Stanford Volleyball

Volleyball is the sport where Stanford's trophy case looks most crowded. The women's program has won nine NCAA titles and played in 23 Final Fours. The men have won two titles of their own. Both teams play in the same corner of campus, about a mile from the Palo Alto Caltrain station. Both are among the easiest top college teams in the country to watch in person.

This page covers both programs: their history, the ACC era for the women, the current seasons and the practical details of a match night. For the arena, see our Maples Pavilion guide. For rules that apply to all sports, see Stanford sports and game days.

Women's volleyball: nine titles

Stanford's women reached the NCAA Final Four in 1982, the second year of the championship. They came back for most of the decade, finishing second in 1984, 1985 and 1987. The breakthrough came in 1992. Over the next 12 seasons Stanford won five more titles, then added a late burst of three in four years from 2016 to 2019.

Stanford Athletics counts 25 conference titles across five leagues and 44 NCAA tournament appearances. The only gap in the NCAA list since 1981 is 2020, the season disrupted by the pandemic. Kevin Hambly, whose official title is the Montag Family Director of Women's Volleyball, took over in 2017, coached the 2018 and 2019 champions and still leads the team.

The women in the ACC

The move to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024 put Stanford in a league with strong volleyball programs such as Pittsburgh, Louisville and SMU. Stanford won the ACC in its second season. The 2025 team went 29 and 5, 18 and 2 in conference play. It beat Utah Valley and Arizona at Maples in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in December 2025, then lost to Wisconsin in a regional semifinal in Austin on December 12.

The 2026 season

Through October 30, 2026, Stanford stood at 14 and 8 with a 7 and 5 ACC record. It was unbeaten in seven home matches. Its most recent result was a sweep of Cal at Maples on October 30, two days after losing at Cal in Berkeley. The rest of the regular season, from the schedule on gostanford.com:

The NCAA tournament starts in early December. Seeded teams often host the first two rounds, so watch for postseason matches at Maples. Those are ticketed separately.

Men's volleyball

Stanford's men won NCAA titles in 1997 and 2010 and finished second in 1989, 1992 and 2014, according to Stanford Athletics. They have won four Mountain Pacific Sports Federation titles, in 1993, 1994, 1997 and 2010. The ACC does not sponsor men's volleyball, so the team stayed in the MPSF when the rest of Stanford's main sports moved.

The season runs from January into April. John Kosty, the Birkhofer Family Men's Volleyball Head Coach, leads the team. The 2026 team finished 11 and 15 with an 8 and 6 MPSF record. It lost in the MPSF tournament quarterfinals at BYU on April 22, 2026. Its home schedule mixed matches at Maples with smaller nights at Burnham Pavilion. The 2027 schedule had not been posted in late October 2026.

Burnham Pavilion

Burnham Pavilion stands next to Maples. Stanford Athletics says it was built in 1921 as the Stanford Pavilion and is named for Malin Burnham, the main donor to its renovation. It has 1,421 fixed seats on wooden bleachers on three sides of the court, so every seat is close. Day-of-event ticket windows are at the west entrance on Serra Street. Restrooms and concessions are in the front lobby. Disabled parking is in the Burnham lot off Serra Street.

Stanford also fields a beach volleyball team in spring, which plays at its own stadium on campus. Check the beach volleyball schedule on gostanford.com if you want sand instead of hardwood.

Tickets

• Women's matches at Maples need a ticket for every fan older than 24 months. Buy at tickets.gostanford.com through the link on each match. Stanford students get in free to regular season matches.
• Men's matches are free during the regular season, according to Stanford Athletics. Postseason and some special events need a ticket.
• Mobile tickets must be loaded in your phone wallet. Screenshots are not accepted.
• Questions go to the Stanford Athletics Ticket Office at Gate 2 of Stanford Stadium, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or 800-STANFORD.

Match day tips

1. No alcohol at women's volleyball. It is not sold at Maples for women's matches and you cannot bring it in.
2. Clear bags only. Clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches and small clutches are allowed.
3. Arrive early for big ACC weekends. Friday and Saturday back-to-back home matches can draw strong crowds.
4. Bring the kids to a men's match. Free entry and short matches make it a low-risk first college sports outing. Our Stanford with kids guide has more family ideas.

Parking and transit

For women's volleyball, Stanford Athletics lists Parking Structure 7, across Campus Drive from Maples, plus the Maples Lot beside the arena. The Sunken Lot off Nelson Road and the Track House Lot at Galvez Street and Nelson Road are backups. For Burnham, it lists the Varsity, Track House and Maples lots. Visitor parking rules are enforced on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. unless posted. Our Stanford parking and transit guide explains payment.

Without a car, take Caltrain to Palo Alto station and walk about 20 to 25 minutes. The free Marguerite shuttle runs main lines on weekdays only.

Where to eat nearby

Town & Country Village, across El Camino Real at Embarcadero Road, is the closest place for dinner before a 7 p.m. match. Asian Box, Gott's Roadside, Manresa Bread and Howie's Artisan Pizza are a few of the options. Our Town & Country food guide covers the full list. For a longer meal, downtown Palo Alto is about a mile away. Our guide to eating near Stanford sorts restaurants by distance from campus.

Frequently asked questions