MISSOULA — Spencer Laird put pen to paper Wednesday morning, and the Missoula Loyola senior is officially headed to Palo Alto, Calif.
Laird, the reigning Gatorade player of the year in Montana, was celebrated in front of a packed auditorium Wednesday at Loyola Sacred Heart High School as she signed her letter of intent to play for the Stanford women's basketball program next season as part of its 2027 recruiting class. Family, friends, the student body, coaches and administrators were all in attendance.
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One of the top women's college programs perennially in the country, Laird verbally committed to Stanford back in February, with Wednesday's signing capping off a wild recruiting cycle for the 6-foot-3 forward that began after she broke out in a big way her sophomore season when she averaged 28.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.5 steals per game. Laird is currently a four-star prospect and ranked No. 34 in ESPN's Top 100 recruits for the Class of 2027.
“First and foremost, I am grateful to God for the privilege to compete for the Cardinal,” Laird said in a Stanford press release. “Attending Stanford is a dream for every student-athlete. The opportunities in academics, athletics, relationships and alumni connections are limitless. I cannot wait to grow as a human being and positively impact the Stanford community. Go Card!”
Got her 🤓🌲 Spencer Laird has signed with Stanford! https://t.co/fRBKEYxIos
— Stanford WBB 🌲🏀 (@StanfordWBB) November 11, 2026
“Spencer is a positive, energetic and enthusiastic person who brings that same passion to the basketball court,” Stanford head coach Kate Paye added in the release. “She was a key member of the Northwest Blazers, who went undefeated during their club season and captured the Under Armour National Championship. Spencer is an excellent shooter who comes from a basketball family, and she plays with toughness, physicality and a competitive edge. We are thrilled to welcome Spencer to Stanford and excited about all that she will bring, both on and off the court.”
Laird is the first player from Montana to suit up for Stanford's program since fellow Missoula standout Joslyn Tinkle did so from 2009-2013.
This past season as a junior, Laird averaged 27.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.1 steals in 25 games as a junior and shot 59% from the floor. A wing who can play down low and also space it out and shoot from beyond the arc, Laird has helped lead the Breakers to back-to-back third-place finishes at the Class B state basketball tournament.
Laird and the Breakers will begin the 2026-27 campaign in the coming weeks as they search for the program's first outright state title since 2006. Loyola split the 2020 state championship with Forsyth due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
