Sports Shorts
ON THE AIR Friday College softball: Stanford at Utah, 2 p.m.; Pac-12 Networks College baseball: Arizona St. at Stanford, 6 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM)
Saturday College baseball: Arizona St. at Stanford, 1 p.m.; KZSU (90.1 FM) Women’s water polo: Cal at Stanford, 5 p.m.; Pac-12 Networks
Sunday Women’s lacrosse: Stanford at USC, 1 p.m.; Pac-12 Networks
www.PASportsOnline.com For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, visit www.PASportsOnline.com
Plenty at stake as women rivals meet in tennis, water polo By Rick Eymer ast year at this time, the Stanford women’s tennis team was gearing up for its improbable run to the NCAA title. Not many observers gave the Cardinal much of a chance after its third-place finish in the Pac-12 Conference. Fifth-ranked Stanford (8-1 in the Pac-12, 16-1 overall) enters the final weekend of the regular season with a chance to gain at least a share of the conference title and set up another championship run when it hosts No. 10 California at noon Saturday. Meanwhile, the top-ranked Stanford women’s water polo team enters its last regular-season contest with a bit of an edge. The Cardinal (5-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, 19-1 overall) was the fashionable pick to win its third straight national title last year. USC beat Stanford in a memorable NCAA championship contest in suddendeath overtime. The Cardinal, which hosts No. 4 California on Saturday at 5 p.m. already has clinched the top seed for the MPSF tournament, which gets underway April 26 in Los Angeles. There is still plenty at stake when the Bears come to town with ideas of spoiling Stan-
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Stanford senior Kristie Ahn, ranked No. 4 nationally in singles, will lead the No. 5 Cardinal women’s tennis team against visiting and No. 10 Cal on Saturday at noon to close the regular season.
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Price proves her decision was right to give up her basketball season by Keith Peters
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hen Menlo School senior Maddy Price crossed the finish line following the 400 meters at the annual Arcadia Invitational last weekend, her decision to give up something she loved to do was justified. Instead of playing basketball in the winter for a fourth straight season, Price trained for the spring track and field campaign and competed indoors. “That definitely set me up to run fast this season,� she said. “I’d never done that before. I saw that the best (track and field) athletes trained all year. I miss basketball a lot, but that was a good decision.� Price finished second in the 400 at Arcadia, but her time of 53.43 was an eye-opener. It was a personal best. It broke her own Menlo school record. It made her No. 2 in the nation this season. And, it moved her to No. 2 alltime in Central Coast Section history. Price was second to freshman Kaelin Roberts of Long Beach Poly. She overtook Price on the final homestretch to win in in a U.S.leading 53.37. The previous national leader was 53.49 indoors by Olivia Baker of Columbia High in Maplewood, N.J.
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“I kind of had mixed emotions when I crossed the finish line and saw my time,â€? Price said. “Obviously, I was disappointed I got second. But, the goal was to run under 54 (seconds) and getting it by a lot, so that made me really happy.â€? Menlo coach Jorge Chen echoed those sentiments. “Maddy’s race was phenomenal and that was evident by her big PR (1.26 secs) at this level,â€? said Chen. “That really shows that she still has more boom in her! We can’t be disappointed at a second-place finish like this since Maddy’s time would’ve easily won this event last year and I mean easily. I give props to Roberts and her coaches as she came out of nowhere on this field and the race itself.â€? Price surpassed Christina Hardeman of Wilcox (53.72 in 2002) on the all-time CCS list and now trails only Leslie Maxie of Mills, who ran 52.83 in 1984. Maxie competed at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Los Angeles in the 400 hurdles, just missing the USA team. “This race was good for Maddy not only time-wise but also it’ll keep her hungry for ÂVÂœÂ˜ĂŒÂˆÂ˜Ă•i`ĂŠÂœÂ˜ĂŠÂŤ>}iĂŠĂˆĂ“ÂŽ
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It’s about Cal versus Cardinal
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HOOP HONORS . . . It has been quite a year, and carrer, for Stanford senior forward Chiney Ogwumike. So, where do we start? Most recently, she was selected by the Connecticut Sun with the top overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday night. With the selection, Ogwumike becomes Stanford’s second No. 1 overall pick, joining older sister, Nnemkadi, who was taken in the same slot by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2012. The Ogwumike sisters also become part of a very exclusive club, joining Peyton and Eli Manning as the only siblings to each be taken with the first overall selection in a major American pro sports draft. Peyton Manning was selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft, and Eli was taken with the No. 1 pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2004. Stanford fifth-year forward Mikaela Ruef, meanwhile, was selected with the seventh pick of the third round (31st overall) by the Seattle Storm. In addition to becoming Stanford’s second No. 1 overall selection, Chiney is also the Cardinal’s 11th WNBA first-round pick, the sixth in the past seven years, and the 22nd Stanford player to hear her name called at the event. She also became Stanford’s fourth No. 1 overall selection in a pro sports draft over the past three years, joining older sister Nnemkadi (2012 WNBA Draft, Los Angeles Sparks), former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (2012 NFL Draft, Indianapolis Colts), and former Stanford pitcher Mark Appel (2013 MLB Draft, Houston Astros). All four players are from Houston (Luck and Appel) or the Houston area, as the Ogwumikes hail from Cypress, a suburb of Houston. Ogwumike finished a stellar collegiate career at Stanford at the Final Four in Nashville, helping lead the Cardinal to a 33-4 record and its 12th appearance at women’s basketball’s signature event. Last Friday in Los Angeles, Ogwumike was named the John R. Wooden Award winner, becoming the first Stanford and Pac-12 player to receive the honor. She was also a consensus All-American, being honored for the third straight year by the WBCA and in the process becoming just the fourth Stanford player to earn three nods from the organization.
STANFORD ROUNDUP
Menlo School senior Maddy Price ranks No. 2 in the nation in the 400.