Stanford WBB Recruits Add Sizzle to Program

Stanford women's basketball will be tipping off the regular season tonight against UNC Greensboro at Maples, and there will be plenty of new faces on the roster that are ready to get the Cardinal back to the tournament.

Stanford finished their first season under head coach Kate Paye at 16-15, missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1986-87. Last year was a season of transitions as the program moved into the ACC, landed a new coach and had to figure out the roster without Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen.

This year, the roster has a number of big-time additions that can help bring the Cardinal back to the national scene. While they didn't end up ranked in the AP's preseason top -25 poll, Stanford did receive three votes, putting them around 33rd in the nation. That's partially due to the program's legacy, but also because of the recruiting class they're bringing in.

Get to Know Stanford's Recruiting Class

The trio of Hailee Swain, Lara Somfai and Alexandra Eschmeyer figure to be the big three freshmen on campus this fall, and all three are ranked within ESPN's freshman impact rankings heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

Eschmeyer stands out as the tallest player on the roster, standing at 6-foot-5. ESPN feels that without a strong presence of returning players at her height, that she has a clear path to playing time early on this season. Height was something that Stanford lacked last season with the departure of Brink, but Eschmeyer, a five-star recruit, certainly looks to be a key piece for the Cardinal this season.

"She's a long, agile stretch 5 who will remind Stanford fans of a blend of Ashten Prechtel and Cameron Brink."

Swain is a bit more polished, ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the country, and will be able to help lock down opposing players on defense, while providing consistent scoring. She averaged 10.7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists on Team USA in the FIBA U17 World Cup.

Somfai stands 6-foot-3, making her another one of the tallest players on the team, and has drawn comparisons to Minnesota Lynx star (and former Cardinal) Alanna Smith. She has plenty of versatility to play a number of positions, and could be the key to taking Stanford back to the tournament this season.

Carly Amborn, a 6-foot-2 guard, provides some length at the position, but can also knock down shots from beyond the arc.

Nora Ezike is a four-star talent and was ranked No. 85 in the nation according to ESPN HoopGurlz. Averaged 21 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a senior, and was the valedictorian of her high school, while as breaking the schools’ single season scoring record.

First Action for the New Recruits

While it was juniors Chloe Clardy and Nunu Agara that led the way in the Cardinal's 85-50 exhibition win over Cal State LA, the new recruits had their time to shine as well.

Swain and Somfai were in the starting lineup along with Agara, a returning Talana Lepolo and Courtney Ogden. Swain started off hot, going 4-of-8 for eight points in the first quarter, and would finish with ten points, an assist and two steals in this one.

Somfai went a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line, while putting up 13 points, grabbing a team-leading 10 boards, dishing out two assists, and grabbing a steal of her own. Her +24 on the night was second to only Clardy, who notched a +28.

Eschmeyer was the other recruit to get a good deal of playing time, playing 20 minutes in this one and shooting 3-of-4 from the floor and collecting eight points in the contest. She added five rebounds, three assists and a steal to her total.

The other two freshmen, Carly Amborn and Nora Ezike played more sparingly. Amborn went 0-for-1 shooting in her five minutes on the floor, but made an impact with three rebounds and an assist, while Ezike collected one rebound in her two minutes of playing time.

Agara put up 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting (7-of-8 from the line), adding seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal in 25 minutes of play. Clardy led the team in scoring with 20 points (8-of-14 shooting), notching six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

This team has the makings to be dangerous in 2025-26. The big question for them will be how quickly they can come together as a unit with so many talented additions. This program is ready to sneak up on people this season.