Honestly, if you told a Stanford fan two years ago that they’d be checking the stanford womens basketball schedule to see when the team flies to Chestnut Hill or Syracuse, they’d have probably laughed you out of Maples Pavilion. Yet, here we are. The 2025-26 season has been a whirlwind of red-eye flights and adjusted expectations. The Cardinal is no longer the big fish in the Pac-12 pond; they are currently the new kids on the block in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the transition has been anything but a cakewalk.
People keep asking if the travel is the real killer. It’s definitely a factor. But more than the miles, it’s the brand of basketball. The ACC is a gauntlet of athletic, defensive-minded programs that don’t care about the "Stanford Sisterhood" pedigree.
The Remaining 2026 Gauntlet
We are officially past the midway point of January, and the stanford womens basketball schedule is entering its most brutal stretch. If you’re planning your weekends, the upcoming home slate at Maples is where the season will likely be decided.
The big one is coming up on January 29th against Louisville. Then, just three days later, Notre Dame comes to town on February 1st. Those back-to-back home games are basically a litmus test for Kate Paye’s squad. Can they defend home court against established ACC royalty?
Here is the breakdown of the high-stakes matchups left on the calendar:
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- Jan 15: at Boston College (The first stop of a long East Coast swing)
- Jan 18: at Syracuse (A notoriously tough place to shoot the ball)
- Jan 25: at California (The Big Game, Berkeley edition)
- Jan 29: vs. Louisville (A must-watch home game at 8:00 PM)
- Feb 1: vs. Notre Dame (The Sunday matinee showdown)
- Feb 12: vs. Virginia Tech (Late night tip at 7:00 PM PT)
- Feb 22: at Florida State (Ending the Florida road trip)
- Mar 1: vs. Clemson (The regular-season finale)
Life After Tara: Kate Paye’s First Real Test
It’s weird not seeing Tara VanDerveer on the sidelines. Let's just say it. Kate Paye has the "Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball" title, and while she’s been part of the fabric of this program for decades, being the one to make the final call during a 10-0 run by NC State is different.
The 14-4 overall record (3-2 in the ACC) as of mid-January isn't "bad," but it’s not the dominance we’re used to. That 74-46 blowout loss to NC State on New Year’s Day was a massive wake-up call. It showed that when the threes don't fall—Stanford went a miserable 4-for-23 that night—the interior defense has to be better.
Nunu Agara has been the absolute bedrock of this team. She’s been putting up double-doubles like it’s her job, recently dropping 27 points against Wake Forest. But she needs help. Courtney Ogden and Chloe Clardy have shown flashes, but the consistency isn't quite there yet.
Why the Schedule Matters for Seeding
Google Discover is usually flooded with "bracketology" this time of year for a reason. Stanford is currently sitting in the middle of the ACC pack. To get a top-four seed in the ACC tournament—which earns you a double-bye—they basically have to win out at home.
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The road games in this conference are a different beast. Playing in Raleigh or Chapel Hill is a hostile experience that the old Pac-12 road trips to the Arizona schools just didn't prepare them for.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Team
There’s this narrative that Stanford is "down" because they aren't top-five in the AP Poll. That's a bit of a lazy take. The stanford womens basketball schedule this year was intentionally designed to be a "trial by fire."
They took on Tennessee in December. They played Duke at home. They went to the East Coast twice before February. This is a young team—led by that "Fab Five" freshman class including Alexandra Eschmeyer and Hailee Swain—that is being forced to grow up in public.
Eschmeyer has already proven to be a rim-protecting nightmare, recording 6 blocks in a single game against Wake Forest. If the freshmen can stop playing like freshmen by the time the Clemson game rolls around in March, this team is a dark horse for a deep March Madness run.
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Tips for Fans Heading to Maples Pavilion
If you're looking at the stanford womens basketball schedule and planning to attend a game, keep a few things in mind. Maples isn't just about the basketball; it’s the atmosphere.
- Parking is a headache: Weekday games are strictly enforced until 4:00 PM. If you show up early for an 8:00 PM tip against Louisville, make sure you use the ParkMobile app or you will get a ticket.
- Student Section: The "6th Man" is real. If you want a quieter experience, avoid the sections directly behind the baskets.
- The "Sisterhood" is real: Stick around after the game. The players often engage with the crowd, and there’s a sense of community that you don't get at the bigger, more corporate arenas in the ACC.
The reality of the stanford womens basketball schedule is that there are no "gimme" games anymore. Every Thursday and Sunday is a battle. Whether they can navigate this new Atlantic Coast identity will tell us everything we need to know about the future of the program under Coach Paye.
Actions to Take Now
To keep up with the shifting landscape of the season, you should check the official Stanford Athletics site every Monday morning. Tip-off times for ACC Network games are notorious for shifting slightly based on TV slots. If you're eyeing the Notre Dame or Louisville games, buy tickets now; Maples is expected to sell out for those specific matchups as the "new" rivalry heat builds up.