How WNBA-Alumni Coaches are Shaping the Future of College Basketball
When former Stanford star and current WNBA forward Karlie Samuelson ’17 joined the Cardinal coaching staff this season, her return symbolized more than a homecoming. It reflected a growing trend across women’s basketball. More WNBA players are returning to their alma mater or joining collegiate programs, creating a bridge between the professional and collegiate levels. These connections bring elite experience into the college game while allowing injured or transitioning players to remain immersed in the sport they love, creating a mutually beneficial pipeline that strengthens both the WNBA and women’s college basketball.
Samuelson, who was expected to play for the Minnesota Lynx before suffering a season-ending foot injury in June, returned to Stanford as an intern coach under head coach Kate Paye. She joins four other Stanford alumni and former WNBA players on staff, further solidifying the program’s reputation as a hub for leadership development. For Samuelson, the decision to come back to The Farm was an easy one. Her return to Stanford is not just for rehab, but to give back to the place where her basketball journey began. “Stanford is home to me,” she said. “Coach Paye welcomed me right away, and it’s been so special to contribute again.”
These alumni coaches bring invaluable insight to the college level, offering players a firsthand understanding of what it takes to succeed at the professional level. Paye, who once coached Samuelson as a player, said she always recognized her future coaching potential. Now, Samuelson and her former teammate Erica McCall ’17, who is entering her third year as a Stanford assistant, are part of a growing cohort of former pros shaping the next generation. Their presence underscores how deeply interconnected the women’s basketball ecosystem has become, where experience flows back into development.
As Stanford prepares to open its season against UNC Greensboro, the benefits of that WNBA-collegiate connection are already evident. With a top-three recruiting class, the Cardinal’s young athletes now learn daily from those who have competed at the sport’s highest level. For Samuelson, the experience is about more than coaching; it’s about continuing the cycle of mentorship and growth. In doing so, she and others like her are helping build the future of women’s basketball, one relationship at a time.
