Stanford women’s basketball has signed five players to their 2025 class, the first recruiting class signed by first year head coach Kate Paye:
5-star point guard Hailee Swain (Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta, Georgia), 5-star forward Lara Somfai (IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida), 5-star forward Alexandra Eschmeyer (Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette, CO), 4-star forward Nora Ezike (Lyons Township High School in La Grange, IL), and 4-star wing Carly Amborn (San Domenico School in San Anselmo, CA).
GoStanford.com: First class-Kate Paye announces her first recruiting class as head coach
Lara Somfai committed to Stanford on signing day last week, making her the fifth addition to the class. ESPN’s Hoop Gurlz recruiting rankings had Stanford with the 3rd best recruiting class in the nation prior to landing Somfai, so there’s a possibility they move up to number one or number two.
“These five young women are a fantastic class, and we are thrilled to be able to welcome them to Stanford,” Paye said in the team release. “Carly, Alex, Nora, Lara and Hailee are great fits for this university and our program. They have worked incredibly hard to be in this position and are just as impressive off the floor as they are on it. They are excellent students, great players and wonderful people from amazing families. All five of them can play together and we cannot wait to have them on campus and help them grow over the next four years.”
What makes this such a strong class for Stanford isn’t just the talent, but the position balance and versatility. They are bringing in five players who can help them out in a variety of ways, capable of playing multiple positions. Swain projects to be a combo guard and Eschmeyer projects to be a true post while Somfai, Ezike, and Amborn should be able to play multiple positions. That’s something that Stanford loves to have, giving Kate Paye more options with respect to her lineups.
In the team release, Paye said great things about all five of their signees. It’ll be fun to see what they bring and what kind of impact they make on the program next season and beyond:
“For fans of Stanford women’s basketball, Carly [Amborn] will remind a lot of people of Kate Starbird. She’s long and lanky, and an excellent shooter and great athlete who has also had an accomplished prep tennis career.”
“Alex [Eschmeyer] brings some much-needed size and length. She’s 6-foot-5, left-handed, and is an extremely skilled big who can score with her back to the basket, but also possesses 3-point range and is a good passer out of the post.”
“Nora [Ezike] is an athletic, physical forward with a fantastic all-around game. She attacks the basket, is a great rebounder and defender and can shoot from behind the arc.”
“Lara [Somfai] is extremely versatile and can play any position 2 through 5. The best player in Australia, she has a beautiful 3-point shot, can play off the dribble and post up, and is a wonderful passer.”
“Hailee [Swain] is a lightning-quick guard and leader who can play both with the ball in her hands and off the ball. She is similar to a Candice Wiggins-type player. She is fiercely competitive, a great defender, scores off the bounce and has a wonderful 3-point shot.”
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