Vaulting to Prominence
The women’s gymnastics team handled the early part of its grueling schedule—seven of its 12 opponents are ranked in the top 25—by winning four of its first six meets. “Defeating Arizona [State] at their home was a huge, huge feat,” first-year head coach Kristen Smyth told the Stanford Daily. “This is the first time Stanford has won there.” The all-around consistency of Caroline Fluhrer has set the tone for the Cardinal squad. The sophomore posted a team-high score of 39.225 in the season-opening loss to Minnesota and, against Denver on February 3, recorded scores of 9.9 or better in the vault, bars and floor events.
Season Begins Swimmingly
Stanford’s swimmers and divers were top-ranked and unbeaten as of early February. The men’s squad, which garnered its record 20th consecutive Pac-10 championship last year, defeated Arizona and Arizona State to remain on pace for its 21st. On February 2, the women’s team improved to 7-0 by defeating ninth-ranked USC, its 12th dual-meet victory in a row. The women’s NCAA championships begin March 21 in Austin, Texas, and the men’s championships start March 28 in Athens, Ga.
For Football, 16 Strong Recruits
Twenty-eight days after Buddy Teevens was named head football coach, Stanford signed 16 of the 18 recruits who visited campus and received offers of admission. Eight of them are prep All-Americans. Standout members of the Class of 2006: Los Gatos High School quarterback Trent Edwards, one of the best in the nation at his position, and Julian Jenkins, a Georgia native considered the top defensive end in the South. Jenkins, who chose the Cardinal over Notre Dame, Michigan and defending national champion Miami, told the San Jose Mercury News he was impressed with Stanford’s academics. “I [visited] Stanford, and it was a climactic experience,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is the environment I want to be in.’”
Tower of Power
After winning five of its first six matches under new head coach Don Shaw, the men’s volleyball team suffered a five-game losing streak in early February. But that didn’t stop outside hitter Curt Toppel from putting up some big numbers. The 6-foot-8 junior is averaging a team-high 5.6 kills per game and is one of two players nationwide to record 30 or more kills in a match this year. Toppel, a two-time All-American who led the U.S. team to its first gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing last summer, posted matches of 50, 48 (twice) and 42 kills in his first two seasons with the Cardinal.
