Stanford is the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for a number of reasons, but at the foundation of any program is the ability to identify the right recruits and bring them into the program. Stanford’s 2017 recruiting class appears set to follow in the legacy of previous talented groups to arrive at The Farm.
In the past few weeks, Maya Dodson and Kiana Williams have been named to four separate All-American teams, and Estella Moschkau was named player of the year in Wisconsin. Canadian Alyssa Jerome has been rated as the country’s top U18 player when she was 16.
Williams and Dodson can add their names list to a number of Stanford recruits who were All-Americans, including current freshmen Anna Wilson, DiJonai Carrington and Nadia Fingall.
Dodson and Williams were named to the WBCA High School Coaches and the Naismith High School Girls’ All-America teams. Williams landed on the second team and Dodson on the third team of the Naismith. They also will in the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald’s All-American games.
“I guess we’ve been doing something really well,” Williams said about the recognition she and Dodson have received. “It’s exciting. I can’t wait to go have some fun for her.”
For Dodson it’s a bit mind boggling to put the recent accolades into the context of the past few months.
“Thinking about it, it’s crazy that I just committed to Stanford a couple months ago,” she said.
Since their commitment following their official visit to Stanford in October, they each finished accomplished prep careers. Williams and Karen Wagner High lost in the Texas state tournament after winning district. Dodson and St. Francis High in Alpharetta, Georgia fell short of a state title three peat.
Both have played in prestigious programs. Dodson’s teammate, Kasiyahna Kushkituah, also is a McDonald’s All-American and Williams played with one last year, Amber Ramirez.
“This year I had to take more of a leadership role,” Williams said. “When things were going badly it was my job to fix everything. I think that prepared me for the next level.
Williams continues to work on being more vocal on the court. She’s always felt more comfortable leading by example, and with a star one year ahead of her in high school, Ramirez, it may not have always been necessary to be the voice everyone heard.
“I am most satisfied with seeing the floor and knowing who to get the ball to, like riding the hot hand,” she said of her development. “I think for me at the next level, especially going to the Pac-12 and watching a lot of teams (play) zone, just my three ball is going to have to be more consistent. I’ve been shooting quite often.”
Dodson’s development over the years has emphasized being more aggressive. And she talked to assistant coach Kate Paye about another mental aspect of the game: “To always be positive and work hard.”
It isn't that Dodson lacks those qualities, but it stood out to the Georgian that Paye emphasized that, “Those are two things that are the key. She told me to work on that with my high school team and later on be a leader in college.”
“When you’re ready to work hard and you show positivity, other things like when you’re not shooting well or things like that, just stay positive, confident and mentally strong. Those attributes will help with physical aspects.”
And Dodson sees the impact of that mindset on the current team.
“I can tell they’re a really close knit team,” Dodson said. “I’m excited for them. I think they’re going to do well in the tournament. I’m just excited to get out to California and help the team as best I can next season.”
