Hey guys, I just caught up with 2025 point guard Hailee Swain and her dad Robert about her commitment to Stanford. Below are key quotes. The rest will be saved for the article.
On why she chose Stanford: "Well, Stanford is my dream school and once I went up there and saw the campus and spent a couple days up there, it kinda just felt like home. I loved my coaching staff; I loved how sisterhood and family is valued at Stanford. But it’s also a business. And also how the student athletes at Stanford are, they’re truly students first and I think that me going to Stanford would set me up for basketball opportunities: Pro, overseas, or the WNBA. But it will also set me up for life after the ball stops bouncing."
On what she'll bring to Stanford: "I think I can bring my fast-paced transition game to Stanford’s program. Like for example, getting a rebound and pushing it all the way to the rim or kicking it out to a teammate for a shot or just getting the ball quickly up the floor. I like to play fast."
On her relationship with the coaching staff: "I felt like once they offered, I knew where I wanted to go. Like Stanford, that was my place, that was my home. That’s where I wanted to play my next four years of after high school. So once they offered, like right on spot I was like that’s where I’m going. I love it here. I love the environment, I love the people, and Coach Britney, she had been talking to me for about a year. She talked to me to for about like two times each month. And I could tell that she also cared about not only me as a basketball player, but me as a person."
Robert Swain on what Hailee will bring to Stanford: "I think she’s gonna bring a lot of leadership. I think players just around her, she’s gonna make them better, and I think she is going to be a great extension to the head coach. Whether it’s Tara, whether it’s the next coach in line. She’s gonna be a great extension on the floor. So it’ll kinda give Stanford an advantage because it’s like you have the coach really playing the game. Hailee is that kind of player where she’ll execute what the coaches want and play with unbelievable confidence in making players around her better."
On Haley Jones and her relationship with her: "Yes. So, actually when I went up, I knew about her previously before I went to the camp. But, when I was up there and I was doing the drills, she was encouraging me and it was kinda crazy because I look up to her. Like she’s been one of my role models. And she actually, once I committed, she actually sent me [a message] and said welcome to the family and congratulations and things like that and I can see her being a big sister to me.
On why she chose Stanford: "Well, Stanford is my dream school and once I went up there and saw the campus and spent a couple days up there, it kinda just felt like home. I loved my coaching staff; I loved how sisterhood and family is valued at Stanford. But it’s also a business. And also how the student athletes at Stanford are, they’re truly students first and I think that me going to Stanford would set me up for basketball opportunities: Pro, overseas, or the WNBA. But it will also set me up for life after the ball stops bouncing."
On what she'll bring to Stanford: "I think I can bring my fast-paced transition game to Stanford’s program. Like for example, getting a rebound and pushing it all the way to the rim or kicking it out to a teammate for a shot or just getting the ball quickly up the floor. I like to play fast."
On her relationship with the coaching staff: "I felt like once they offered, I knew where I wanted to go. Like Stanford, that was my place, that was my home. That’s where I wanted to play my next four years of after high school. So once they offered, like right on spot I was like that’s where I’m going. I love it here. I love the environment, I love the people, and Coach Britney, she had been talking to me for about a year. She talked to me to for about like two times each month. And I could tell that she also cared about not only me as a basketball player, but me as a person."
Robert Swain on what Hailee will bring to Stanford: "I think she’s gonna bring a lot of leadership. I think players just around her, she’s gonna make them better, and I think she is going to be a great extension to the head coach. Whether it’s Tara, whether it’s the next coach in line. She’s gonna be a great extension on the floor. So it’ll kinda give Stanford an advantage because it’s like you have the coach really playing the game. Hailee is that kind of player where she’ll execute what the coaches want and play with unbelievable confidence in making players around her better."
On Haley Jones and her relationship with her: "Yes. So, actually when I went up, I knew about her previously before I went to the camp. But, when I was up there and I was doing the drills, she was encouraging me and it was kinda crazy because I look up to her. Like she’s been one of my role models. And she actually, once I committed, she actually sent me [a message] and said welcome to the family and congratulations and things like that and I can see her being a big sister to me.
