The four women’s water polo seniors were right were they wanted to be 10 days after this May 3 story: in position for an NCAA title.

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Jason Chuang

Stanford’s four water polo seniors were major contributors to the No. 1 Cardinal’s run toward the NCAA Championship. UCLA may have ended up clinching the title, but the four Card athletes proved their strength on this year’s squad.

Though those hopes were dashed by UCLA in a tight, 5-4 upset, their presence surely was felt. The four had a combined eight goals in the tournament (Hansen also had five saves in the UCLA match), and all of them were named to all-tournament teams as well as honored as All-Americans later this year.

For Stanford women’s water polo’s four seniors, next weekend’s NCAA Championships will be a bittersweet last hurrah. They will lace up their Cardinal caps for the last few times, aiming to bring a national title back to the Farm for the first time in their careers.

These four seasoned veterans — driver Katie Hansen, two-meter Christina Hewko, goalie Meridith McColl and two-meter defender Alison Gregorka — lead a Cardinal squad that is seeded No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, the year before the four arrived at Stanford.

The top seed was no surprise to the quartet. In the water, they quite literally do it all for Stanford.

Hansen guides the offense from the perimeter, controlling the pace of play and providing a cannon of a right arm that has produced 173 career goals. Hewko’s scoring ability at set has earned her two All-American honors while Gregorka anchors Stanford’s field defense, shutting down opponents’ best players at the two-meter mark. McColl, a four-year starter, has only improved with age, at times single-handedly keeping the Cardinal in tight games.

But despite their individual accolades, all four speak first about their team. That attitude comes as no surprise to head coach John Tanner, who praised his veterans.

“They’re happy to fulfill their roles; they do their jobs really well, and they take great pride in that,” Tanner said. “But they also relish being a part of something that is far greater, so [they’re] happy to be behind the scenes and don’t need to have attention.”

Not surprisingly, the seniors’ leadership has extended outside the confines of the Avery Aquatic Center. They have guided this year’s squad toward an identity, creating the same sense of unity that initially drew them to Stanford.

“I feel like the people who end up here are kind of a different breed in general,” Gregorka said. “We choose to hang out with each other out of the water, which certainly isn’t something everyone does, and I think that team dynamic [really] carries over into the water.”

Tanner also attested to the success the four seniors have had in uniting this team, forging them into NCAA-title frontrunners.

“All four of our seniors bring very distinct backgrounds and influence on things away from the pool,” he said. “I think any team is successful only as much as the members of the team are committed to one another beyond just the games when fans are there.”

The team named Gregorka and Hansen its captains, but Gregorka said that leadership has been a collective effort.

“Yes, Katie and I are written down as being the captains, but I feel like all four of us have a very equal role,” she said. “I honestly think that the four seniors have sort of made a pact to lead it together this year.”

Gregorka added that becoming a senior has altered her perception of the team.

“I’ve always looked up to the upperclassmen, especially as a freshman and sophomore,” she said. “They knew the rules, the system, the coaches and how to get everyone involved and a part of the team. Being one now is a little funny, especially knowing that we are the oldest and that is it our responsibility to take on the role of being the leaders, not only by example, but also by being the enforcers, more or less.”

Whatever formula McColl, Hewko, Hansen and Gregorka have applied this season, there’s no doubt as to its efficacy. So regardless of the outcome next weekend, perhaps that result will stand as most important of all.