June 18, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford women's soccer team will be featured on the first live event broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks and appear on 12 televised contests throughout the Pac-12 Networks’ debut season.

The television appearances highlight the 19-match schedule for the defending NCAA champion Cardinal, which plays host to local rival Santa Clara in the televised inaugural match on Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. It is one of 58 women’s matches the Networks will televise.

“We are very excited to be featured on the Pac-12 Networks as the first-ever game broadcast,” said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe, 2011 Pac-12 Coach of the Year. “It’s a historic day for the Pac-12 Conference and a great opportunity for women’s soccer to gain national exposure.”

Stanford returns seven starters, three NSCAA first-team All-Americans and six All-Pac-12 selections, including four first-team all-conference choices, from a 25-0-1 team that beat Duke, 1-0, in the NCAA College Cup final. The Cardinal will be aiming for its fifth consecutive College Cup appearance under Ratcliffe, a three-time national coach of the year, and fourth consecutive Pac-12 title.

Going into the 2012 season Stanford will put these streaks on the line: a 62-match regular-season unbeaten streak, a 54-match home unbeaten streak, and 31-match conference winning streak.

Four of Stanford’s nonconference matches and eight of its 11 Pac-12 contests will be televised, included showdowns against UCLA and Cal.

The schedule overall includes contests against nine 2011 NCAA tournament teams, of which six advancing beyond the first round, and two - Penn State and Boston College - advanced to the third. Stanford will play Boston College at home in a televised match Aug. 31.

Other notable characteristics of the schedule for Stanford: the annual Pac-12 showdown with UCLA will take place on Oct. 28 in Los Angeles; and only two of its final eight regular-season matches are at home.

Boston College will attempt to gain a measure of revenge after being knocked out of the NCAA tournament by Stanford each of the past three years, including a 2-0 result last season at Stanford. It is one of nine home dates, not including an exhibition against Fresno State on Aug. 10 (7 p.m.), at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.

Santa Clara, fittingly, will be the official season opener, as well as the historic first live contest for the Pac-12 Networks, which launches Aug. 15. The Pac-12 Networks will consist of one national and six regional networks devoted solely to the Pac-12. One of those regional networks will be focused on Stanford and Cal.

“We are excited about the opportunity to deliver the kind of exposure to women’s soccer that it richly deserves,” said Gary Stevenson, President of Pac-12 Enterprises. “Year after year, the Pac-12 produces some of the very best teams and most prolific women’s soccer players in the country, including last year’s national champion Stanford. Through the Pac-12 Networks broadcast schedule this fall, fans will have a chance to see championship caliber soccer as well as the next wave of international stars every week.”

In addition to the hundreds of live televised Pac-12 sporting events, Pac-12 Networks subscribers will have access to their carrier’s TV Everywhere platform, providing access to all Pac-12 Networks programming on any device through their broadband service. Fans can find out if they can get Pac-12 Networks by visiting www.Pac-12.org or by contacting their television provider.

Santa Clara is the most common opponent in Stanford's history. Though Santa Clara leads the all-time series 18-13-5, Stanford has won their past six meetings.

The following week, Stanford travels to the Penn State Invitational, where the Cardinal will face Penn State in a rematch of last year's 4-0 season-opening victory for Stanford. However, this provides an opportunity to play against 2011 Hermann Trophy finalist Maya Hayes on her home turf.

Last year, Hayes scored a national-leading 31 goals and had eight assists for a Nittany Lions' team that won its 14th consecutive Big Ten regular-season title. Stanford will play Penn State on Aug. 24 and follow with West Virginia on Aug. 26.

At the 17th annual Stanford Nike Invitational, Stanford will play Boston University and Georgetown in a pair of televised matches, with Santa Clara playing Georgetown as part of Sept. 7 doubleheader at Cagan Stadium.

The conference season includes five home matches, with 2011 NCAA tournament teams Oregon State (Sept. 27) and Washington State (Oct. 18) highlighting the Pac-12 home schedule.

Stanford's regular-season schedule:

Aug. 10 (Fri.): Fresno State at Stanford (exhibition), 7 p.m.
Aug. 17 (Fri.): Santa Clara at Stanford, 7 p.m.#
Aug. 24 (Fri.): Stanford at Penn State (Penn State Invitational), 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 (Sun.): Stanford vs. West Virginia (Penn State Invitational), 9 a.m.
Aug. 31 (Fri.): Boston College at Stanford, 4 p.m.#
Sept. 7 (Fri.): Boston University at Stanford (Stanford Nike Invitational), 7 p.m.#
Sept. 9 (Sun.): Georgetown at Stanford (Stanford Nike Invitational), noon#
Sept. 14 (Fri.): Stanford vs. San Diego State (Santa Clara Classic), 5 p.m.
Sept. 16 (Sun.): Stanford vs. UNC Greensboro (Santa Clara Classic), 11 a.m.
Sept. 23 (Sun.): Arizona State at Stanford, 2 p.m.#*
Sept. 27 (Thu.): Oregon State at Stanford, 6 p.m.#*
Sept. 30 (Sun.): Oregon at Stanford, noon*
Oct. 5 (Fri.): Stanford at Utah, 1 p.m.#*
Oct. 7 (Sun.): Stanford at Colorado, noon*
Oct. 11 (Thu.): Stanford at Arizona, 7 p.m.#*
Oct. 18 (Thu.): Washington State at Stanford, 7:30 p.m.#*
Oct. 21 (Sun.): Washington at Stanford, 5:30 p.m.#*
Oct. 26 (Fri.): Stanford at USC, 7 p.m.*
Oct. 28 (Sun.): Stanford at UCLA, 6 p.m.#*
Nov. 4 (Sun.): Stanford at California, 11 a.m.#*

All times Pacific
# televised on Pac-12 Networks
* Pac-12 match