STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketball Kate Paye announced the signings of five highly-touted prep standouts to athletic financial aid agreements on Wednesday. Carly Amborn (Larkspur, Calif./San Domenico School), Alex Eschmeyer (Boulder, Colo./Peak to Peak Charter School), Nora Ezike (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township), Lara Somfai (Adelaide, South Australia/IMG Academy) and Hailee Swain (Marietta, Ga./Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School) will join the Cardinal ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Stanford’s class is one of the nation’s strongest, collectively rated No. 3 by espnW HoopGurlz prior to Somfai’s commitment on Wednesday morning.
“These five young women are a fantastic class, and we are thrilled to be able to welcome them to Stanford,” Paye said. “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.”
The three are strong additions to a program which has won three national championships, been to 36 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, advanced to the Final Four in nine of the past 16 postseasons and the Elite Eight in 14 of the past 20, won at least 20 games for 23 straight years and claimed a combined 42 regular season and conference tournament championships.
Carly Amborn
6-2 • Larkspur, Calif. • San Domenico School
A local product from the North Bay, Carly Amborn is a 6-foot-2 wing and four-star talent according to espnW HoopGurlz.
Amborn was one of only five players from California invited to USA Basketball Women’s U17 National Team Trials this past May. A San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro first teamer last season, she was also the Bay Counties League West Player of the Year and led San Domenico to its first North Coast Section Division V crown by scoring a game-high 27 points to go with 15 rebounds and five steals in a 62-39 win over Cornerstone Christian in late February.
“Playing at Stanford has been my dream since I was seven years old,” Amborn said of her choice. “Stanford offers elite athletics, world-class academics and a program with an unmatched family atmosphere that is near home so my family can continue going to all my games.”
“For fans of Stanford women’s basketball, Carly will remind a lot of people of Kate Starbird, Paye said. “She’s long and lanky, and an excellent shooter and great athlete who has also had an accomplished prep tennis career.”
Alex Eschmeyer
6-5 • Boulder, Colo. • Peak to Peak Charter School
Alex Eschmeyer, a 6-foot-5 forward, is a five-star talent and the No. 31 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100.
This past July, she won a gold medal playing for the United States at the U17 Women’s World Cup in Mexico alongside future teammate Hailee Swain. Eschmeyer had her best performance in the group stage against Puerto Rico, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in 16 minutes. She also attended the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team minicamp in Portland, Oregon in March, and was a finalist for the USA Women’s U16 National Team in 2023.
Eschmeyer has averaged 19.9 points and 12.7 rebounds in her first three prep seasons. As a junior, she shot 56 percent from the field and averaged 23.5 points and 13.1 boards to lead Peak to Peak to the Colorado Class 4A quarterfinals.
“I chose Stanford to pursue my athletic and academic aspirations while on the most beautiful campus surrounded by incredible people,” Eschmeyer said. “I grew up watching Stanford women’s basketball and dreaming of playing there one day. When I went on my visit and saw firsthand the love and support the teammates and staff showed each other, I knew I would be joining a family and that there was no other place for me.”
“Alex brings some much-needed size and length,” Paye said. “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
6-2 • La Grange, Ill. • Lyons Township
A 6-foot-2 forward, Nora Ezike is four-star prospect rated as the No. 84 player nationally.
She was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 4A third-team all-state team last season after averaging 15.9 points and 8.4 rebounds to lead Lyons Township to a third consecutive 4A regional title. A two-time All-West Suburban Conference Silver Division honoree, Ezike was promoted to varsity midway through her freshman year.
She scored 31 points as a junior against Glenbard West this past season, the second-best scoring performance in school history, and pulled down 18 rebounds as a sophomore against York, No. 4 in program history. Ezike also has eight double-doubles.
“Stanford has always been my dream school because of the unique combination of athletic and academic excellence,” Ezike said of her decision. “On my visit, the campus was beautiful, and the players and coaches were friendly and sincere. Everything just felt right.”
“Nora is an athletic, physical forward with a fantastic all-around game,” Paye said. “She attacks the basket, is a great rebounder and defender and can shoot from behind the arc.”
Lara Somfai
6-4 • Adelaide, South Australia • IMG Academy (FL)
Another five-star talent is the 6-foot-4 Lara Somfai, who is the No. 16 overall player in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100.
A Basketball Australia veteran, Somfai has represented her country at several international competitions around the globe. She was in Mexico this past July along with Alex Eschmeyer and Hailee Swain for the FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup, where she led Australia to a fifth-place finish, pacing her team in scoring by averaging 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in seven games.
A month prior, Somfai was named to the All-Star Five at the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup in China, averaging 17.6 points and 10.8 rebounds as swept its five games en route to its second consecutive title. Somfai also averaged 14.8 points and 11.5 rebounds for her country at the 2023 FIBA U17 Women's Oceania Championship and 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds at the 2023 U16 Women's Asian Championship.
Somfai was named to the Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Watch List early Wednesday morning.
“When I first got to Stanford, I felt like I arrived home,” Somfai said. “From the first moment I was part of a family, a sisterhood, and that feeling is unlike anything I have ever felt. In my heart, I knew I wanted to come. Stanford is a special place and it’s not just about basketball. You’re surround by like-minded people, with access to the top resources and institutions in the world of art, literature, science and anything you could ever dream of. I’m excited to be a part of something incredible, continue Tara’s legacy and build something special.”
“Lara is extremely versatile and can play any position 2 through 5,” Paye said. “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
5-11 • Marietta, Ga. • Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
The third five-star prospect in Stanford’s class, Hailee Swain is rated as the ninth-best player in the country.
Swain has won a pair of gold medals playing for the United States, the first at the 2023 FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship, where she averaged 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.5 steals, and alongside Eschmeyer at last summer’s FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup, where she put up 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in seven games.
Swain, who has been committed to Stanford since July 2022, was named to the Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Watch List on Wednesday. As a junior, she averaged 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.8 assists per game, as Holy Innocents’ went 24-7 and reached the Georgia High School Association AAAA quarterfinals.
“I chose Stanford because I know will get the best of both worlds, academics and athletics,” Swain said. “I love the opportunities I will be given on the court, and I love the sense of family I feel whenever I step on campus. Stanford chose me by always believing in who I am as a player and as a person. Stanford is my home.”
“Hailee is a lightning-quick guard and leader who can play both with the ball in her hands and off the ball,” Paye said. “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.”