoops is a relatively tough title to win given the depth across the USA, but the Stanford team certainly could do enough to win a title too.

[oldalum]

I understand women's tennis may not look ready right now, but I have full faith in that program's ability to reach new heights when the NCAA team title is on the line.

So do I, but probably not to the heights necessary to win the natty this year. UCLA crushed us twice last year, and they are better this year. And this year Texas and Cal have beaten UCLA, and UNC beat Texas. UNC and Texas in particular are going to be a formidable obstacle to our repeating. Not impossible, just very unlikely in my view unless the two frosh are terrific. But I agree W Tennis has a better chance of repeating than W Soccer or WVB. Of course, I'd love to be proven wrong by all 3! But I feel good about resetting my expectations.

[oldalum]

I understand women's tennis may not look ready right now, but I have full faith in that program's ability to reach new heights when the NCAA team title is on the line.

So do I, but probably not to the heights necessary to win the natty this year. UCLA crushed us twice last year, and they are better this year. And this year Texas and Cal have beaten UCLA, and UNC beat Texas. UNC and Texas in particular are going to be a formidable obstacle to our repeating. Not impossible, just very unlikely in my view unless the two frosh are terrific. But I agree W Tennis has a better chance of repeating than W Soccer or WVB. Of course, I'd love to be proven wrong by all 3! But I feel good about resetting my expectations.

[Spiny_Norman]

MSoc is now 3-0 after a 3-1 victory at Berkeley over Cal.

[Spiny_Norman]

MSoc is now 3-0 after a 3-1 victory at Berkeley over Cal.