The Stanford Cardinal have returned to being one of the best teams in the country, thanks, in part, to freshman forward Lara Somfai. Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Somfai’s first crack at navigating the college game is off to a tremendous start. She is averaging 10.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, proving to be one of the best young forwards in the country. The Cardinal have benefited greatly from her play with a 13-3 record, a year removed from finishing 16-15. After missing the NCAA Tournament last season following 36 straight appearances, Somfai is prepared to bring Stanford back to playing meaningful basketball in March.

Before playing for the Cardinal, Somfai spent her high school career at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. While she is still new to the college game, her impact on Stanford has already been nationally recognized. Somfai was recently named the ACC Rookie of the Week for the third time this season, an honor she feels is more reflective of her team’s performance.

“I mean, it’s an honor,” Somfai told World Exposure Report. “I think for me, it’s definitely a reflection of our team. We talk about it a lot…so I’m just really grateful to be in this environment. I think that’s super valuable and something I’ve dreamed of.”

The Cardinal have historically been one of the best teams in the country for many years. Previously led by head coach Tara Vanderveer, Stanford consistently made the NCAA Tournament with multiple teams, and she finished second in all-time career wins. Following Vanderveer’s retirement in 2023, Kate Paye took over as head coach and struggled out of the gate. Now in her second season at the helm, the Cardinal are back on top, and Somfai is a big reason for their turnaround. While she is playing a key part in Stanford’s rejuvenation, Somfai has a more modest perspective on her role for the team this season.

“It feels good [to be a focal point of Stanford’s turnaround], but I think for me coming in, I didn't know what to expect…,” she said. “Coming into this environment, I was challenged from day one, and my teammates and my coaches really, really are the biggest supporters of that, and every day we challenge each other. So I think, yeah, we've had a lot of impact, but I also think [the turnaround] kind of stemmed from the coaches, and from my older leaders in our team…”

Although Somfai didn’t know what to expect before playing for the Cardinal, she has quickly become one of the best young players in the country. She may not lead the team in scoring, but Somfai has become one of the best rebounders in college basketball. Her 9.9 rebounds per game rank 28th in the nation, proving she has adjusted nicely to the aggressiveness of the game. While Somfai recognizes that her rebounding ability comes naturally, she also acknowledges that a lot of hard work is required to grab rebounds.

“I actually think [rebounding is] one of the biggest differences as well in basketball here,” Somfai said. “I didn’t realize how big of an impact rebounding had, genuinely. I think maybe that's me growing up as a player, but I think back home, it was something for me that just came pretty naturally…I think for me, the biggest difference was probably just like working again,... sometimes, I think especially against Tennessee, they're so athletic, like the players here are so athletic [and] they could jump so high. So I think for me, one of the keys I try to work around is knowing who's shooting, knowing what angle [to take], who shoots long, who shoots short, where I think the ball is going to go, [and] who I have on me….”

Adjusting to the aggressiveness of players in the U.S. has definitely been a work in progress for Somfai, and she’ll progressively improve as she adapts to the challenges ahead. Navigating a new experience like college basketball can be an obstacle for anyone, but it’s especially challenging for players from other countries. For Somfai, she’s learned how physical the game is in the U.S. and how important it is to manage her time in order to be a successful student-athlete.

“Yeah, I think college basketball is really tough, and I think coming in, I expected it to be very physical and very difficult,” Somfai said. “I think I've been challenged in a lot of other areas of my life as well…any college athlete will say, like, your time management skills, especially here at Stanford, are crucial. And definitely the physicality of the game [is different]...knowing your body, and you know how much it can take, when to stop, [and] when to recover [is important and] I think for me this year, that's been the biggest challenge….”

As Somfai adjusts to the physicality of the game, her studies, and being far away from home, she has the right supporting cast around her. While she has her teammates and coaches, Coach Paye has been especially helpful because of her experience coaching other international players like Somfai.

“Yeah, [Coach Paye has] been incredible,” Somfai said. “Kate is an incredible coach and just a great person, and I think she's been very supportive with me. I know she's had a lot of other internationals here at Stanford, so that for me, coming in was very comforting…she knows what it feels like for me being really far away from home and, you know, not being able to go home for Christmas and things like that…”

Along with helping her handle life away from home, Paye has been a great mentor for Somfai on the court. Although her coach has been an asset in multiple ways, her confidence has grown exponentially this season.

“In basketball, [Paye] has built my confidence [up] in a lot of ways, and I think as a coach, that was definitely what I was looking for,” Somfai said. “I didn't want someone that tears you down [or does] things like that…She's very efficient and harsh and [she’s a] great coach, but she's also a great person, and she builds that confidence within you.”

With great coaches and teammates around her, Somfai has the right support system to make her journey playing college basketball in the U.S. easier. Before college in the U.S. became a reality, Somfai trained back home in Australia at the Centre of Excellence. The COE is a training center for all levels of Australian basketball players looking to take their game to new heights. Somfai explained how America has a similar facility to the COE and how it’s helped her prepare for basketball in the U.S.

“I usually say to people [that] it’s comparable to the Olympic training center in Colorado here in America, and there’s the same thing in Europe,” Somfai said. “So the [COE is mainly for] the top 10 girls in the country and the top 10 boys in the country from the 16 to 18 age group [and] 15 to 18 age group, and then they go and move them out there…it's basically like a training academy where you go to school there. You go to school, basically on-site, and then you train there with the best coaches in the country, and you live there. I love the COE [and] I think it’s a really great and valuable thing that we have in Australia, but I also think it definitely depends on the type of person [you are]...But I think we’re very fortunate to have that pathway.”

While Somfai is leading Stanford in a new era and a new conference, she is also following in the footsteps of some of the greats in her position. The Cardinal have a history of producing many WNBA forwards like Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka Ogwumike, Cameron Brink, and Kiki Iriafen. While emulating what the past legends have done could come with a lot of pressure, Somfai instead feels inspired by being in the same environment where years of history lie on the walls around her.

“I don’t feel pressure at all, [but] I definitely feel inspired,” she said. “I think looking on the walls around the gym and having all the photos of [those legends], that inspires me…I play basketball because I love it [and] I play basketball because that’s all I’ve ever known…I genuinely don’t feel any pressure. I think for me, it’s more [like] an inspiration and I think it makes me recognize how far I’ve come.”