WNBA’s Karlie Samuelson Joins Stanford Women’s Basketball Coaching Staff
Stanford women’s basketball has added WNBA forward Karlie Samuelson to its coaching staff as an intern for the 2025-26 season, providing the program with valuable professional experience during a period of significant roster growth.
Samuelson’s return to The Farm comes after sustaining a foot injury while playing for the Minnesota Lynx in June, requiring a second surgery last week. She sought out Stanford head coach Kate Paye for rehabilitation support, and Paye immediately offered her a role with the team. “Stanford is home to me. I’m so grateful for her,” Samuelson said. “She, with no doubt in her mind, was just like, ‘Yeah, come here,’ and she introduced me to some people and some [physical therapists], and I was on my way from there.”
A standout shooter during her time at Stanford from 2013-2017, Samuelson currently ranks fifth in program history with 249 career three-pointers, holding a 44.3% career three-point percentage. She previously led the nation in postseason three-pointers during the Cardinal’s 2016 and 2017 NCAA tournament runs. Paye, who was an assistant coach during Samuelson’s playing career, noted her future coaching potential, stating, “She’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever coached, to wear a Stanford uniform. When she was a player, you knew she would be a coach one day.” Samuelson will also reunite with former teammate and current Stanford assistant coach Erica McCall. You can find more information about the Stanford Women’s Basketball program on their official website.
While recovering from her injury, Samuelson hopes to contribute her insights from seven seasons playing in the WNBA and overseas, and is excited to work with Stanford’s highly-ranked incoming recruiting class, currently ranked third nationally by ESPN. The Cardinal open their season today against University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Samuelson reflected on the significance of the moment, noting the growth of returning players and the excitement surrounding the new freshman class.
Paye stated Samuelson will be an “invaluable resource” as the team begins the season.
