STANFORD, Calif. – Karlie Samuelson, a 2017 honorable mention All-American who led the Cardinal to two Final Fours, has returned to her alma mater as an intern for the 2025-26 season, Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball Kate Paye announced Friday.
“Having Karlie with us this season is a special opportunity that provides the women on our team with yet another accomplished alumna and pro that they can lean on for advice and mentorship,” Paye said. “Karlie was a fierce competitor and phenomenal leader for us, and she’s used the same perseverance and self-belief to create a great WNBA career. I know first-hand the positive impact she can have on a team and am thrilled she will be around our group this year.”
Back with the program while she rehabs from a left foot injury sustained in June, Samuelson has played for six franchises across seven WNBA seasons since her graduation from Stanford with a degree in human biology in in 2017. Over 121 career games, the 6-0 guard has averaged 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 41.1 percent from the field and 39.2 from deep.
Samuelson is the fifth Stanford alumna and WNBA veteran on staff this season, joining four Cardinal coaches in Paye, Katy Steding, Erica McCall and Jeanette Pohlen.
Samuelson averaged career highs in points (12.4), rebounds (3.4) and assists (2.7) and personal bests in field goal percentage (.482) and 3-point field goal percentage (.485) in leading the Cardinal to the 2017 Final Four as a senior. She finished second in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, a mark good for second in school single-season history and fifth in Pac-12 history.
“The Farm will always be home and it’s invigorating to be back on campus and around this team,” Samuelson said. “Stanford women’s basketball is a sisterhood that spans generations. It’s very fulfilling to be able to share what I’ve learned and my experiences with this current group of Cardinal. I’m so thankful to Kate, the staff, and team for welcoming me back with open arms and excited for the season ahead.”
Her 96 made 3-pointers in 2016-17 are tied with Jeanette Pohlen for second in Stanford history, tied for eighth in Pac-12 history, and her 249 career 3-pointers are fifth in the school record books. A career 44.3 percent 3-point shooter, Samuelson is second at Stanford to Jennifer Azzi, fifth in Pac-12 history and 21st in NCAA history. She ended her playing time at Stanford with the best career 3-point percentage for any Pac-12 player since 1990.
Samuelson is sharing intern duties this season with Amy Arnes, a two-time graduate of UCLA who earned her master’s in transformative coaching in 2025. A student manager with the Bruins’ women’s basketball program last season, Arnes has worked Stanford basketball camp each of the past two summers and is a Sunnyvale native, graduating from Archbishop Mitty High School in 2020.