STANFORD, Calif. – A generous gift to the lacrosse program demonstrates an alum’s strong support for women’s sports and dedication to a program on the rise.
Paul Violich, ’57, donated the position of head lacrosse coach to ensure the program will be able to retain and recruit top-notch coaching staff. Danielle Spencer, beginning her fourth season at the helm of the program, will be Paul A. Violich’s first women’s lacrosse head coach.
“We are very grateful for Paul’s gift to the lacrosse program and for his support of women’s sports throughout the department,” said Bernard Muir, Jaquish & Kenninger athletic director. “Paul’s longstanding commitment to providing resources to our student-athletes allows them to perform at their best.”
A longtime Cardinal supporter, Violich earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford in 1957 and was a member of Stanford’s swimming and water polo teams. After graduating, Violich joined the Navy and served as a Navy SEAL. In 1962, Violich returned to The Farm and competed on the rugby team while earning his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. During his tenure at Stanford, there were very few athletic opportunities for women; There were no varsity teams and only a handful of club teams.
Three of Violich’s five children competed as student athletes. His son played varsity lacrosse at Dartmouth College and his daughters had impressive undergraduate careers in soccer and lacrosse at the University of California, Berkeley. Following his daughters’ groundbreaking experiences in college athletics, Violich wanted to ensure that other women had the same opportunities in the years to come. He remains a staunch supporter of women in sports in the Bay Area and particularly in women’s programs at The Farm, where he also endowed the Paul A. Violich Director of Women’s Swimming.
“My daughters’ participation in athletics at a high level has motivated me to offer other young women the same opportunity. Athletics gave my daughters confidence and made them competitive, which was an important quality in preparing them for their future careers. The competition has also taught them not to be disappointed by failure and has allowed them to understand that regardless of the result, they should never give up.”
Under Spencer’s direction, the Cardinal Women’s lacrosse program has morphed into the Pac-12 class.
In 2021, Stanford finished an undefeated regular season 9-0 and had the best start to the season in program history. The Cardinal won his first Pac-12 regular-season title since the league’s inception in 2018, ending the year ranked 16th in the IWLCA Coaches Poll.
In 2022, Stanford won the conference championships and won both the Pac-12 regular season and Pac-12 tournament titles. Spencer also led the team to its fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance.
“The momentum of our program is palpable and proven,” said Spencer. “Our student-athletes can feel it, and so can I. We have success in the classroom, success in recruitment, and success in the field. Paul Violich’s gift gives our program a significant boost to compete and sustain success at a higher level and I am so grateful. We will carry this momentum into the Fall Ball and our Spring 2023 season. go card!”
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