Happy holidays with two more wins

 

The team celebrates after defeating Oregon. (Supryia Limaye/ISI Photos)

Heading into the Christmas break, the Stanford women’s basketball team racked up two more wins, upping its record to 11-2.

Washington fell 67-62 on Dec. 19, followed by Oregon 64-53 on Dec. 21.

No Nunu, no problem against Washington

Well, maybe a few, but Stanford came out on top, defeating No. 22-ranked Washington 67-62 at home on Dec. 19.

Despite being short-handed – Nunu was out along with freshman forward Nora Ezike and sophomore center Kennedy Umeh, minus the sling on her right arm – all eight of the players who got into the game scored. Four of them were in double figures.

They were led by freshman forward Lara Somfai with 14 points. She was followed by freshman guard Hailee Swain with 13, junior forward Courtney Ogden with 12 and junior guard Chloe Clardy with 11.

Junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson replaced Nunu in the starting lineup. She was joined by Lara, Hailee, Courtney and senior guard Talana Lepolo.

Stanford led the game for just over six minutes. The lead changed nine times, and the score was tied seven times.

The fourth quarter was decisive as Stanford outscored Washington by 13 points after trailing by eight points at the end of the third quarter.

One fourth-quarter highlight came with just under five minutes to go. Sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye was driving to the basket when she was fouled and sent sprawling to the floor.

An official review ruled the foul a flagrant one. That meant that the Stanford coaches could choose any player to try two free throws and that Stanford would get the ball afterward.

Talana stepped up to the line and made both free throws, giving Stanford a 2-point lead.

Some deliberate fouls by Washington gave Stanford more free throws that helped to secure the win. For the game, Stanford made 14 of 18 free throws, compared with Washington’s four of five.

Washington capitalized from the three-point line by sinking eight treys, while Stanford had only three – two by Chloe and one by Talana.

Washington also outrebounded Stanford 36-29 but had more turnovers, 16 vs. 10.

Prior to tipoff, new Stanford president John Levin was introduced. Then the video board featured Bri Roberson, ’17, recalling when Stanford beat Washington 72-68 there on Jan. 29, 2017, before a crowd of some 10,000, according to my records.

During the third quarter, the camera zoomed in on Krista Rappahahn Birnie,’06, a Stanford Medicine pediatrician, with her husband and children.

Cardinal drop Ducks

Although her scoring was limited to 5 points, Nunu returned to action and snared 11 rebounds as the team defeated Oregon 64-53 in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic in San Francisco’s Chase Center on Dec. 21.

Kennedy and Nora were still unavailable, but 10 players got into the game, reflecting a team effort in the win.

Four players scored in the double digits, led by Courtney with 20. She was followed by Lara with 14, Chloe with 11 and Hailee with 10.

Stanford led for more than 36 minutes in a game that saw only three lead changes and two ties.

Still, the game didn’t seem firmly in Stanford’s hands until the fourth quarter, when the Cardinal outscored the Ducks by 8 points, 20-12.

It was a somewhat sloppy game with both teams committing 16 turnovers, but Stanford had more assists and steals. Three-point shooting was mediocre with four by Stanford: Lara with two and Courtney and Chloe with one each.

What’s on tap

After a quick Christmas break, Stanford closes out its pre-conference schedule by hosting Cornell at 1 p.m. Dec. 28.

Then it’s across the country for a New Year’s Day date with North Carolina State at 11 a.m., followed by North Carolina at 10 a.m. Jan. 4. 

Both games will be streamed on ACC, while the North Carolina game also will be shown on ESPN.

The team will have to hustle back to campus for the start of winter quarter classes on Jan. 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Courtney leads team to victory over Cal

 

Courtney shoots on her way to 25 points. (Bob Drebin/ISI Photos)

Buoyed by junior forward Courtney Ogden’s career-high 25 points, the Stanford women’s basketball team defeated cross-bay rival Cal 78-69 on Dec. 14 in Maples.

She was joined in the double-digit ranks by two fellow juniors, guard Chloe Clardy with 13 and forward Nunu Agara with 12. Freshman forward Lara Somfai had her fourth double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds along with a career-high three blocks.

For their efforts, Courtney was named ACC Co-Player of the Week while Lara was voted ACC Rookie of the Week for games played between Dec. 8 and 14, according to Stanford Athletics.

Nevertheless, victory didn’t come easily. It was a rough-and-tumble affair with seven lead changes and six ties. Each team had just over 17 minutes with the lead, but Stanford’s 26-14 advantage in the fourth quarter clinched the game.

The Cardinal showed improvement from some earlier games with eight 3’s and only six turnovers to go with 13 assists.

The 3’s came courtesy of Chloe with three, Lara with two and one each from Courtney, freshman guard Hailee Swain and senior guard Talana Lepolo.

The crowd of 2,957 included a busload of Cal fans who were given yellow leis as they got off the bus. Few Stanford students were in evidence because the fall quarter had ended two days earlier.

Sophomore center Kennedy Umeh’s right arm was still in a sling, but everyone else was available.

During one timeout, the video board featured a pep talk by Lindy La Roque, ’12, who’s now head coach at UNLV. The video showed one of her most memorable plays when she fell but passed the ball to a teammate who scored.

Later, Fran Belibi, ’23, also gave a pep talk as the video showed one of her signature dunks.

With classes and finals in the rear view mirror, the team has time off from academics to focus on practice and the next two games: Washington at home at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 and Oregon in Chase Center, San Francisco, at 3 p.m. Dec. 21.

Then there’s a quick Christmas break before the team hosts Cornell at 1 p.m. Dec. 28.

 

 

 

Last-minute hopes dissolve as Tennessee wins 65-62

 Renewing a former long-standing rivalry, the Stanford women’s basketball team hosted No. 19–ranked Tennessee but lost 65-62 on Dec. 4.

Analysts could cite numerous reasons for the loss.

Chief among them were Stanford’s season-worst 30 turnovers, compared with 16 by the Vols.

Then there was Tennessee’s stifling, physical defense and its full-court pressure on Stanford’s inbound plays. Just getting the ball past the center-court line took great effort.

Some in the crowd of nearly 5,000 might also point to the officiating, which they might say didn’t help Stanford.

With a starting lineup of senior guard Talana Lepolo, junior forwards Nunu Agara and Courtney Ogden along with two freshmen, forward Lara Somfai and guard Hailee Swain, Stanford enjoyed a 16-14 lead after the first quarter. Then, Tennessee outscored the Cardinal in the next three quarters.

Still, it was a back-and-forth game with six ties and five lead changes.

Although Stanford trailed 62-57 with just over three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it still had hope.

With just under a minute to go, Nunu scored a 3-pointer to make the score 62-60 in Tennessee’s favor.

Lara could have tied the game but missed two free throws. Instead, Nunu rebounded and scored to secure the tie with just over 12 seconds left.

Tennessee scored again with 6.7 seconds left, giving Stanford the ball. But when Lara committed her fourth foul with 5 seconds left, Tennessee made a free throw for one more point. Game over.

Both Nunu and Hailee scored 14 points to lead the team. Nunu also had 11 rebounds for a double-double. Junior guard Chloe Clardy added 12 points while Lara had 10.

Courtney was limited by fouls and fouled out with just over eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee’s coach employed a platoon-style substitution strategy, frequently changing all five players.

Stanford had 14 available players. Sophomore center Kennedy Umeh, who had a sling on her right arm, was unavailable.

The crowd included some Tennessee fans, while Stanford students packed the lower north section.

Among those students was the women’s gymnastic team, the reigning 2024 ACC champion, which led Conga on the Court after the first quarter.

A camera panning the stands during the second quarter showed new football coach Tavita Pritchard with his family.

Shortly thereafter, the football team paraded onto the court showing off the Axe trophy, which it had regained by recently defeating Cal in the 128^th Big Game.

The crowd had a chance to cheer the 2025 ACC champion women’s volleyball team during the third quarter.

And then there was a quick glimpse of SWBB great Jayne Appel-Marinelli, ’10, with her family during the fourth quarter.

The team has a break from competition to focus on academics with classes ending Dec. 5 and finals through Dec. 12.

Competition resumes at 1 p.m. Dec. 14 when Cal visits, followed by Washington at 7 p.m. Dec. 19. Both games will be streamed on ACCNX. The team will play Oregon at 1 p.m. Dec. 21 in San Francisco’s Chase Center. ESPN will televise this game.

 

Las Vegas trip leaves team at 8-1

 After Florida Gulf Coast dealt the Stanford women’s basketball team its first loss of the season, 66-62 on Nov. 28, the Cardinal bounced back to do the same against Colorado State, 62-60, on Nov. 29.

Therefore, score 62 points one day, you lose; score 62 points the next day, you win.

Both games were part of the Resorts World Las Vegas Classic.

Starters for both games were senior guard Talana Lepolo, freshman guard Hailee Swain, junior forward Courtney Ogden, junior forward Nunu Agara and freshman forward Lara Somfai.

FGCU controlled most of the Nov, 28 game, which saw five lead changes and six ties.

When Stanford was down 8 points with just over three minutes to go, it started fouling in hopes of regaining the ball and the advantage, but the strategy didn’t work.

Nunu led the team with 22 points. Junior guard Chloe Clardy with 16 points was her only teammate in double figures.

Despite the loss, Stanford controlled the boards and was 16-18 on free throws, but committed 18 turnovers to FGCU’s 16.

The team’s four 3’s came from Nunu, Lara, Courtney and Chloe.

Big comeback fuels win

A similar scenario seemed to be playing out Nov. 9 against Colorado State, but this time some last-minute heroics saved the day.

The team was down 53-45 with just under seven minutes to go before going on a 13-0 spurt over the next 5:02.

Courtney “had a mini 7-0 spurt right in the middle, and when she hit a 3-pointer to put the Cardinal up 54-53 and force a Ram timeout with 3:10 to go, Stanford had its first lead in nearly 10 minutes,” Stanford Athletics reported.

With two-tenths of a second left, Chloe hit a driving layup to ice the win.

As with FGCU, Stanford trailed most of the game in a seesaw battle with seven lead changes and eight ties.

Nunu led the team with 18 points followed by Courtney with 15.

Lara, who earlier in the week had been named National Freshman of the Week, had nine points and a career-high 16 rebounds, “the best single-game rebounding performance for a Cardinal freshman since Kaylee Johnson had 17 against Washington on Feb. 2, 2015,” Stanford Athletics reported.

Nunu, Courtney, Talana and freshman guard Carly Amborn accounted for the team’s four 3’s.

Next up: Stanford hosts longtime rival Tennessee at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 3. The game will air on ESPN2.

The last day of classes is Dec. 5 followed by a week of finals before the winter quarter starts Jan. 5.

Two more wins leave team''s record perfect at 7-0

 

The Stanford women’s basketball team kept its record perfect at 7-0 after defeating UC Davis 70-45 on Nov. 20 and Lehigh 98-43 on Nov. 23, both at home.

In the team’s 70-45 victory over UC Davis, the dynamic duo of junior forward Nunu Agara and freshman forward Lara Somfai produced two double-doubles: 16 points, 16 rebounds by Nunu and 14 points, 12 rebounds by Lara.

Junior guard Chloe Clardy completed the double-digit club with 11 points.  

In this season’s first six games, “the Cardinal limited its opponent to fewer than 60 points in all six, the program’s longest stretch holding six consecutive opponents under 60 since Feb. 24 – March 28, 2022,” according to Stanford Athletics.

Senior guard Talana Lepolo, freshman guard Hailee Swain, junior forward Courtney Ogden, Nunu and Lara were the starters.

Senior guard Lauren Green, sophomore center Kennedy Umeh and freshman forward Nora Ezike again were unavailable, but the other 12 players got into the game, and most contributed in some way.

The game started slowly with no score for the first three minutes until Lara netted a 3-pointer. The first Aggies basket came shortly after.

In all, the Cardinal had five 3’s. In addition to Lara, who added another later in the game, they came from Talana, Chloe and sophomore forward Harper Peterson.

The score was tied at 5-5 with about five minutes to go in the first quarter. Stanford surged ahead then and never looked back.

UC Davis did produce a highlight moment during the final seconds of the third quarter when an Aggies player scored from behind the center court line just before the buzzer.

On hand to watch the game was Lara’s father, who had flown in from their home in Australia.

Absolute dominance over Lehigh

With a 3-pointer by Lara, the team started fast and didn’t look back in its 98-43 defeat of Lehigh on Nov. 23.

Nunu led the team with 24 points on perfect 10-10 shooting.

Joining her in the double-digit club were Lara with 15 points, Hailee with 12, and junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson and freshman guard Carly Amborn, both with 10.

Only Kennedy was still unavailable. Otherwise everyone else got into the game.

The team’s seven 3’s came from Chloe and Carly with two each, along with one each by Nunu, Lara and sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye.

There was perfection at the free-throw line, 15-15.

In an interesting reversal of numbers, the home team had 17 assists and nine turnovers, while the team from Bethlehem, Pa., had 17 turnovers and nine assists.

“As a team, the Cardinal shot 66.7 percent from the floor (38-of-57), the third-best mark in program history,” according to Stanford Athletics.

After Nunu’s standout performances against UC Davis and Lehigh, she was named ACC Player of the Week on Nov. 24.

The team will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Las Vegas to play Florida Gulf Coast at 5 p.m. Nov. 28 and Colorado State at 5 p.m. in the Resorts World Classic. Both games will be shown on FloCollege.

After that, it’s back home to host Tennessee at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 3.

The last day of classes is Dec. 5, followed by finals week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team moves to 5-0 after two wins in Washington

 

Freshman Hailee Swain led the win against WSU with 10 points. (Stanford Athletics)

Chalk up two more wins for the Stanford women’s basketball team after its first road trip of the season took it to the Evergreen State

That’s where Washington State fell 54-46 in Pullman on Nov. 14 and Gonzaga lost 65-52 in Spokane on Nov. 16.

Thus the team maintained an unblemished record of 5-0.

Starters for both games were freshman guard Hailee Swain, junior forward Nunu Agara, freshman forward Lara Somfai, junior forward Courtney Ogden and senior guard Talana Lepolo.

The victory over Washington State was nothing like the previous three wins that had opened the season. Those games were dominant, high-scoring affairs in which multiple Stanford players recorded double points.

This time only one player, Hailee with 10 points, was in double digits. However, eight of the nine players who got into the game contributed points and rebounds.

Three-pointers weren’t going in for Stanford. The team had only two of 18, both of them by junior guard Chloe Clardy.

Both teams had their share of miscues, with 15 turnovers by Stanford and 16 by WSU.

Stanford’s best lead was 13 points during the third quarter, but WSU kept edging closer – not enough to take the lead, but enough to keep the visitors and their fans nervous.

With the win, the Cardinal moved to 76-0 all-time against the Cougars, according to Stanford Athletics, which also reported that last season Stanford didn’t win its first road game until Jan. 16 and managed only two all season.

Two days later against Gonzaga, Stanford lagged behind in both the first and second quarters but edged ahead to a 6-point lead after the third quarter and a 13-point lead, 65-52, to end the game.

The four juniors led the way with a total of 54 points, starting with Chloe, who had 20. Nunu had 16 plus 11 rebounds for a double-double.

Courtney logged 14 points, and forward Mary Ashley Stevenson had 4 points.

Once again the team had only two 3’s. Once again they were by Chloe.

Turnovers led to Gonzaga’s undoing with Stanford scoring 23 points off the host’s 20 miscues. Stanford had 14 turnovers resulting in 12 Gonzaga points.

The Cardinal return home to host UC Davis at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 and Lehigh at 1 p.m. Nov. 23.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another dominant win -- this time over Cal Poly

 

Lara Somfai was named ACC Rookie of the Week after the Cal Poly game. (Stanford Athletics)

Balanced scoring led to a third dominant win by the Stanford women’s basketball team. This time the score was 90-55 over Cal Poly on Nov. 9 at Maples.

Five Cardinal players scored in double figures led by junior forward Nunu Agara with 16 points.

She was followed by junior guard Chloe Clardy and freshman forward Lara Somfai with 14 each, plus 10 rebounds for Lara. Junior forward Courtney Ogden and freshman guard Hailee Swain had 12 points each.

Stanford outscored Cal Poly in every quarter and never trailed.

The taller home team dominated the visitors with 39 rebounds, 17 assists, 10 steals and five blocks. Turnovers were limited to 12 (vs. 21), and Stanford made 17 of 20 free throws.

The team showed hustle throughout the game. Just one highlight play came with only seconds left in the first quarter when Hailee ran across the court and scored.

Starters were Nunu, Hailee, Courtney, Lara and senior guard Talana Lepolo. All 12 available players got into the game. Unavailable were senior guard Lauren Green, sophomore center Kennedy Umeh and freshman forward Nora Ezike.

On hand among the 2,461 people at the game were the Tree, Dollies, band and cheerleaders.

The crowd had fun between the first and second quarters when Conga on the Court danced to “YMCA.”

After the game, associate head coach Tempie Brown was joined by Lauren and Nora, who answered audience questions.

When head coach Kate Paye joined the Behind the Bench, she noted that “our returners are leading the way.”

She said she expects the team to get better as the season continues. “We have a lot of weapons on our team.”

She then invited three alums to join her: Brooke Demetre, ’25; Cameron Brink, ’24; and Fran Belibi, ’23.

Next up the team goes north to play Washington State at 4 p.m. Nov. 14 and Gonzaga at 2 p.m. Nov. 16. Both games will be on ESPN+.

 

 

 

 

 

Balanced scoring leads to victory over Santa Clara

Talana led the team with 16 points. (Stanford Athletics)

 

If you had asked what I would write if the Santa Clara game had continued on the same path as the first quarter, I would have said something like, “It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win, and we’ll take it.”

Yes, it was a win but not ugly. Instead, the Stanford women’s basketball team coalesced and came up with a 79-58 victory over the visiting Broncos on Nov. 6.

Of the nine of 12 available players who got into the game, six – evenly divided between upperclassmen and freshmen -- scored in double figures.

According to Stanford Athletics, this was the first time that six players had scored in double figures since Dec. 31, 2023, against Morgan State.

This time they were led by senior guard Talana Lepolo with 16 points.

She was followed by freshman forward Lara Somfai with 14 points plus 13 rebounds, junior forward Nunu Agara and freshman guard Hailee Swain with 13 each, junior guard Chloe Clardy with 12 and freshman forward Alex Eschmeyer with 11 plus 12 rebounds.

Stanford Athletics reported that Talana’s 16 points were the most she had scored since a career-high 20 at Cal on Dec. 29, 2023.

Talana also had four of the team’s 11 3-pointers, including two in row during the third quarter. Chloe had three 3’s. One each came from Nunu, Lara, Hailee and Alex.

As for what I might had written if the game had followed the first-quarter path, Santa Clara had 4-point lead about halfway through the quarter.

Sloppy play marked the Cardinal’s effort during that time. The first 4 points came from free throws, and the team had logged three fouls. The first basket didn’t come until about the 4:41 mark when Talana scored.

The score was tied 8-8 at the 3:40 mark, but when the buzzer sounded, Stanford had managed to pull ahead 17-12.

Things looked up after that. Nunu opened the second quarter with a trey, and Lara bookended it with a trey to end the half at 38-27. The advantage widened during the next two quarters to give Stanford the win.

The taller Stanford team dominated the boards with 52 rebounds to Santa Clara’s 30.

The home team also prevailed in other areas, but turnovers continued to be a problem with 14 to Santa Clara’s nine.

The three unavailable players were senior guard Lauren Green, sophomore center Kennedy Umeh and freshman forward Nora Ezike, but they didn’t appear to be seriously impaired.

Starters were Talana, Hailee, Courtney, Lara and Nunu.

Next up, the team will host Cal Poly at 1 p.m. Nov. 9 followed by a Behind the Bench.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great start to the new season

 

Players who have finished their stints  cheer for a teammate's score. (Stanford Athletics)

In what was definitely not a nail-biter, the Stanford women’s basketball team opened its regular season with an 87-42 home win over UNC Greensboro on Nov. 3.

As had been true in the exhibition win over Cal State LA, the Cardinal’s superior height was a big factor.

Sparsely attended with only 2,068 fans, the game was never in doubt. The visitors’ first score, a 3-pointer, didn’t come until just over three minutes into the first quarter.

In the meantime, freshman forward Lara Somfai had already scored Stanford’s first three baskets. She wound up with 15 total points to lead the five Stanford players in double figures.

Also in the double-figure column were two other freshmen: forward Alex Eschmeyer with 13 and guard Hailee Swain with 12. Two juniors -- guard Chloe Clardy with 12 and forward Nunu Agara with 10 -- joined them.

All 12 available players got into the game and scored. Reflective of the team’s emphasis on sisterhood, players on the bench erupted in cheers as two less-used players – sophomore forward Harper Peterson and freshman guard Carly Amborn – scored late in the game.

The unavailable players were senior guards Stavi Papadaki and Lauren Green along with sophomore center Kennedy Umeh. None of them appeared to be seriously impaired.

Starters for the game were Nunu, Lara, Hailee, junior forward Courtney Ogden and senior guard Talana Lepolo.

Stanford’s height helped to snare 44 rebounds vs. the Spartans’ 23.

Of Stanford’s seven 3’s, Chloe had two. One each came from Nunu, Lara, Alex, Carly and junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson.

Free-throw shooting was a Stanford plus with 14 of 16, so were the 15 assists.  Turnovers were a minus with 13.

Up next, Stanford hosts neighboring Santa Clara at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 followed by Cal Poly at 1 p.m. Nov. 9.

A preview of coming attractions

 

Although it was only an exhibition game against an overmatched team, the Stanford women’s basketball 85-50 victory over Cal State LA on Oct. 29 offered some hints of what’s to  come.

One positive note from the start is that all 15 players were available, and all played, albeit with limited minutes for a few.

Right off the bat, head coach Kate Paye inserted two of the five freshmen – forward Lara Somfai and guard Hailee Swain – into the starting lineup.

They joined two juniors – forwards Nunu Agara and Courtney Ogden – along with senior guard Talana Lepolo as starters.

However, Kate substituted liberally throughout the game, probably to give everyone a taste of competition and to get a sense of what the rotation might look like in the coming season.

Four players were in double figures, led by junior guard Chloe Clardy with 20 points, followed by Nunu with 17, Lara with 13 and Hailee with 10. Lara also led the team with 10 of its 60 rebounds.

While Stanford has nine players 6 feet tall or taller, Cal State has only four. However, its players are quick and can force turnovers. Still, both sides had 13 turnovers, but some by Stanford were just miscues.

Free throws were a plus with 18 of 19, but 3-pointers were a minus, only three of 18. Chloe had two, and Talana had one.

Another plus was assists – 17 – some of them coming near the basket as a player with the ball would make a quick pass to a teammate for a score.

It was good to see Talana back at the point after she had missed most of last season with an injury. As has been her wont, she wasn’t a prolific scorer, but she did contribute seven points, distribute the ball well and play tough defense.

Another player back after missing most of last season was sophomore forward Harper Peterson, who played just under six minutes, scoring and snaring a rebound.

With Stanford enjoying a substantial lead by the end of third quarter, some of the 1,976 fans began to file out.

Because it was an exhibition, there were no student support groups like the band, cheerleaders, Dollies and Tree. Nor was there any halftime entertainment.

Still, it was a tantalizing look at what might lie ahead in the season, starting with UNC Greensboro on Nov. 3 and Santa Clara on Nov. 6, both at 7 p.m. and both at Maples.

 

 

 

Fans get their first look at the team in action at scrimmage

 

When several hundred fans attended the Stanford women’s basketball team’s annual Cardinal vs. White scrimmage on Oct. 25, what they saw was a rough draft of what might be coming, not the finished product.

Fourteen of the 15 players got onto the court. Junior forward Nunu Agara was there but unavailable.

Joining them were several male practice players along with two SWBB alums, Fran Belibi, ’23, and Marta Sniezek, ’19.  These two, plus the men and two senior guards, Stavi Papadaki and Lauren Green, comprised the red (actually black) squad for the final three quarters.

Everyone else was on the white squad.

Although no official statistics were kept, several impressions emerged.

First, returning players looked good. It was especially gratifying to see senior point guard Talana Lepolo and sophomore forward Harper Peterson in action after they had missed most of last season with injuries.

Second, the five freshmen acquitted themselves well. For example, forward Lara Somfai made at least four 3-point shots, by my count.

Third, overall though, 3-point shooting needs to be more accurate, and the team needs fewer turnovers.

Going into her 26^th season, Betty Ann Hagenau served as the announcer. “This team is locked and loaded this year,” she said.

She introduced the coaches and staff along with the two interns, Amy Arnes and Karlie Samuelson. Karlie had been in a boot at the reception earlier in the week, but this time she was on crutches and didn’t appear to participate.

After the game, each player, starting with the freshmen, introduced herself.

Kate wrapped things up with “This is a team that’s going to get better and better as the season goes on.”

Fans might get a better picture of what’s to come when the team hosts Cal State LA for an exhibition game at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 and opens the season against UNC Greensboro at 7 p.m. Nov. 3, also at home.

 

 

 

High hopes for upcoming season

 

Assistant coach Jeanette Pohlen (in red) with her Stanford coaches, from left: now head coach Kate Paye, retired head coach Tara VanDerveer and retired associate head coach Amy Tucker at Jeanette's induction into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.

Optimism was the prevailing mood as head coach Kate Paye and five players talked about the upcoming Stanford women’s basketball season during a reception Oct. 21 in the Hall of Champions.

“You will love watching our team play,” Kate told several hundred supporters.

Announcer Kevin Danna served as emcee and interviewed three of the 10 returning players and two of the five freshmen.

Junior forwards Courtney Ogden and Mary Ashley Stevenson along with sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye said that during the off-season they worked on conditioning and shooting. Shay added that she focused on defending without fouling. All three had nothing but praise for their freshman teammates.

Freshmen praise returners

The feeling was mutual as freshman forwards Lara Somfai and Nora Ezike said that returning players helped them adjust to college ball.

Lara, the team’s second Australian player, following Alanna Smith, ’19, said she was born in Hungary and speaks Hungarian. However, she moved to Australia with her family when she was 2 years old and learned English in school. She has played for the Australian national team.

Nora also has international experience, having played for Nigeria, where her parents lived before moving to the U.S. During the summer she played for Nigeria at the FIBA U19 World Cup and recorded 25 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals while going eight-for-eight in field goals.

Kevin noted that Shay is interested in broadcasting and is being mentored by Ros Gold-Onwude, ’10. But the ties go back to Shay’s childhood when Ros’ mother and aunt were her babysitters, Shay said.

Taking the microphone, Kate said that “our freshmen have elevated our returners.”

This is Kate’s second season as head coach and Stanford’s second season in the ACC. Playing in the ACC involves cross-country trips.

Last season the team flew in a chartered plane that needed to refuel once going east and twice going west, leading to long hours in the plane. This year the team will fly in a larger plane that won’t need refueling, Kate said.

This year the team also is enjoying its new locker room after two years of construction. Even though it’s underground on the west side of Maples, it has natural light from skylights.

“It’s gorgeous,” Kate said, adding that includes a lounge, nutrition center and film room.

The men’s basketball team and women’s volleyball team also have locker rooms in the addition.

On the injury front, Kate said that senior guard Talana Lepolo is back in action after missing most of last season with an injury.

Sophomore forward Harper Peterson also was out with an injury last year, but she was at the reception minus the boot she had worn.

Karlie celebrating a tournament victory.

Karlie returns

However, Karlie Samuelson, ’17, who’s back with the team as an intern after playing in the WNBA, was walking in a boot. As she returned to her car in the Maples lot, she was using a knee scooter.

In another bit of trivia, her return reunites her with classmate and teammate Erica “Bird” McCall, now an assistant coach. Bird’s position recently was endowed by longtime supporters Celia Oakley and Craig Barratt.

Another assistant coach, Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, recently was inducted into the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. Her photo, along with the other new inductees, is displayed in the Hall of Champions.

Fans will have an early look at the team during an open scrimmage at 10 a.m. Oct. 25 in Maples.

Preliminary action starts with an exhibition game against Cal State LA at 7 p.m. The regular season opener is at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 against UNC Greensboro. Both are home games.

(Photos by Stanford Athletics)

Open practice offers preview of team

 

Sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye is her usual exuberant self at the practice.

Several hundred fans of Stanford women’s basketball got a sneak peek at the 2025-26 team at an open practice July 24.

“We are having a fantastic summer,” head coach Kate Paye told the crowd. “It’s great to be back.”

She made several pitches for people to renew their season tickets and to bring their friends. In an email the next day she said, “Renewals are doing GREAT. Right where we’ve always been and even above!”

During the session, the players went through various conditioning and shooting drills before a scrimmage that ended the afternoon.

All 15 players were there, but not everyone could participate. Senior guard Talana Lepolo and sophomore forward Harper Peterson were sidelined, as they had been most of last season.

Talana was doing some shooting on her own early in the session before switching to the stationary bike. Harper was still wearing a boot on her left foot. However, Kate said in another email that she expects both to be ready for the start of the new season.

The season’s first home game is scheduled for Nov. 3.

No printed roster was available, but the videoboard flashed photos of each player and her position several times.

It’s too early for any real assessments, but the overall impression is that the team is doing well. Returning players all have improved, and the five freshmen acquitted themselves well.

At the end of the session, each player, starting with the three seniors, introduced herself, her academic year and her hometown.

Senior guard Talana Lepolo signs her autograph for fans.

Afterward, the team adjourned to the north concourse to sign autographs.

The summer quarter continues through Aug. 16. Fall classes start Sept. 22.

The team’s new locker room is expected to be ready by then. For now, the area between the west side of Maples and Campus Drive remains blocked off.

Photos by Stanford Athletics

 

 

 

Optimistic outlook for 2025-26 team

Sarah Boothe, '12 (center, in black in front of Stanford logo), visits the team. (Stanford photo)

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With a stellar recruiting class and a strong contingent of returning players, the Stanford women’s basketball team promises to give fans a lot to cheer for in 2025-26.

“We’re feeling very happy right now,” assistant coach Katy Steding said in a recent phone interview.

Even though it’s a relatively young squad with only three seniors and four juniors, “We’re so optimistic,” Katy said. There’s much to cheer on the roster.

It also appears that for now the 15-member team is at nearly full strength. Senior point guard Talana Lepolo “appears to be in great shape” and has been cleared to play after missing most of last season with an injury.

Sophomore forward Harper Peterson, who also missed last season with an ankle problem, has had surgery that went better than expected. She still recovering, and  her teammates have been supportive, Katy said.

Freshmen are impressive

As for the freshmen, HoopGurlz-rated 4-star forward Nora Ezike from Illinois has been in the Czech Republic playing for Nigeria, which soundly defeated China in the first round of FIBA U19 World Cup competition. The coaches have great hopes for her and all of the freshmen.

Then there’s versatile 4-star wing Carly Amborn from San Anselmo. “You can’t leave her open,” Katy said.

Hailee Swain, a 5-star point guard from Georgia, missed some practices, but now “she’s doing great.”

“Super versatile” is how Katy described 5-star forward Lara Somfai, who’s from Florida.

Alexandra (Alex) Eschmeyer of Colorado, another 5-star forward, is the team’s tallest player at 6’5”. When Katy saw her play during a recruiting trip, she immediately left and called head coach Kate Paye, telling her that Alex needed to come to Stanford. Meanwhile, Alex was worried when she saw Katy leave, fearing that she wasn’t interested

All five freshmen are 3-point shooters and run the floor well. “I’m really impressed with all of them,” Katy said

Internships for some

Several returning players have internships this summer. Among others, senior guard Stavi Papadaki and junior guard Chloe Clardy are in finance. Sophomore Center Kennedy Umeh is helping at a Stanford hospital, and senior guard Lauren Green is learning about shoe design.

All of the players and staff are looking forward to getting into their new, larger locker room, which was under construction last season. It’s hoped it’ll be ready for the new season.

With so much talent available at all positions, the players might have to play tag team. “It’s a really deep, talented squad,” Katy concluded

A look back: Part two of two

 

Happy players and coaches celebrate the Florida State win. (John Lozano/ISI Photos)

After the winter holiday break, the team hit the road for two ACC games. Both resulted in losses: 67-63 at SMU on Jan. 2 and 65-61 in overtime at Clemson on Jan. 5.

Returning home, the team prevailed 89-84 over Florida State on Jan. 9 but lost to North Carolina State 81-67 on Jan. 12.

Spending nearly a week in North Carolina, the team enjoyed its first-ever ACC road win 74-71 over Wake Forest on Jan. 16 followed by a 74-49 loss to Duke on Jan. 19.

The Wake Forest win was highlighted by junior guard Tess Heal’s 24 points, thanks in part to her six 3’s, four of them in the first quarter. Sophomore forward Nunu Agara was right behind her with 23 points.

Cross-bay rival Cal came to Maples on Jan. 23 and left with a 75-72 win.

A week later, still at Maples, Stanford defeated Pittsburgh 58-46 on Jan. 30 and nearly upset the then-No. 15 University of North Carolina 69-67 on Feb. 2.

Although the Pitt game brought the home team’s lowest score so far in the season, it had some bright spots, such as a perfect 15-15 at the free-throw line.

Sophomore guard Chloe Clardy and senior guard Elena Bosgana led the team with 14 points each. Elena’s parents were visiting from Greece and saw her play for the first time in her collegiate career.

Elena also electrified the crowd by scoring a buzzer-beater after a fast break to end the first half, when the score was only 19-14 in Stanford’s favor.

Record falls under .500

Playing on Eastern Time, which is three hours ahead of Pacific Time, the team came away with two losses, dropping its season record to below .500, 11-12.

The team lost 96-47 to Notre Dame on Feb. 6 and 74-65 to Louisiana on Feb. 9.

The loss to Notre Dame set a record for the team, but it wasn’t a record anyone wanted. It was the largest margin of defeat in program history.

The team suffered another loss, too, when leading scorer Nunu fell hard on her backside just five minutes into the game. Aided by trainer Katelin Knox, she walked to the locker room. She returned to the bench later but didn’t play.

She didn’t play in Louisville either, so sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson took her place in the starting lineup. She became one of the four Stanford players in double figures with 15 points. She was just behind Chloe, who had 16.

The penultimate home stand resulted in two wins: 79-58 over Syracuse on Feb. 13 and 80-75 over Boston College on Feb 16, raising the season record to 13-12.

Redshirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel was in uniform for the Syracuse game after missing several, but she didn’t play. Nunu was out again. Freshman guard Harper Peterson was out, too.

Elena led the team with 18 points plus 11 rebounds and both of the team’s two blocks.

Senior forward Brooke Demetre and Chloe both had 14 points. Chloe also had a team-high 14 assists. Thus Brooke broke out of a scoring slump, making three 3’s in a row during the first quarter.

Freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye had what should have been a game highlight with a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter, but the refs ruled it was too late.

Nunu didn’t start against Boston College, but she came in to applause about midway through the first quarter. However, she played less than a total of seven minutes and added two rebounds and an assist. Jzaniya also saw limited action.

Fans learn about Lifetime Cardinal

After the game, an information session about Lifetime Cardinal filled Kissick Auditorium.

Lifetime Cardinal will provide financial support to Stanford student athletes. It responds to the changing collegiate landscape that allows players to be paid for NIL, name, image and likeness.

Fans can make a tax-deductible donation and direct it to a specific team, such as women’s basketball. Go to www.lifetimecardinal.com.

The season’s final road trip ended with a thrilling overtime win, 75-74 at Virginia Tech on Feb. 20.

According to Stanford Athletics, freshmen and sophomores scored 65 of the team’s 75 points. Sophomore forward Courtney Clardy had 15. Despite four fouls, Shay had a career-high 10 points, including the two free throws that iced the win in OT.

Still recovering, Nunu didn’t make the trip.

The outcome was different when the team visited the University of Virginia – an 89-69 loss on Feb. 23.

Courtney led the team with a career-high 17 points as well as eight rebounds.

Shay and Elena celebrate the win over Georgia Tech. (Nhat V.. Meyer (Bay Area News Group)

Season ends with two home wins, Senior Day

Two home wins highlighted the end of the regular season: 86-69 over Miami on Feb. 27 an 87-82 over Georgia Tech on March 2.

Stanford’s score against Miami was boosted by 14 3’s, courtesy of Chloe, Brooke, Courtney, Elena, Shay and Tess.

It was Senior Day for the Georgia Tech game. Kate gave flowers to the visiting seniors before the game.

And in honor of Elena, who hails from Greece, the Greek national anthem preceded “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

She started the game and led the team with 19 points.

The Senior Day ceremony after the game started by honoring the team managers and male practice players.

Then there were tributes to Elena, Brooke and Jzaniya.

Early exits from ACC, WBIT tournaments

It was on to Greensboro, N.C., and the team’s first ACC tournament. It ended with a 63-46 loss to Clemson on March 5.

One consolation was Nunu’s return. She didn’t get into the game until late in the first half and went on to play just 17 minutes. She contributed eight points, three rebounds and two steals.

Failing to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 37 years, the team had to settle for the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. It ended with a heartbreaking 69-68 overtime loss to Portland in the first round at Maples on March 20.

It was a back-and-forth game played in front of a sparse crowd of 1,106. The upper areas were roped off. One reason for the low attendance was that it was the end of finals week, so some students might have left for spring break.

Thus the season ended with a 16-15 record.

Fans say farewell at banquet

Several hundred fans gathered for one last farewell to the team at the annual banquet April 8 at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.

Early in the program head coach Kate Paye announced that Katelin is leaving Stanford to become head trainer for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest team.

Kate opened the program by saying that 2024-25 “was a season of change and challenge,” but the theme of sisterhood prevailed.

She thanked everyone behind the team and introduced by players by class, starting with the freshmen and ending with the seniors.

After a video of season highlights, she looked ahead, noting that the five outstanding recruits will be mentored by the returning players.

“We are hungry to get back to our championship ways…The best is yet to come,” she concluded.