Stanford Sports Update

![Card RB Toby Gerhart remains in the Heisman hunt.](http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-11/50481927.gif)

Card RB Toby Gerhart remains in the Heisman hunt.

For the most part, *Fiat Lux* has chosen not to report on the goings on of Stanford’s highly successful athletic programs. However with a number of exciting developments, I just couldn’t resist. Here are 4 Stanford sports stories to keep an eye on:

**1. Stanford Football in the AP Top 25 Since 2001 – **that’s right, folks. The Cardinal’s big victory over #8 Oregon last weekend was finally enough to push the team into the top 25 — a significant achievement for a program that has found little success in this new millennium. Next up for the Card: USC on Saturday.

**2. Stanford Women’s Soccer Remains Undefeated – **the Card’s most recent victory, over Northern Arizona University, advances them into the second round of the College Cup, where they’ll face #20 BYU.

**3. Women’s Basketball Season Begins w/ Title Hopes – **Returning star Jayne Appel, who is the reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year and a pre-season All-American, will lead a talented bunch that has been picked to win the Pac-10 for the 10th straight year.

**4. Budget Cuts Continue to Weigh on the Stanford Athletic Program – **No part of the University has been spared from the effects of budget cuts. As US News and World Report indicated:

But amid economic turmoil that has crept up on even the best-endowed athletics programs, Stanford is facing some big decisions. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based university is evaluating whether it can continue to support 35 sports teams, the Chronicle of Higher Educationreports. The athletics department already made about $8 million in budget cuts and laid off workers, but with the department’s endowment slipping, more cuts may come.