The 2025 NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship concluded earlier this month, with top-ranked Stanford reclaiming the national title. After falling to eventual champion UCLA in the semifinals last season, the Cardinal returned with a vengeance, using a dominant second-half defensive effort to defeat No. 3 USC, 11-7, in the final.

Stanford, the only program to appear in every NCAA Women’s Water Polo tournament since its inception in 2001, captured its 10th national title and third in the past four seasons. The previous championships came in 2023, 2022, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, and 2002.

Stanford and USC have combined to win 14 of the last 15 NCAA Women’s Water Polo titles, with Stanford winning nine and Southern California claiming five.

HOW IT UNFOLDED
USC came out strong in the opening quarter, jumping ahead 3-1 and putting Stanford on the defensive early. The Trojans appeared poised to become just the fifth team all season to score double-digit goals against the Cardinal.

Stanford stayed within reach during the second quarter, eventually leveling the match with a key offensive burst led by Ryann Neushul and Christina Dhalluin. With under a minute left in the half, Dhalluin buried a shot to tie the game at 5-5. USC briefly regained the lead, but Dhalluin responded almost immediately, rifling in a goal with just one second left before halftime. Dhalluin continued her dominant stretch into the third quarter, completing her hat trick at the 6:47 mark. It would stand as the only goal of the frame, giving Stanford a lead it would hold for the rest of the contest. Serena Browne delivered on both ends of the pool, scoring back-to-back goals to open the fourth and extend the Cardinal’s advantage to 9-6. USC ended its scoring drought with under two minutes remaining, trimming the deficit to 9-7, but Kamryn Barone and Jenna Flynn each added late goals to seal the victory for Stanford. This season marked the return of five Stanford Olympians who had redshirted last year to focus on the Paris Olympics— Flynn, Neushul, Jewel Roemer, and Ella Woodhead for Team USA, and Browne for Team Canada. Flynn led the team this season with 59 goals, followed closely by Neushul with 55 and Roemer with 44. In addition to their national title, Stanford cleaned up in postseason honors. Neushul was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-MPSF First Team — becoming the eighth player in Cardinal program history to receive the conference’s top honor. Carpenter, Flynn, and Roemer were named to the second team, while Dhalluin earned honorable mention recognition. This marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons that Stanford has placed five or more athletes on the All-MPSF list.