Pared-down roster challenges coaches

 

Sophomore forward Alex Eschmeyer is one of five returning players. (Stanford Athletics)

As the Stanford women’s basketball team convened in June to begin the 2026-27 season, head coach Kate Paye and her staff faced several challenges.

Not the least of them was a pared-down roster of only 12 players rather than the allowable 15.

The 2025-26 team lost all three seniors to graduation, as expected. However, seven players transferred, leaving only five returning players, none of them seniors.

They have been joined by three freshmen recruits plus four transfers, but no seniors. Hence it’s up to the three returning juniors, along with the two returning sophomores, to provide leadership, and they’re doing just that, Kate said in a recent phone interview.

A communications coach and leadership workshops are helping, too.

The team also has benefitted from working out with SWBB alums like Brooke Demetre and Elena Bosgana, both ’25; Hannah Jump, ’24; and Shannon Coffee, ’19.

There’s been “a lot of positive talk,” and the players are very coachable, Kate said.

Besides practicing on the court, the players are enjoying some fun activities such as team yoga. Recently they joined women’s rowing team members at the Redwood City marina to learn some of their skills such as teamwork and pulling together. Now the rowers want to get a taste of basketball.

A trip to San Francisco to cheer for the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries was planned. SWBB alums Ashton Prechtel, ’23, and Nadia Fingall, ’20, are on that team.

Only 10 players are on campus this summer, but one, freshman guard Jordyn Wheeler of Canada, has a torn ACL. She’s rehabbing and is participating as much as possible. The other two players, both transfers, are playing for their home countries in Europe, Kate said.

One of them, junior forward/center Ilse de Vries, is playing for the Netherlands'

The other, junior forward Inés Sotelo Miguez, is playing for Spain. In the FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket tournament in Lithuania in early July, her team won the bronze, and she was named to the all-star five after averaging 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Assistant coach Erica “Bird” McCall was there to support her.

The last day of summer quarter is Aug. 13. Fall quarter classes start Sept. 22

.In addition to roster changes, the coaching staff has changed. Assistant coach Katy Steding has moved to Oregon to be closer to her parents, Kate said.

She has been replaced by Steven Key, who has extensive playing and coaching experience in Europe and the USA at both the collegiate and professional levels. In the WNBA he coached SWBB alums Bird,’17; assistant coach Jeanette Pohlen,’11; and Chiney Ogwumike, ’14, who all endorsed him

.He’s a great communicator and has great energy, Kate said. 

Given the movement of players via the transfer portal and the lure of name, image and likeness (NIL) money, “we have to adapt to the new landscape,” Kate said, adding that the athletic department is part of that effort. “This is a new world,” one faced by all coaches, she said.

As for changes in strategy, Kate said she wants the team “playing much faster,” and she’s trying to “give the players more freedom.”

She and her staff are stressing four core values: competition, service, joy and gratitude.

Looking at the roster, Kate said “We’ll have a lot of versatile players. Our fans are going to love them.”