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Since Paul Ratcliffe took over Stanford in 2003, the Cardinal have become the gold standard for competitive endurance on the national scale. Beyond standing as the only returning team from last year’s College Cup, Ratcliffe has earned an unmatched reputation for consistent dominance. Since 2008, Stanford has reached eleven College Cups, the most of any program in the country. The three championships earned in that era are second only to Florida State, which has had two different coaches. Add that those College Cups have come in a run of five in a row, six in seven years, three consecutive, and now back-to-back, and there is no arguing that Ratcliffe is a master motivator who has built the definition of a perennial contender.

Ratcliffe had this to say when TopDrawerSoccer asked him about the secret to that competitive endurance. “You have to have the student-athletes, you have to have the health of the team going the right way, you need a little bit of luck . . . Ultimately, at Stanford, I try to create the best environment to develop players and compete for national championships. That is what I have always done and will always want to do that.”

That consistent quest for excellence has created a 2024 team that may not be as dominant as the 2023 squad that rode into the national final with an undefeated record but may be more equipped to win it all, thanks to the survival traits picked up in their treacherous path to the College Cup.

Take the second round, where Stanford scored twice in the final five minutes to defeat Connecticut 2-1. Then there was the Sweet Sixteen penalty shootout victory away at a nationally ranked Arkansas team that had lost just 1 of the last 46 matches at home. That was followed by a 2-0 shutout of the same Notre Dame team that defeated them 3-0 on October 20th.

The Cardinal now find themselves as outsiders traveling across the country to compete against three teams from North Carolina. If anyone can upset those odds, it is this team, having persevered all season, led by a head coach with an unmatched pedigree of success.

Ten Key Moments:

9/2/2024 - Stanford earns No. 1 national ranking, keeps position for three weeks.

9/15/2024 - Elizabeth Boamah scores in 1-0 defeat of Santa Clara for eight straight wins to start the season.

10/9/2024 - Elise Evans comes in at No. 19 in the TDS Midseason Player Rankings. The other Cardinal on the list are No. 24 Jasmine Aikey, No. 47 Andrea Kitahata, and No. 87 Shae Harvey.

10/10/2024 - 4-1 loss to Duke marks first home loss in 34 matches.

10/11/2024 - Charlotte Kohler comes in as the No. 9 ranked freshman in the TDS Midseason Freshmen Rankings, followed by Eleanor Klinger at No. 37, Ella Emri at No. 61, and Elizabeth Boamah at No. 93.

10/17/2024 - Lumi Kostmayer scores with two seconds meaning to defeat Louisville 1-0.

11/6/2024 - Four Cardinal receive ACC honors. Jasmine Aikey and Mia Bhuta on the second team. Elise Evans on the third team. Eleanor Klinger on the All-Freshman Team.

11/22/2024 - Shae Harvey and Allison Montoya score in the final five minutes to complete 2-1 comeback defeat of Connecticut.

11/24/2024 - Cardinal survive intimidating Arkansas stadium with penalty shootout victory in Round of 16.

11/29/2024 - Kitahata scores one and assists another as Stanford avenges regular season loss to Notre Dame and reaches the College Cup for second consecutive season.

Ten Key Statistics:

• Andrea Kitahata leads the team in goals (9) and assists (6).

• Charlotte Kohler (14) and Shae Harvey (12) join Kitahata (24) with double-digit points.

• 12 different goalscorers.

• Mia Bhuta leads the team with 1758 minutes.

• Versatile star Jasmine Aikey out with injury.

• Only returning College Cup team.

• 12 players who played in 2023 College Cup final are on the roster.

• Andrea Kitahata assisted in 2023 College Cup final.

• Scored in 20 of 22 matches.

• Bhuta and Nya Harrison are the only two to start all 22 matches.