5 Named to Preseason Watchlist – Stanford Cardinal

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford field hockey reeled in more preseason awards with five Cardinal having been selected to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Collegiate Watch List, the organization announced Thursday. 

The inaugural watchlist includes 196 student-athletes from 64 Division I institutions. This NFHCA Collegiate Watchlist is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year’s NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams. 

To be nominated for the 2025 NFHCA Watchlist, student-athletes must have been previously recognized for their outstanding field hockey abilities within the past two years (NFHCA All-Region, NFHCA All-American, All-Conference, Senior Nexus Championship selection, NCAA All-Tournament Team, and/or U.S. National or International Team roster) and nominated by their NFHCA member coach.

Stanford’s five nominees include Preseason All-ACC nominee Daisy Ford who returns for her senior season on the Farm. Alongside Ford, Anya Jackson was also selected to the watchlist after seeing limited time in what was a successful freshman campaign. 

Cara Sambeth, who was named to the 2024 All-ACC Second Team, is also on the watch list after making waves with her play in her redshirt season. Sambeth shared the team lead in goals (6) and was second in points with 12 on the season. Two impact freshmen were also named to the list with Summer Knight-Thompson and Natalie Hoppe earning the accolade following stellar careers overseas before settling in on The Farm. 

Stanford begins the 2025 campaign on the road, battling No. 4 Maryland and James Madison at The Conference Cup on Friday, August 29 and Sunday, August 31. Stanford battles the Terrapins at 9 a.m. PT on Friday before taking on the Dukes at 8 a.m. PT on Sunday. Both games will be streamed on BTN+ ($) and hosted at Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md.