Stanford Cardinal

A brighter Cardinal red was chosen as Stanford's official color by an assembly of the university's first students in 1891. White was adopted as a secondary color in the 1940s.

Following Stanford's win over California in the first-ever Big Game on March 19, 1892, the team was metonymically referred to as the "Cardinal" by sportswriters in the next day's San Francisco Chronicle.{{cite news |date=March 20, 1892 |title=Palo Alto On Top — Stanford Downs Berkeley at Football — The Blue and Gold Bow to the Cardinal — The Winners Paint the Town With Their Own Peculiar Color |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39536037/big-game-1892/ |work=San Francisco Chronicle |place=San Francisco |access-date=September 7, 2022 |page=24}} The university's athletic teams continued to be referred to as the "Cardinal" or "Cardinals" even after the adoption of the "Indians" name.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=November 15, 1934 |title=Minnesota Gains Favor as A.P. Coaches' Poll Goes On |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109165575/minnesota-gains-favor-as-ap-coaches/ |work=St. Cloud Times' |place=New York |publication-place=Saint cloud, Minnesota |access-date=September 7, 2022 |quote=Ranked second by the experts were Stanford's Cardinals with 468 points}}

File:Ticket Washington vs Stanford 1930 side1.jpg football ticket stub depicting the Stanford Indian mascot]]

On November 25, 1930, following a unanimous vote by the Executive Committee for the Associated Students, the athletic department adopted the mascot "Indian".{{cite news |url=https://archives.stanforddaily.com/1930/11/26?page=1§ion=MODSMD_ARTICLE13 |title=Indian Symbol To Replace 'Cardinal;' Considered More Appropriate |date=November 26, 1930 |newspaper=The Stanford Daily |access-date=September 8, 2022}}

On March 3, 1972, a few months after the football team's second straight win in the Rose Bowl, the Indian symbol and name were dropped by Stanford president Richard Lyman{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lGgzAAAAIBAJ&pg=5447%2C4555239 |work=Lodi News-Sentinel |location=(California) |agency=UPI |title=Indians are no more as Stanford name |date=March 4, 1972 |page=8}} after objections from Native American students and a vote by the student senate.{{cite web |title= What is the history of Stanford's mascot and nickname? |url= https://gostanford.com/news/2013/04/17/on-campus-1 |publisher=Stanford Athletics |date= April 17, 2013|access-date=April 22, 2025}}{{cite news |url= https://stanforddailyarchive.com/cgi-bin/stanford?a=d&d=stanford19720303-01.2.38&# |work=The Stanford Daily |location=(California) |last=Wascher |first= Jim |title=Senate abolishes mascot |date=March 3, 1972 |page=10}}

From 1972 to 1981, the official nickname returned to "Cardinals," a reference to the color, not the bird.{{cite news |agency= Associated Press |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wTYwAAAAIBAJ&pg=3644,1904250 |title=Stanford vote favors 'Robber Barons' tag|date=December 5, 1975 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |access-date=February 7, 2011}} During the 1970s, a number of suggestions were put forth as possible nicknames: Robber Barons (a sly reference to Leland Stanford's history), Sequoias, Trees, Railroaders, Spikes, Huns and Griffins. The last suggestion gained enough momentum to prompt the athletics department to move two griffin statues from the site of the former Stanford Home for Convalescent Children to near the athletic facilities.{{cite news |last1=Chesley |first1=Kate |title=The Stanford griffins return to public view |url=https://news.stanford.edu/2018/06/27/stanford-griffins-return-public-view/ |access-date=September 9, 2022 |work=Stanford News |date=June 27, 2018 |language=en}}

On November 17, 1981, school president Donald Kennedy declared that the athletic teams be represented by the color cardinal in its singular form.

Stanford has no official mascot, but the Stanford Tree, a member of the Stanford Band wearing a self-designed tree costume, appears at major Stanford sports events. The Tree is based on El Palo Alto, a redwood tree in neighboring Palo Alto that appears in the Stanford seal and athletics logo.

File:ACC Stanford Logo.png

Stanford University sponsors 36 varsity sports teams — 15 men's, 19 women's, and two coed sports — competing primarily in the NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with the primary affiliation recently changed from the Pac-12 Conference.

Among sports not sponsored by the ACC, men's rowing and women's lightweight rowing compete in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association; men's gymnastics, men's volleyball, beach volleyball, and men's and women's water polo all compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF); sailing in the Intercollegiate Sailing Association; squash in the College Squash Association; and artistic swimming under the sport's US governing body of USA Synchro.

In July 2020, due to increased financial constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanford Athletics announced they will be eliminating 11 varsity teams after the conclusion of the 2020–21 academic year: men's and women's fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men's rowing, co-ed and women's sailing, squash, artistic swimming, men's volleyball and wrestling.{{cite press release |last1=Tessier-Lavigne |first1=Marc |last2=Drell |first2=Persis |last3= Muir |first3= Bernard |title= An open letter to the Stanford community and the Stanford Athletics family |url=https://news.stanford.edu/2020/07/08/athletics/ |access-date=July 18, 2020 |publisher=Stanford News |date=July 8, 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite news|last=University|first=Stanford|date=July 8, 2020|title=Stanford Athletics varsity sport reductions: FAQ |url=https://news.stanford.edu/2020/07/08/athletics-faq/|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=Stanford News|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=July 8, 2020|title=Stanford eliminates 11 varsity sports in the face of mounting deficit, pandemic impact|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/stanford-eliminates-11-varsity-sports|access-date=July 8, 2020|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US}} These planned cuts were canceled in May 2021.{{Cite web |last=Harrish|first=Kevin|date=May 18, 2021|title=Stanford Reverses Decision, Will Not Cut Any Varsity Sports|url=https://www.elevenwarriors.com/college-sports/2021/05/122752/stanford-reverses-decision-will-not-cut-any-varsity-sports |access-date=May 18, 2021|website=Eleven Warriors|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Rubin|first=Jeremy|date=May 18, 2021|title=Stanford to reinstate all 11 discontinued varsity sports |url=https://stanforddaily.com/2021/05/18/stanford-to-reinstate-all-11-discontinued-varsity-sports/|access-date=May 18, 2021|website=Stanford Daily|language=en}}

{{main|Stanford Cardinal football}}

{{main|Stanford Cardinal men's basketball|Stanford Cardinal women's basketball}}

{{main|Stanford Cardinal baseball}}

The Cardinal have appeared in the NCAA Division I baseball tournament 35 times, and have appeared in the College World Series 19 times. They have won two National Championships, in 1987 and 1988.

{{main|Stanford Cardinal field hockey}}

The men's golf team has won nine NCAA Championships: 1938,The NCAA started sponsoring the intercollegiate golf championship in 1939, but it retained the titles from the 41 championships previously conferred by the National Intercollegiate Golf Association in its records. 1939, 1941, 1942 (co-champions), 1946, 1953, 1994, 2007, 2019. They have crowned three individual national champions: Sandy Tatum (1942), Tiger Woods (1996), and Cameron Wilson (2014). They have won 12 Pac-12 Conference championships: 1960, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1977 (south), 1992, 1994, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2023.{{cite web |url=http://www.gostanford.com/media-guides/12-mgolf-rb.pdf |title=Stanford 2012–13 Men's Golf |access-date=June 26, 2013}} Other notable players include Tom Watson, Bob Rosburg, NFL quarterback John Brodie, and Notah Begay III.

Stanford golfers have won individual golf championships four times. In 1971, Shelley Hamlin won the women's national intercollegiate individual golf championship (an event conducted by the Division of Girls' and Women's Sports, which evolved into the current NCAA women's golf championship). More recently, Stanford golfers won individual NCAA titles three years in a row: Rachel Heck in 2021,{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/31505864/stanford-freshman-rachel-heck-loss-words-winning-women-ncaa-individual-golf-title |title=Stanford freshman Rachel Heck 'at a loss for words' after winning women's NCAA individual golf title |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=May 24, 2021}} Rose Zhang in 2022,{{cite web |url=https://gostanford.com/news/2022/5/25/womens-golf-simply-dominant.aspx |title=Simply Dominant |publisher=Stanford University Athletics |date=May 25, 2022}} and Rose Zhang again in 2023.{{cite web |title=Zhang Claims Historic Title |url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/22/womens-golf-zhang-claims-historic-title.aspx |publisher=Stanford University Athletics |date=May 22, 2023}} Zhang is the only woman who has ever won two NCAA individual titles.

Stanford has won the NCAA team championship three times: in 2015,{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/golfonline/id/12966096 |title=Stackhouse gives Stanford its first NCAA women's golf title |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=May 28, 2015}} 2022, and 2024.{{cite web| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2024/5/22/womens-golf-ncaa-champs.aspx| title=NCAA Champs| publisher=Stanford University Athletics |date=May 22, 2024}} From 2015 to the present, the championship has been determined by match play. Stanford is the only team to reach the match play portion of the championship every year it has been offered.{{cite web |url=https://gostanford.com/news/2024/5/20/womens-golf-top-seed-again.aspx |title=Top Seed Again |work=Stanford University Athletics |date=May 20, 2024}}

Stanford Sailing has won the following Intercollegiate Sailing Association championship events:

• the ICSA Open Fleet Race Championship in 2023 and 2025
• the ICSA Open Team Race Championship in 1997
• the ICSA Women's Fleet Race Championship in 2023, 2024, and 2025
• the ICSA Women's Team Race Championship in 2024 and 2025
• the ICSA Men's Singlehanded Championship in 1963, 2006, and 2022
• the ICSA Women's Singlehanded Championship in 2000 and 2018{{Cite web|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2020/06/24/stanford-sailing-history|title=Stanford Sailing History|publisher=Stanford University Athletics}}

In 2023 and 2025, Stanford Sailing won the Leonard M. Fowle Trophy, which the ICSA awards annually to the best overall college team.{{cite web|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/6/15/sailing-leonard-fowle-trophy-team.aspx|title=Leonard Fowle Trophy|publisher=Stanford University Athletics}}

In March 2019, John Vandemoer, Stanford University's head sailing coach for 11 years, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering for accepting bribes in the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal, to hold open admission spots at the university for three applicants falsely portrayed as competitive sailors, in exchange for $770,000 in payments to the sailing program.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/03/12/stanford-sailing-coach-indicted-in-massive-college-admissions-fraud-case/|title=Stanford coach pleads guilty in massive college admissions fraud case|date=March 12, 2019}} Unlike others indicted in the scheme, he did not personally benefit financially.{{cite news|first=Billy|last=Witz|title=A Cog in the College Admissions Scandal Speaks Out|date=September 27, 2021|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/27/sports/stanford-varsity-blues-college-admission.html|access-date=September 28, 2021}} The university fired Vandemoer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/03/14/court-records-stanford-admitted-student-with-fabricated-sailing-credentials/|title=Stanford: Third student with 'fabricated sailing credentials' surfaces|date=March 14, 2019}} Clinton Hayes was appointed interim head coach.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2019/03/15/plot-thickens-for-stanford-sailing-scandal/|title=Plot thickens for Stanford sailing scandal >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|date=March 15, 2019|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News}}

{{main|Stanford Cardinal men's soccer}}

The Cardinal have appeared in the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament 20 times, including in 8 consecutive years from 2013 through 2020. They have seven appearances in the College Cup, winning the national championship in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

{{main|Stanford Cardinal women's soccer}}

The Cardinal won the NCAA women's soccer championship in 2011, 2017, and 2019.

{{main|Stanford Cardinal softball}}

The Cardinal softball team has appeared in four Women's College World Series, in 2001, 2004, 2023, and 2024. The Cardinal program was the co-champions of the PAC-10 conference in 2005, which is their only conference championship. The current head softball coach of the Stanford program is Jessica Allister.

The Cardinal have won 17 NCAA Men's tennis championships: 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000.{{cite web |title=Men's Tennis History|url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/2015/1/3/209833890.aspx|website=Go Stanford|publisher=Stanford University}}

The Cardinal have won 20 of the 43 NCAA women's tennis team championships that have taken place, winning in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2019.{{cite web |title=Women's Tennis Championship History|url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/tennis-women/d1|website=NCAA}}{{cite web|title=Stanford storms back to win 18th NCAA women's tennis championship|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula-sports/ci_29941599/stanford-storms-back-win-18th-ncaa-womens-tennis?source=infinite-up|website=The Mercury News }} Stanford also won the 1978 women's tennis championship, awarded by the AIAW. 2023 was the first year in which Stanford held fewer than half of the NCAA team championships ever awarded.

Stanford tennis players have won the individual singles championship many times:

Stanford tennis players have also won the doubles championship many times:

{{main article|Stanford Cardinal track and field}}

The Stanford Cardinal men's volleyball team represents Stanford in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. They are currently led by head coach John Kosty, who took the job in 2007,{{Cite web |date=30 April 2014 |title=John Kosty Named MPSF Coach of the Year |url=https://mpsports.org/news/2014/4/30/john_kosty_named_mpsf_coach_of_the_year.aspx |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=mpsports.org |language=en}} and play their home games at Maples Pavilion. The team has won two NCAA National Championships (1997{{Cite web |last=Montville |first=Leigh |date=12 May 1997 |title=COLUMBUS, OHIO MAY 3, 1997 A DRAMATIC NCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL FINAL ENDS WITH A DYNASTY IN DISREPAIR |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1997/05/12/columbus-ohio-may-3-1997-a-dramatic-ncaa-mens-volleyball-final-ends-with-a-dynasty-in-disrepair |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}} and 2010{{Cite web |last=Eymer |first=Rick |date=10 May 2010 |title=Stanford men win national volleyball title |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2010/05/08/stanford-men-win-national-volleyball-title |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.paloaltoonline.com |language=en}}), plus earned NCAA Runner-up twice, as well.{{Cite web |title=Stanford Men's Volleyball |url=https://gostanford.com/sports/mens-volleyball |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Stanford Men's Volleyball Homepage}}{{Cite news |last=Gorawara |first=Ira |date=2023-04-22 |title=With victory over Stanford, UCLA men's volleyball emerges as conference champion |work=The Daily Bruin |url=https://dailybruin.com/2023/04/22/with-victory-over-stanford-ucla-mens-volleyball-emerges-as-conference-champion |access-date=2023-11-20}}

{{Stanford Cardinal men's volleyball coach navbox}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Barry Brown
• Canyon Ceman
• Scott Fortune
• Matt Fuerbringer
• Gabriel Gardner
• Kevin Hansen
• Adam Keefe
• Michael Lambert
• Jon Root
• James Shaw
• Erik Shoji
• Kawika Shoji
• John Taylor
• Andy Witt

{{div col end}}

{{main|Stanford Cardinal women's volleyball}}

The Cardinal have won 9 NCAA Women's volleyball national championships: in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2016, 2018 and 2019. Stanford has appeared in 17 championship games, more than any other team. Stanford has qualified for 42 of the 43 NCAA tournaments, missing the postseason only during the COVID-shortened 2020–21 season.{{Cite web|date=April 4, 2021|title=Wisconsin women nab 1-seed in volleyball tourney|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/31194973/wisconsin-earns-top-seed-48-team-ncaa-women-volleyball-tournament|access-date=April 6, 2021|website=ESPN.com|language=en}} Only Penn State has appeared in all 43 tournaments.{{cite news |last1=Wallach |first1=Jordan |title=Fantastic Fours|url=http://www.stanforddaily.com/fantastic-fours/|access-date=October 24, 2015|newspaper=Stanford Daily|ref=stanforddaily}}{{cite web|title=Stanford Women's Volleyball History|url=http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208438431|website=GoStanford.com|publisher=Stanford Athletics|access-date=October 24, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Year-By-Year Results|url=http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=209612505|website=GoStanford.com|publisher=Stanford Athletics |access-date=October 24, 2015}}

The Cardinal have won 10 NCAA national championships in women's water polo, more than any other university: in 2002, 2011-2012, 2014-2015, 2017, 2019, 2022-2023, and 2025.{{cite web|title=Champions Again| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/14/womens-water-polo-champions-again.aspx| date=May 14, 2023| publisher=Stanford Athletics}} Stanford is the only program that has participated in every NCAA Championship since the event began in 2001. Stanford has advanced to the title match in 13 of the last 15 championships.{{cite web|title=Answered Each Time| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/13/womens-water-polo-answered-each-time.aspx| date=May 13, 2023| publisher=Stanford Athletics}}

The Stanford wrestling team is coached by Rob Koll, replacing Jason Borelli after he took the head coaching job at American University in 2021. In his 13 years as head coach, Borelli led the Cardinal to 122 dual wins, making him Stanford's winningest coach. The Cardinal wrestlers practice in the Weintz Family Wrestling Room, and compete on campus at Burnham Pavilion, with a capacity of about 1,400.{{cite web|title=US Wrestling |url=https://admin.xosn.com/pdf9/2554709.pdf?amp;DB_OEM_ID=30600|publisher=Stanford Athletics|access-date=January 1, 2014}}

The Cardinal wrestling team won the Pac-12 championship once, in 2019. They have placed in the top 19 at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships eight times: in 1967 (13th), 2004 (19th), 2008 (19th), 2011 (11th), 2012 (16th), 2016 (19th), 2021 (17th), and 2022 (19th).{{cite web| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2016/7/15/stanford-wrestling-history.aspx| title=Stanford Wrestling History| website=Stanford Athletics}} Stanford has had two individual wrestling national champions in its history: Matt Gentry at 157 pounds in 2004 and Shane Griffith at 165 pounds in 2021.

Stanford's wrestling program was one of the eleven the school planned on eliminating after the 2020–21 season. In response, the team wore solid black singlets without the school logo. Wrestling fans also led a movement to keep the program afloat, before the school ultimately reversed its decision.

{{See also|1906–17 Stanford rugby teams}}

File:Stanford v allblacks 1913.jpg in 1913]]

Stanford has fielded a college rugby team since 1906, and replaced football entirely until 1917. Stanford achieved one of the most surprising victories of American rugby's early history by beating a touring Australian club team in 1912.{{cite news |last=Unmack |first=William |url=http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2013/01/a-look-back-american-rugby-in-print_28.html#more |publisher=The San Francisco Call |work=This is American Rugby |title=Stanford defeats the Australian team, 13 to 12: Cardinal cuts loose and plays open game, beating them on their own style |date=October 17, 1912}} Rugby remained a varsity sport at Stanford until 1977.Stanford Rugby, Foundation, http://www.stanfordrugby.org/ Despite the loss of varsity status, the Stanford Rugby Foundation covers many of the team's expenses from an endowment fund. Rugby is one of the largest sports programs on campus with over 100 players. Stanford Rugby is led by Director of Rugby Matt Sherman, who has served as an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team.Stanford Men's Rugby, Coaches, http://mrugby.stanford.edu/coaches

From 1996 to 1998 Stanford reached the national semifinals in three consecutive years, finishing second in 1998.College Premier Division During the 2010–11 season, Stanford was champion of the Northern California conference, reached the national quarterfinals, and finished the season ranked 4th in D1-AA rugby.Rugby Mag, Final Men's D1 College Top 25, 2010/2011, May 17, 2011, {{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/men-di-college/870-final-mens-di-college-top-25-20102011.html |title=Final Men's DI College Top 25, 2010/2011 |access-date=August 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617022837/http://www.rugbymag.com/men-di-college/870-final-mens-di-college-top-25-20102011.html |archive-date=June 17, 2013 }} Following the 2011–12 season, Stanford were promoted to Division 1-A and played in the California conference, but have since returned to Division 1-AA and now play in the Pacific Western conference. Stanford won the Pacific Western conference in 2014, earning a berth in the D1-AA national playoffs, where they defeated Oregon 24–12 at home in front of a strong crowd,[http://mrugby.stanford.edu/node/54609 "Stanford Down Ducks 24–12 - Onto Elite 8 vs. Arizona"], Stanford Men's Rugby, May 4, 2014. before losing to Arizona 27–24 in the quarterfinals.

{{see also|List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships|Pac-12 Conference#NCAA national titles|List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships}}

Stanford has won 138 NCAA team national championships, the most of any NCAA Division I school.{{cite web|title=Combined Championships Summary |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf |access-date=June 1, 2025}}{{cite web| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2025/06/1/dominant-from-start-to-finish| title=DOMINANT FROM START TO FINISH| publisher=Stanford University Athletics| date=June 1, 2025}} Stanford has won these NCAA team championships in 20 different sports.

• Men's (71)
• Baseball (2): 1987, 1988
• Basketball (1): 1942
• Cross country (4): 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003
• Golf ^† (9): 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1994, 2007, 2019
• Gymnastics (10): 1992, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Outdoor track & field (4): 1925 (unofficial), 1928, 1934, 2000
• Soccer (3): 2015, 2016, 2017
• Swimming (8): 1967, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998
• Tennis (17): 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
• Volleyball (2): 1997, 2010
• Water polo (11): 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2019
• Women's (67)
• Basketball (3): 1990, 1992, 2021
• Cross country (5): 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Golf (3): 2015, 2022, 2024
• Rowing (3): 2009, 2023, 2025
• Soccer (3): 2011, 2017, 2019
• Swimming (11): 1983, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Tennis (20): 1982, 1984, 1986–1991, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019
• Volleyball (9): 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2016, 2018, 2019
• Water polo (10): 2002, 2011-2012, 2014-2015, 2017, 2019, 2022-2023, 2025

:† The NCAA started sponsoring the intercollegiate golf championship in 1939, but it retained the titles from the 41 championships previously conferred by the National Intercollegiate Golf Association in its records.

Below are 39 national team titles in NCAA sports that were not bestowed by the NCAA:

• Men's (17)
• Basketball (1): 1937 (retroactive Helms{{cite web|first=Jon|last=Scott|date=November 9, 2010|title=The truth behind the Helms Committee |url=http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/helms.html|access-date=December 14, 2015}} and Premo-Porretta{{cite book|title=ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game|editor-last=ESPN|publisher=ESPN Books|location=New York, NY|year=2009|page=545|isbn=978-0-345-51392-2}} selectors)
• Football (2): 1926,Stanford's 1926 football team won the Rissman Trophy as the national champion of one contemporary selector, the Dickinson System, and also was ranked #1 by three retroactive selectors, the Helms Athletic Foundation, the National Championship Foundation, and Jeff Sagarin, 1940Stanford's 1940 team was ranked #1 by one contemporary selector, the Poling System, and by two retroactive selectors, Helms Athletic Foundation and Billingsley Report.
• Tennis (1): 1942 ^‡
• Tennis (12) (indoor): 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002 (ITA)
• Water polo (1): 1963 (coaches' poll)
• Women's (22)
• Rowing (9) (lightweight): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (IRA)
• Swimming (1): 1980 (AIAW)
• Tennis (1): 1978 (AIAW)
• Tennis (10) (indoor): 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011 (ITA)
• Water polo (1): 1985 (USA Water Polo)

:‡ Unofficial by virtue of winning both the collegiate individual and doubles crowns of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association

{{See also|Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women championships|List of NCAA schools with the most AIAW Division I national championships|Pre-NCAA intercollegiate championships}}

Below are 50 national team titles won by Stanford varsity and club sports teams at the highest collegiate levels in non-NCAA sports:

• Men's (5)
• Rugby (1) (Div. II): 2002
• Sailing, offshore large boats (2): 1967, 1968
• Ultimate (2): 1984, 2002
• Women's (30)
• Archery (2) (recurve): 2006, 2007
• Artistic swimming (10): 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2025 (USA Synchro collegiate championships)
• Rugby (4): 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008
• Sailing (5): Women's Fleet Race, 2023-2025; Women's Team Race, 2024 and 2025. (ICSA)
• Table tennis (1): 2006
• Ultimate (8): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016
• Combined (15)
• Badminton (3): 1997, 1998, 1999
• Canoe/Kayak (4) (flatwater): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
• Cycling (4) (road): 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007
• Sailing (3): Open Team Race, 1997; Open Fleet Race, 2023, 2025 (ICSA)
• Taekwondo (1): 2013

{{See also|Intercollegiate sports team champions}}

Stanford has won at least one NCAA team championship each academic year for 49 consecutive years, starting in 1976–77 and continuing through 2024–25. This is the longest such streak in NCAA history. The second-longest streak ever was 21 years, achieved by USC, which won at least one team championship in an NCAA sport every year from 1959-60 through 1979-80. As of the end of the 2023–24 academic year, the second-longest active streak was six years, held by North Carolina.{{cite web| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/14/womens-water-polo-champions-again.aspx| title=The Ultimate Prize| date=May 14, 2023| publisher=Stanford Athletics}}

The most NCAA team championships Stanford has won in a single year is six in 1996–97 (men's and women's cross country, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's volleyball) and again in 2018–19 (men's golf and gymnastics and women's volleyball, swimming, tennis and water polo). Stanford has won five NCAA team championships in a year three times (1991–92, 1994–95, and 1997–98). Stanford won three of the seven NCAA team championships awarded in the 2019–20 academic year, when, due to COVID, only the fall sports were contested.

Stanford has won two NCAA team championships in a single day three times: in men's and women's cross-country on November 25, 1996; in men's and women's cross-country on November 24, 2003; and in men's water polo and women's soccer on December 8, 2019.

Stanford athletes have won 554 NCAA individual championships as of June, 2024.{{cite web|title=Championships Summary|work=NCAA website |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf|access-date=April 26, 2023}}{{cite web|title=HOME OF CHAMPIONS|publisher=Stanford University Athletics|url=https://gostanford.com/home-of-champions}}

Stanford's 554 individual championships are the most individual championships won by any school in NCAA Division I. No other Division I school is within 100 of Stanford's total.

Stanford won the NACDA Directors' Cup in 25 consecutive academic years, from 1994–95 through 2018–19, and won again in 2022–23. Stanford was the runner-up the other years the Directors'Cup has been awarded: 1993–94, 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2023–24.

The Directors' Cup recognizes the most successful overall sports program in NCAA Division I.{{cite web|title=2014-15 Year in Review|work=Stanford Athletics website|url=http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210210631&DB_OEM_ID=30600|access-date=July 23, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211449/http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210210631&DB_OEM_ID=30600|url-status=dead}} It is awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The Directors' Cup rewards broad-based success in both men's and women's college sports. Points are awarded based on post-season success in NCAA-sponsored sports.{{cite web|title=Learfield Sports Directors Cup|work=NACDA website|url=http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-current-scoring.html|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-date=September 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903031529/http://www.nacda.com/directorscup/nacda-directorscup-current-scoring.html|url-status=dead}}

Stanford finished second in the first Directors' Cup competition in 1993–94, behind North Carolina. Stanford won its first Directors' Cup the following year, 1994–95. From 1994–95 through 2018–19, Stanford won 25 Directors' Cups in a row. When the Directors' Cup was next awarded, in 2020–21, Stanford finished second, behind Texas.{{cite web |title=Directors' Cup Runner-Up|work=Stanford Athletics website|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2021/7/2/athletics-directors-cup-runner-up.aspx | date=July 2, 2021| access-date = July 22, 2021}}

• Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation — Fencing, squash
• Arrillaga Family Rowing and Sailing Center — Men's and women's rowing, Women's lightweight rowing, sailing
• Avery Aquatic Center — Men's and women's swimming and diving, women's artistic swimming, men's and women's water polo
• Burnham Pavilion — Men's and women's gymnastics, wrestling
• Cobb Track and Angell Field — Men's and women's track and field
• Klein Field at Sunken Diamond — Baseball
• Maloney Field at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium — Men's and women's soccer, women's lacrosse
• Maples Pavilion — Men's and women's basketball, men's and women's volleyball
• Red Barn — Equestrian
• Smith Family Stadium — Softball
• Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium — Beach volleyball
• Stanford Golf Course — Men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf
• Stanford Stadium — Football; also used for softball in the 2025 season during renovation of Smith Family Stadium
• Taube Tennis Center — Men's and women's tennis
• Varsity Field Hockey Turf — Women's field hockey

{{See also|Big Game (American football)|Bill Walsh Legacy Game|Notre Dame–Stanford football rivalry|Stanford–USC football rivalry}}

The Cardinal's rivals consist of California, Notre Dame, San Jose State, and USC, which all primarily evolved from American football.

Stanford athletes have traditionally been very well represented at the Summer Olympics. 196 Stanford-affiliated athletes have won a total of 335 Summer Olympic medals: 162 gold, 93 silver, 80 bronze. The table below lists the number of medals won by Stanford-affiliated athletes in recent Olympic Games.

{{cite web|title=OLYMPIC MEDAL HISTORY|work=Stanford Athletics website|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/25/olympic-medal-history|access-date=July 25, 2024|date=May 25, 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/olympics/2012london.html|title=Stanford Olympic Medalists From London |access-date=July 20, 2012|publisher=Stanford University}}{{cite web |title= STANFORD ATHLETICS HOME OF CHAMPIONS |url= https://gostanford.com/sports/2017/5/22/home-of-champions.aspx |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=April 4, 2021}}{{cite web|title=RECORD-SETTING 2024 PARIS GAMES| website=Stanford University Athletics| url=https://gostanford.com/news/2024/08/11/record-setting-2024-paris-games| date=August 11, 2024}}

Stanford does not compete at the varsity level in any events contested at the Winter Olympics. Stanford students and alums who have won Winter Olympic medals include John Coyle, Eileen Gu, Eric Heiden, Sami Jo Small, and Debi Thomas.

The Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame was established on December 21, 1954. Envisioned by Walt Gamage, sports editor of the now-defunct Palo Alto Times, the first class of inductees consisted of 34 Stanford sports greats. New members are inducted annually and are recognized during halftime of a home Stanford football game. The Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Room is located on the first floor of the Arrillaga Family Sports Center on the Stanford campus.{{cite web|title=Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame|work=Stanford Athletics website|url=https://gostanford.com/hof.aspx|access-date=August 15, 2018|archive-date=February 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209161043/https://gostanford.com/hof.aspx|url-status=dead}}

• 2019 college admissions bribery scandal

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Category:Sports in Stanford, California