Stanford softball has etched its name in college softball history.
The Cardinal broke the NCAA single-game softball attendance record on Saturday, April 19, against rival California at Stanford Stadium for "The Big Swing," with a total of 13,207 fans.
Ticket sales had already surpassed the regular-season mark of 9,259, set just last week in the Oklahoma–Oklahoma State rivalry. As of Tuesday, The previous record of 12,566 was set on May 30, 2024, during Session 2 of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Stanford wasn't able to capitalize on the record-breaking day, losing to Cal 10-8.
This article was originally published on April 18, 2025 ahead of the game
Top 10 NCAA DI Softball single-game attendance totals before "The Big Swing"
| Attendance | Event | Location | Session | Date | Matchups (Scores) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,566 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 2 | May 30, 2024 | Texas 4, Stanford 0; Florida 1, Oklahoma State 0 |
| 12,565 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 4 | June 1, 2024 | Oklahoma 1, UCLA 0; Texas 10, Florida 0 (5 inn.) |
| 12,533 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 4 | June 4, 2022 | Oklahoma 7, Texas 2; Oklahoma State 2, Florida 0 |
| 12,532 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 3 | May 31, 2024 | Alabama 2, Duke 1; Stanford 8, Oklahoma State 0 (5 inn.) |
| 12,468 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 4 | June 3, 2023 | Oklahoma 9, Tennessee 0 (5 inn.); Florida State 3, Washington 1 |
| 12,445 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 1 | May 30, 2024 | UCLA 4, Alabama 1; Oklahoma 9, Duke 1 (6 inn.) |
| 12,444 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 2 | June 1–2, 2023 | Florida State 8, Oklahoma State 0 (6 inn.); Washington 4, Utah 1 |
| 12,436 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 5 | June 4, 2023 | Stanford 1, Washington 0; Tennessee 3, Oklahoma State 1 |
| 12,418 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 5 | June 2, 2024 | Florida 6, Alabama 4; Stanford 3, UCLA 1 |
| 12,415 | WCWS | Oklahoma City | Session 3 | June 2, 2023 | Stanford 2, Alabama 0; Oklahoma State 8, Utah 0 (5 inn.) |
Former Stanford and NFL quarterback Andrew Luck will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band will provide in-game entertainment as part of the festivities. The event is at the center of a pivotal three-game series between Stanford (32-9, 11-7 ACC) and California (29-15, 6-10 ACC), but it goes deeper than just another conference matchup.
For the 2025 season, the Cardinal have temporarily moved out of the intimate Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium and into the football team’s Stanford Stadium while the new is being built. To meet anticipated demand for Saturday, Stanford has opened the upper deck for the game, creating capacity for a record-setting crowd.
On the field, the Cardinal have delivered a power surge. Stanford has already hit a program-best 81 home runs through 41 games — 13 of which came in just three games last weekend at Boise State. The team’s previous single-season record of 56 home runs was set in 2023 across 57 games.
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Leading the offensive charge is sophomore slugger Taryn Kern, who entered the weekend with 18 home runs, 47 runs scored, and a .897 slugging percentage — all team highs. She ranks second in the ACC and seventh in the NCAA in home runs, and her slugging percentage puts her among the national elite.
Junior Emily Jones has been just as crucial. Ahead of the series, she was batting .474 on the year — top 10 in the country — Jones leads the Cardinal in hits (55), on-base percentage (.530), and multi-hit games (17). She’s part of a resurgent offense that has seen career-best seasons from nearly every corner of the lineup.
Add in consistent contributors like Kyra Chan (.422 average), Jade Berry (41 RBI) and Taylor Nelson (.500 average), and it’s easy to see why Stanford has been one of the most dangerous teams in the country. In total, 12 players have homered this season.
Despite losing 2023 ace NiJaree Canady to the transfer portal, Stanford’s pitching has remained strong behind junior Kylie Chung, who holds an 11-4 record with a 3.06 ERA across 32 appearances.
