Welcome BACK!!!

And we are back at it! Our fall season has officially ended with Thanksgiving and Finals coming up! We thought a little recap of our fall would be helpful for an intro before Season starts!

School started off with a bang and we got right into meeting the new members to our team! We took a nice, musically filled car ride up to Stinson Beach and had a night full of s'mores, stories, and some good ol' Stanford bonding! We learned that Julia is not afraid of picking up odd objects on the beach, like FULL DEAD CRABS! and that Gabby really loves to stand in "quick sand"... the team took a nice stroll down to the point and found this AMAZING tree! Of course, we instantly wanted to take a model shot...

Then came ALUMNI GAME! It was great to play with and against the alums and watch our Seniors play their last one as a player! I'm pretty sure all the goalies played as field players and Kate Baldoni and Gabby having a few goals each! The alums beat us by a few goals, but we'll get 'em next year!

Lastly, we ended pre-season with the best tradition out there, FRESHMAN SYNCHRO! Our freshman danced to "Ice, Ice Baby" - a true classic. They performed at half time of Big Splash and made the crowd roar with their fabulous dance and water moves. We were all very proud and they really gave our team some inspiration because Stanford came back to WIN the game after their show... that is some real team spirit right there! Here is a look at their stellar performance!

Hope EVERYONE has a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Lots of love!

Stanford "THANKFUL FOR OUR" Team :)

Breakfast of Champions

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of staying at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. Aside from its beautiful views of the bay and overall glamorous atmosphere, it had the BEST food we have had during a travel trip. Not your average hotel continental breakfast!

Eggs Benedict

Poached Eggs with Asparagus and Avocado Salsa on Brioche

Fresh Fruit with Vanilla Bean Yogurt

Complimentary Biscuits with Apricot Compote

And of course, a morning Latte!

Needless to say, we were just a little bit spoiled. Definitely a breakfast fit for champions!

Senior Day

This past weekend our team celebrated the class of 2013 with Senior Day. At our game against UCLA (which we won 8-1 whoop whoop) the seniors were introduced and everyone in the stands got to see how amazing they all are.

Later on everyone’s families met up at Buca d Beppo downtown for a dinner honoring the seniors. Everyone had so much fun and the food was delicious. However, my personal favorite part of the evening was the freshman rap. The freshman had some big shoes to fill because my class killed it last year, but the freshies definitely gave us a run for our money. They serenaded the crowd to the tune of the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and did an amazing job.

Senior day was a huge success and was a perfect way to honor the hard work of all of the seniors over the past 4 (or 5) years. Everyone in the senior class had an incredible final home game and Avery Aquatic Center will miss them!

Happy Easter!

The team got their Easter baskets early this year... big thanks to the Grossman family!

Cardinal vs. Crimson

As finals come to an end, we're gearing up for the battle of the nerds. Come down to the pool at 7 PM tonight to watch us welcome the Harvard Women's Water Polo Team to the Farm! Go Card!

Polo in Every Pool!

For the last few years, freshman Skylar Dorosin has been working with Brenda Villa on Project 20/20, which aims to give opportunities to young girls to try out water polo. Brenda (Stanford '03) was able to play and love water polo thanks to a community program set up in her hometown, and now has 4 Olympic medals. She wants to make sure others have the same chance she did -- who knows, maybe some of the girls from yesterday will end up at the 2020 Olympic Games!

A few of the girls from the team headed over to Bell Haven Pool yesterday to help out and get involved. Here are some great pics!

Gurpreet is Ready to Go!

Gurpreet was so excited to train and get ready for the UCI Tournament this weekend that she put her suit on inside out! We still think she looks ready to go (:

Hope to see you all down south for what promises to be a GREAT weekend of water polo.

Earning Top Dollar for Camp Kesem!

Congrats to the freshmen of Women's Water Polo for having the highest team earnings towards Camp Kesem, a great philanthropy that provides support for families that have dealt with or are currently dealing with cancer. Click here to find out more about Stanford's involvement and watch the video from Athlete Date Auction, the fundraising event from last night!

Putting in Work

Stanford Invitational 2013 -- 1st Place!

4 games. 2 days. 1 incredibly successful weekend. Gotta love this place (:

East Coast Adventures // by Kate

Over Christmas break I spontaneously decided to book a trip to the east coast to visit some friends, including one I traveled to Italy with last summer. I took a red eye to Washington D.C. and landed at about 8:30 in the morning. After a long night of traveling, I was ready to tour the city! My friend, Taylor, picked me up from the airport and showed me all the tourist sites including the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. As a member of the Baldoni family, it was my honor to finally have a chance to meet Anna Mae Hayes, the first women general in the military. I called her up that morning and asked to meet since everyone else in my close family has had the chance to make it to D.C. to visit her. My relations to Anna Mae is through my grandfather, who worked under her while he was serving in the army. Anna Mae, who is currently 93 years old, agreed to have lunch with my friend Taylor and me the following day. We went to her condominium complex, which had a great view of the mall in Washington D.C (as you can see in the picture). Taylor ended up driving her car and took us to lunch at the officer’s club. We were lucky enough to have special parking because of Anna Mae’s rank. During lunch we learned all about her life, the different places she traveled in her 30 years in the military, the type of work she did, the Presidents she was able to build relationships with, etc. She has lived a very eventful life. She even gave us advice on our lives: work hard to get what you want! Anna Mae acted like she was 20 years younger than she was! Our conversation was great and I was so happy to finally have a chance to meet her. Although I was the last of the Baldoni’s to meet her, it was worth the wait and I hope I have the opportunity to see her again!

Showing Our Support!

What's one of the best things about Stanford Athletics? The support we all show each other! Here's our team at the Women's Basketball game this past Friday night. The girls beat the UCLA Bruins 75-49, keep up the good work!

Defender Twins!

Great minds think alike!!

Sweet as a Rose // by Ashley

This year I had a really happy New Year!  Not only did our football team win the Rosebowl on New Year's Day, but I got to spend several days with my family and best friends from school at my house.  A few days before the Rosebowl, 5 of my friends drove down from school to come spend New Years and see the game with me.  After meeting them at the JW Mariott to pick up our gorgeous and shiny tickets, where the lobby was a complete sea of cardinal, we all went back to my house to hang out and go out to dinner.  On New Year's Eve, I planned a huge dinner with my best friends from home and my best friends from my other home, Stanford! I was in heaven having my friends from two sections of my life hang out with each other.  The next day, we were up early to drive to the Rosebowl.  At the alumni tailgate we were completely doted upon with food, games, and good company.  Of course, the game was awesome.  Oh, and did I mention that my cousin, who attends the University of Wisconsin, Madison came to the game too?! She was required to sit in the Stanford section.  Good thing red and cardinal are similar colors.  The next day my teammates and I got up early to road trip back to school to practice.  We are all so excited season is starting! Happy 2013!

The Winter Break Bucket List // by Kelsey

It's finally here, Winter Break! I've been looking forward to this since I got a little taste of being off of Stanford Time at Thanksgiving. Now I am home at last, and this time without any projects, papers, or final exams looming over my head. My entire family is home, which is quite a rare occurrence these days -- usually, my younger brother is busy with his countless extra curriculars and my older brother is on the East Coast at the Coast Guard Academy. With everyone under one roof, the holidays have officially begun at the Suggs house! The tree, garland, and lights are all ready for the 25th. Bring it on, Christmas.

Now, as exciting as all this is to me, I know that in a few days I'm going to find myself sitting on the couch, wondering what to do with myself. I've been going a million miles per hour, 24/7 pretty much since I was 5 -- dance lessons, piano lessons, softball and soccer, girl scouts... you name it, I did it -- I just don't know how to NOT be busy anymore. So, in order to preemptively rid myself of any "break boredom" I am making a bucket list of all the things I am going to do before heading back for another quarter at Stanford.

1. Read a Book!  Now I know what you are thinking. Really, Kelsey? You want to read a book after you just spent the last 10 weeks thumbing through countless pages of HumBio? And the answer is yes! -- sort of. I can't remember the last time I read a book because I truly wanted to, because I enjoyed the story. It's always been motivated by my professors ensuring me that "This information will be on the final." I just want a read a book for me. I'm going to lay out in the sun (weather permitting) and get lost in some epic adventure.


2.  See The Hobbit  This movie isn't particularly something I am looking forward to for the reasons you might think. I'm not obsessed with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I don't want to be a hobbit or an elf or any of the other strange characters in the book. No, this story has more of a sentimental value to me. When I was younger, the first time I got really really sick, my dad began to read this book to me to help me fall asleep. It was just something small that he did but it made me feel so much better. In fact, I even pretended to be sick longer than I was so that he wouldn't stop! (Eventually he caught on, but don't worry he kept reading to me anyway!) I think it is only fitting that I now go see the movie with my dad (:


3. Eat some REAL Mexican Food  I love you, NorCal, I do... but there's just no competition when it comes to selection of authentic Mexican food. SoCal wins EVERY time. The next chance I get, I am driving down to the coast, hitting up my favorite local spot and eating some delicious food down by the water. It's the best thing.


4. Go Sailing  When I was younger, there was a youth sailing program out of a local harbor. I haven't really sailed since, and I miss it so much! My younger brother has joined a sailing team, and he, my older brother, and my dad all went out on the water the other day. Needless to say, I was very envious that they were out in the ocean while I was sitting in the airport terminal, waiting for my plane to arrive. It's going to be great to get back out there, pictures definitely to follow.


5. Christmas!  Christmas morning at the Suggs house is one of my favorite things. We have a huge spread for breakfast: a fantastic casserole, cinnamon rolls, coffee and lattes, christmas cookies that we've baked, fruit salad... my mouth is watering just thinking about it! We put christmas music on in the background and sit around the tree, opening our gifts. After, my mom and I get started on the Christmas dinner. Get the oven ready for the turkey and the ham, make all the side dishes, and of course the desserts. Cheesecakes, pies, MORE Christmas cookies, hot cocoa and cider. YUM!


6. Watch our football team kick some bootay!  As you probably know, Stanford's football team is now one of the nation's powerhouses. The program has come so far in the past years, and now we are headed to our third consecutive BCS bowl game. The best part? It's right in my backyard! This year's Rose Bowl will be played on January 1st in LA and I could not be more excited. A couple of girls from my sorority and I are going to spend New Years Eve in the city and then head over to the stadium to watch our boys beat the Wisconsin Badgers. Cassie is going to come too, which means I am going to laugh harder than I have since she graduated and left for Spain. In a nutshell? I CAN'T WAIT!!

 So there it is. My winter break bucket list for 2012. If the world does end in a few days, at least I'll have spent my last few days having a blast!

Tis the Season // by Emily

I cannot wait for Christmas! Hands down my favorite holiday. It is not much of a competition because it is one of the few times a year where it is socially acceptable to eat your body weight in food, with Thanksgiving being a close second. I love it when my family is all together (which sadly is pretty rare nowadays) and with no school to be stressing about, the cold snuggle weather, and copious amounts of dessert that is on display around the house, it is not hard to understand why it is the most wonderful time of the year. I went home last week to help decorate our tree and it was UNREAL. Momma Dorst put on some apple cider; Elvis, Mariah Carey, and Frank Sinatra were singing Christmas carols in the background; Lindsay and I modeled around some itchy and festive sweaters; and slowly but surely our tree became cluttered and beautiful with dozens, if not hundreds, of ornaments. They ranged from janky homemade ornaments, to old school pictures, to pretty huge sparkly bulbs. Last night, some of the girls on our floor got together and had a nail polish party while watching Love Actually. Ashley painted my nails and it was the perfect study break. One more final to go and then Christmas vacation wahoooo ow ow yayayayay yeassss woot woot zomg yaaa budddyyy!!

Going For It!! // by Annika

Exciting week here for Stanford Athletics. Last month, we received the Director’s Cup for the 18th straight year. You might wonder how we do it year after year.

This week might just give you an indication why we deserve such an award. We have Women’s Volleyball starting up their NCAA tournament as the number 2 seed. Women’s Soccer is going down to San Diego to go for their second straight championship. And football will be playing here at home for the PAC 12 Championship. Pretty amazing. Not to mention that everyone on campus is buckling down and preparing for finals just a couple weeks away.

I know a lot of us are close with the soccer team, and it is always inspiring to see another Stanford team go for a championship. I remember when I was away last year training for the Olympics, I still felt a great connection to not only our water polo team, but also to the other teams at Stanford. This great sense of athletic community is what brings the best out of Stanford athletes. Not only are you striving for your best for your team and your teammates, but also for what it means wear that Stanford jersey, or in our case swimsuit.

Win or lose, you always bleed cardinal red. Playing for each other. Playing for Stanford. Can’t wait to see our teams go for it!


Get Pumped for the weekend -- click here!

The First Day // by Skylar

My first day at Stanford was full of starting cool classes, meeting interesting people, and dodging bikers pedaling frantically to a lecture. I tried my hardest not to get lost, but given my directionally challenged tendencies, I found myself lost in the main quad. It was an adventure trying to navigate through the hallways in search of my class...but another fun opportunity to explore our beautiful campus!

The First Day // by Maggie

On the first day of school, I was super excited and woke up way too early for a class that is literally 45 sec bike ride away. A little over anxious, I think so. I was going to my PWR class which is on Gender Politics, and I locked my bike next to Melena's and we went into the building. We spent a good 2 hours talking about how girls are awesome, but treated poorly through media, pretty much a feminist class. Anyway, Melena and I walked to our bikes, all excited that we are real Stanford students and I go to unlock my bike, and Melena and I just start laughing instantly. I had locked my bike lock around nothing, I basically just slipped it over my bike and it was just sitting there. It was a kind of in the moment type thing, but I think it really shows how much we, I, was looking forward to our FIRST DAY! WOO!

The First Day // by Gabby

My first day at Stanford was both very exciting and stressful. I was very excited to meet my professors and other people in my classes- I had been looking forward to this day for a while! Yet, I got lost quite a few times, and the fact that I had ten minutes between two classes didn't help my situation. My PWR 1 (writing) class and PoliSci lecture were both very interesting, but my Italian class didn't go so well... Since the Intro to Italian Language class was full, I signed up for an accelerated course as I took six years of Latin in high school. I thought I could manage, but when the instructor told the class to converse with each other in Italian I knew things were not going to go well. The other students spoke the language in a near perfect accent in a fast pace while I struggled to say even the simplest of words without awkward pauses. Apparently this class was not the one for me, but the great thing about Stanford is that the quarter system allows students to take a lot of different courses throughout the year. So, I'll just take the normal Italian next quarter! After a full day of classes and an eligibility meeting, my friend and I went to the Welcome Home Carnival where there were free carnival games, food trucks, and four hot air balloons! I had a good time :). My first day was great and I'm sure that it's just a minor reflection on how amazing these next four years will be.