Stanford found plenty of success in the 2020s. Led by players such as Cameron Brink, Lexie Hull, and Haley Jones, the Cardinal won an NCAA championship, went to the Final Four, and the Sweet Sixteen. The 2024-25 season was an uncharacteristically bad year for Stanford, as the team lost in the first round of the ACC tournament. It marked the first time since 1987 that Stanford missed the NCAA tournament, and the team evidently struggled without its established stars. Lexie Hull and Haley Jones entered the WNBA in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Cameron Brink was drafted in 2024, and Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC after the same season.
In 2024-25, Nunu Agara, Elena Bosgana, Chloe Clardy, and Brooke Demetre put together career seasons, but the team struggled and lacked a player to build its future around. Bosgana and Demetre graduated after the 2024-25 season, and Agara and Clardy are already juniors.
Three games into the 2025-26 season, it looks like Stanford has found a young player with plenty of potential to develop. Australian freshman Lara Somfai looks ready to become Stanford’s top player after three stellar outings.
Lara Somfai is off to a good start
Somfai is one of five freshmen on Stanford’s roster and has been the most productive one so far. She is averaging a double-double with 14.3 points on efficient shooting from the field, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. She recorded two double-doubles and totalled 43 points and 31 rebounds in 67 total minutes.
Somfai only ranks fifth in minutes per game, but leads Stanford in points and rebounds per game and total field-goal attempts—although she is tied with fellow freshman Hailee Swain for the latter.
Somfai joined Stanford as a highly-touted two-way player with experience playing in international competitions for the Australian national team. She wasted no time flashing glimpses of her potential and was named ACC Rookie of the Week.
Somfai isn’t the only impressive rookie on Stanford’s roster
Somfai is Stanford’s leading scorer at the moment, followed by four other double-digit scorers: Nunu Agara, Chloe Clardy, and Hailee Swain, another freshman. Swain also put together three impressive first games, averaging 12.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.
Alexandra Eschmeyer is another freshman contributing significantly to Stanford’s success. She put up 8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1.7 blocks over her first three games. Eschmeyer is also one of the team’s leading 3-point shooters, which is an impressive feat at 6’5”.
While the season is still young and Stanford hasn’t played any of the top teams yet, it seems that the team may be ready to bounce back soon after a disappointing 2024-25 season.