This is uncharted ground for Stanford.
Since 1987, this marks the first instance where the Cardinal won’t be participating in the NCAA tournament, breaking their previous record-breaking streak of 36 successive appearances. Interestingly enough, only Tennessee boasts a more extended sequence, having joined every single tournament since its inception in 1982.
Stanford managed to win five out of its last six regular-season matches, giving them a chance to secure a spot in the tournament. However, with a record of 16-13, they required a deep run in the ACC tournament for better odds, which did not materialize. The team was eliminated in the first round after losing to Clemson.
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“We aren’t going to allow this single game to define us or our identity,” stated first-year coach Kate Paye following the defeat.
It’s probable that Stanford will receive an invitation to participate in the WNIT, and Paye has mentioned that the team will accept. However, their streak in the NCAA is now finished.
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Stanford wasn't merely a regular participant in the NCAA tournament; it had turned into one of its pillars. Over the years, the Cardinal made appearances in the national championship game five times, clinching victories in three of those instances, and advanced to the Final Four another ten occasions. Additionally, for the last half-decade, the squad consistently secured either the first or second seeding.
Still, Stanford’s lack of presence isn't entirely unexpected.
Along with veteran coach Tara VanDerveer stepping down, Stanford also lost their top three point-scorers and two key rebounders from last season’s squad. Cameron Brink was selected second in the WNBA draft, Hannah Jump has graduated, and Kiki Iriafen moved to USC.
In total, the trio averaged 47.4 points and 24.8 rebounds per game when combining their efforts.
Stanford has just two seniors on its roster this year, and its regular starters included two sophomores and a freshman. Stanford also moved to the ACC, which meant entirely new opponents and a much heavier travel schedule.
Stanford is not the sole prominent program to be left out of the NCAA tournament. Below are some other teams that were unexpectedly excluded:
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech dropped matches they were expected to win. More significantly, though, was the issue of other teams losing games they should have won.
For instance, Richmond was a sure bet for the tournament, holding the 33rd rank. rd When the Spiders were eliminated in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament, it reduced the number of available at-large bids. As a result, teams such as Virginia Tech found themselves on the bubble, still hoping for an invitation.
James Madison
During the regular season, The Dukes performed exceptionally well, securing 28 victories and maintaining an undefeated record in the Sun Belt conference. However, they had their hopes dashed with an overtime defeat against Arkansas State in the Sun Belt tournament final.
Minnesota
Minnesota's season started going downhill toward the end of January and they were unable to turn things around. Losing to Washington in the first round of the Big Ten tournament sealed their fate.
Arizona
The defeats against the Grand Canyon and even Northern Arizona appear more favorable now than when they first occurred. However,Arizona simply lacked that standout victory.
Iowa State/Princeton
It’s difficult to consider this a genuine oversight, as both Iowa State and Princeton secured spots in the tournament. However... yikes. These teams will face off against each other in the First Four, and the victor will go on to compete against Michigan in South Bend, effectively playing their opening round at Notre Dame.
Once more, it’s fantastic to secure a spot in the tournament. However, considering both teams hovered around the cutoff line for several weeks, one can’t help but question whether participating in the NIT and potentially achieving greater success there might have been a wiser move.
The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: Stanford's Absence Notches First Since 1987 in Women's March Madness Snub
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