Wholesale changes expected for Stanford women

Recommended Video:

Even before the Stanford women were trounced by Notre Dame in the Sweet 16, coach Tara VanDerveer said, “They’re better than us at every position except maybe videographer.”

It was a rocky season for the Cardinal. Most major college programs would be delighted with a season that featured handing the No. 1 team (UConn) its only loss, tying for third in its conference, winning the league’s postseason tournament and reaching the regional semifinals in the NCAA Tournament.

At Stanford, that’s a down year. On the Farm, a 13-5 Pac-12 record and 26-10 overall mark don’t cut it.

There are going to be changes next season. Two members of the incoming freshman class could be starters: point guard Marta Sniezek and 6-foot-5 post Shannon Coffee. The other newcomers, 6-foot-3 Australian Alanna Smith and guard Alexa Romano, figure to be immediate regulars in the rotation.

After dropping the triangle offense this season in favor of a guard-oriented attack that relied heavily on ball screens, VanDerveer said Monday that there might be parts of the triangle she can use. “I don’t see us going back entirely,” she said.

She plans to pick Steve Kerr’s brain at some point to find out how the Warriors became first in the NBA in assists this season. Stanford was next to last in the Pac-12 in assists (10.3 per game).

“What’s lacking with us is ball movement,” VanDerveer said. “We did a good job on the pick-and-roll, but there wasn’t enough passing. We were too stagnant.”

Stanford loses All-Pac-12 point guard Amber Orrange, long-range sharpshooter Bonnie Samuelson and reserve forwards Taylor Greenfield and Erica Payne to graduation. Additionally, Jasmine Camp will forgo her final year of eligibility to concentrate on graduate school. Another reserve guard with a year of eligibility left, Alex Green, tore her anterior cruciate ligament in practice last week and will have surgery, so her status is in doubt.

Lili Thompson, who barely beat out Orrange (13.31 to 13.25 points per game), was the first guard to lead Stanford in scoring since Candice Wiggins (2007-08). She’ll be back, probably at shooting guard, with Brittany McPhee and Karlie Samuelson on the wing and Erica McCall and Kaylee Johnson at the post.

Briana Roberson, the team’s quickest player, will be a candidate at both guard spots. She showed a lot of promise but wasn’t much of a factor down the stretch, except for the Oklahoma game in the subregional.

“With Bri, it’s all about concentration,” VanDerveer said. “If she gets distracted and sloppy, I have to take her out. But with her speed, no one can guard the girl fullcourt.”

Johnson easily led the team in rebounds (9.6 average), twice grabbing 22 in a game. But she and McCall need to develop their offensive moves. “We need more of an inside presence,” VanDerveer said, adding, “We have to do a better job of boxing out. We need somebody to clog the paint.”

That might well be Coffee, an Ohioan who is an excellent passer besides being a strong scorer and rebounder.

Sniezek, out of Washington, D.C., is described by Dan Olson of Collegiate Girls Basketball Report as a “consummate floor leader with a determination to excel.’’ Besides being a five-star prospect in basketball, she’s also an All-American in soccer.

Smith finished high school in October and is a member of Australia’s under-19 national team, which will play in the FIBA world championship in Russia in July.

Romano averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists for La Cueva High in Albuquerque. A state long jump champion, she has excellent speed.

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald