{{Short description|Brazilian basketball player (born 2000)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Stephanie Soares | image = Pré-Olímpico das Américas Feminino - 2019 (49062278386).jpg | caption = Soares at the [[2019 Pan American Games]] | image_size = | number = 10 | position = [[Forward (basketball)|Forward]] | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lb = 196 | league = | team = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|4|17|df=y}} | birth_place = [[São Paulo]], Brazil | high_school = | college = *[[The Master's University|The Master's]] (2018–2022) *[[Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball|Iowa State]] (2022–2023) | draft_league = WNBA | draft_year = 2023 | draft_round = 1 | draft_pick = 4 | draft_team = [[Washington Mystics]] | career_start = 2024 | career_end = | coach_start = | years1 = {{WNBA Year|2024}} | team1 = [[Dallas Wings]] | highlights = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{BRA}}}} {{MedalSport | Women's [[basketball]]}} {{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Games]]}} {{MedalGold| [[2019 Pan American Games|2019 Lima]] | [[Brazil women's national basketball team|Team]]}} }}
'''Stephanie Soares''' (born 17 April 2000) is a Brazilian professional basketball player who last played in the [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA) for the [[Dallas Wings]]. She played [[college basketball]] at [[The Master's University]] and [[Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball|Iowa State]]. She represented [[Brazil women's national basketball team|Brazil]] at the [[2019 Pan American Games]] and won a gold medal.
==College career== Soares began her collegiate career at [[The Master's University]]. During the 2018–19 season in her freshman year, she led the nation in rebounding (470), blocked shots (173), and recorded 29 double-doubles. She set the single-season program records for rebounds, rebounding average, and blocked shots. Following the season she was named the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Player of the Year and GSAC Defensive Player of the Year.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web |url=https://gomustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/stephanie-soares/1173 |title=Stephanie Soares bio |website=gomustangs.com |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
During the 2019–20 season, she averaged 20.7 points and 13.6 rebound, and led the nation in rebounds (423), defensive rebounds (326), blocked shots, (151), and double-doubles (24).<ref name="Bio"/> Following the season she was named the GSAC Player of the Year and GSAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. She was also named to the WBCA NAIA All-America team and named the WBCA NAIA Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wbca.org/about/press-releases/player-year-stephanie-soares-master%E2%80%99s-university-headlines-2020-wbca-naia |title=Player of the Year Stephanie Soares of The Master's University Headlines 2020 WBCA NAIA Coaches' All-America Team |website=WBCA.org |date=16 March 2020 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> She became the first player in TMU history to be named NAIA Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gomustangs.com/news/2020/3/26/womens-basketball-soares-becomes-first-woman-in-tmu-history-named-player-of-the-year.aspx |title=Soares becomes first woman in TMU history named NAIA Player of the Year |website=v.org |date=26 March 2020 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
She missed the 2020–21 season after she underwent surgery to repair tears in both her [[anterior cruciate ligament]] (ACL) and [[medial collateral ligament]] (MCL). During the 2021–22 season, she averaged 20.5 points and 12.7 rebounds, and helped lead The Master's University 32–4 record and the NAIA national quarterfinals. Following the season she was named the NAIA Player of the Year. She was also named to the WBCA NAIA All-America team and named the WBCA NAIA Player of the Year for the second time in her career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://qctimes.com/sports/college/basketball/fennelly-sees-unique-recruits-helping-isu/article_ec5047b5-c7b3-5627-a43b-4516c467e038.html |title= Fennelly sees unique recruits helping ISU |newspaper=[[Quad-City Times]] |first=Steve |last=Batterson |date=13 July 2022 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wbca.org/about/press-releases/player-year-stephanie-soares-headlines-2022-wbca-naia-coaches%E2%80%99-all-america-team |title=Player of the Year Stephanie Soares headlines 2022 WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America team |website=WBCA.org |date=21 March 2022 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
On 19 April 2022, Soares announced she was transferring to [[Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball|Iowa State]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/33770013/stephanie-soares-two-naia-player-year-transferring-iowa-state-women-basketball-program |title=Stephanie Soares, two-time NAIA player of year, transferring to Iowa State women's basketball program |website=ESPN.com |first=Mechelle |last=Voepel |date=19 April 2022 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> During the [[2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball season|2022–23 season]], Soares started all 13 games she played in before suffering a season-ending ACL injury at Oklahoma on 8 January 2023.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/2023/01/09/stephanie-soares-injury-acl-out-iowa-state-womens-basketball-season/69791381007/ |title=Iowa State star Stephanie Soares to miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL |newspaper=[[The Des Moines Register]] |first=Tommy |last=Birch |date=9 January 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35414958/iowa-state-stephanie-soares-season-torn-acl |title=Iowa State's Stephanie Soares out for season with torn ACL |website=ESPN.com |first=Alexa |last=Philippou |date=9 January 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> She recorded eight double-doubles and averaged 15.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/cyclone-insider/2023/01/25/whats-next-for-iowa-state-basketball-star-stephanie-soares-acl-injury-surgery/69833617007/ |title=Iowa State women's basketball's Stephanie Soares getting strong support during time of uncertainty |newspaper=[[The Des Moines Register]] |first=Tommy |last=Birch |date=25 January 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
==Professional career== On 10 April 2023, Soares was drafted fourth overall by the [[Washington Mystics]] in the [[2023 WNBA draft]]. She was immediately traded to the [[Dallas Wings]] in exchange for a 2024 second-round draft pick, and Atlanta's 2025 first-round draft pick.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/cyclone-insider/2023/04/10/washington-mystics-select-iowa-states-stephanie-soares-with-4th-overall-pick/70089506007/ |title=Iowa State's Stephanie Soares selected by Washington Mystics in first round of WNBA draft |newspaper=[[The Des Moines Register]] |first=Tommy |last=Birch |date=10 April 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> On 6 February 2024, she signed with the Wings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wings.wnba.com/news/dallas-wings-sign-stephanie-soares/ |title=Dallas Wings Sign Stephanie Soares |website=wings.wnba.com |date=6 February 2024 |access-date=6 February 2024}}</ref> She missed the [[2023 WNBA season]] after recovering from ACL surgery.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/wings/2024/02/06/dallas-wings-sign-2023-first-round-pick-stephanie-soares/ |title=Dallas Wings sign 2023 first-round pick Stephanie Soares |newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |date=6 February 2024 |access-date=6 February 2024}}</ref>
On 13 August 2024, Soares signed with [[AZS AJP Gorzów Wielkopolski]] of the [[Basket Liga Kobiet]] (BLK) for the 2024–25 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://azsajpgorzow.pl/aktualnosci/pierwszyzespol/z-brazylii-do-azs-stephanie-soares-zagra-w-arenie-gorzow |title=Z Brazylii do AZS! Stephanie Soares zagra w Arenie Gorzów! |website=azsajpgorzow.pl |date=13 August 2024 |access-date=13 August 2024 |language=Polish}}</ref> However, she was unable to join the team due to a knee injury.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-01 |title=Gorzowskie koszykarki na progu nowego sezonu. Same nie wiedzą, na co je stać |url=https://gazetalubuska.pl/gorzowskie-koszykarki-na-progu-nowego-sezonu-same-nie-wiedza-na-co-je-stac/ar/c2-18847353 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Gazeta Lubuska |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
On 4 January 2025, Soares was waived by the Wings.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://wings.wnba.com/news/dallas-wings-waive-stephanie-soares | title = Dallas Wings Waive Stephanie Soares | website = [[Dallas Wings]] | accessdate = 2025-01-04}}</ref>
==National team career== Soares made her international debut for [[Brazil women's national basketball team|Brazil]] at the [[2019 Pan American Games]]. During the tournament she averaged 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in five games. She averaged 16 minutes a game and led the team with seven blocked shots and won a gold medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gomustangs.com/news/2019/8/12/womens-basketball-tmus-stephanie-soares-wins-gold-at-pan-american-games.aspx |title=TMU's Stephanie Soares wins gold at Pan American Games |website=gomustangs.com |date=12 August 2019 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.naia.org/sports/wbkb/2019-20/releases/Soares-Pan-American-Games |title=The Master's (Calif.) Stephanie Soares wins gold medal at Pan American Games |website=naia.org |date=13 August 2019 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{WNBA player statistics legend}} <!--PLEASE DO NOT UPDATE STATISTICS MID-SEASON, AS IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES, AND WIKIPEDIA'S PURPOSE IS NOT TO PROVIDE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE STATISTICS. PLEASE SAVE THE UPDATING OF STATISTICS UNTIL THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND/OR PLAYOFFS. UPDATED STATISTICS WILL BE REVERTED.-->
===WNBA=== ''Stats current through end of 2024 season'' {{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{wnbay|2024}} | style="text-align:left;"| [[2024 Dallas Wings season|Dallas]] |22||3||8.0||.294||.167||1.000||2.1||0.5||0.1||0.4||0.5||1.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| '''Career''' | style="text-align:left;"| 1 year, 1 team |22||3||8.0||.294||.167||1.000||2.1||0.5||0.1||0.4||0.5||1.1 {{s-end}}
===College=== {{WNBA player statistics start|caption=NAIA/NCAA statistics<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephanie Soares - Women's Basketball |url=https://gomustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/stephanie-soares/1173 |website=TMU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Stephanie Soares College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/stephanie-soares-1.html |work=Sports Reference}}</ref>}} |- | width="10%" style="text-align:center;" | [[2018–19 NAIA Division I women's basketball season|2018–19]] | style="text-align:center;"| [[The Master's University|TMU]] | '''35''' || '''34''' || 29.8 || .572 || .000 || .628 || 13.4 || 1.3 || 1.4 || '''4.9''' || '''2.3''' || 16.2 |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[2019–20 NAIA Division I women's basketball season|2019–20]] | style="text-align:center;"| TMU | 31 || 31 || 29.5 || '''.615''' || '''.347''' || .755 || '''13.6''' || 2.1 || 1.3 || '''4.9''' || 3.6 || '''20.7''' |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;"| [[2020–21 NAIA Division I women's basketball season|2020–21]] | style="text-align:center;"| TMU | colspan=12 style="text-align:center;"| ''Did not play due to injury'' |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[2021–22 NAIA Division I women's basketball season|2021–22]] | style="text-align:center;"| TMU | 34 || 33 || '''30.1''' || .584 || .228 || '''.789''' || 12.2 || '''2.2''' || '''1.9''' || 3.7 || 3.5 || 20.5 |- | style="text-align:center;"| [[2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball season|2022–23]] | style="text-align:center;"| [[2022–23 Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team|Iowa State]] | 13 || 13 || 22.6 || .544 || .306 || .667 || 9.9 || 1.4 || 1.1 || 3.0 || 2.8 || 14.4 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| '''Career''' | 113 || 111 || 28.0 || .579 || .220 || .710 || 12.3 || 1.8 || 1.4 || 4.1 || 3.1 || 18.0 {{s-end}}
==Personal life== Soares is the daughter of Rogerio and Susan Soares, who were [[Christian missionaries]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/tourneytown/basketball/tourneytown-notebook-la-salle-girls-got-a-spark-with-the-return-of-lighty/article_a8b92afa-ff09-11e6-bb65-6b72a729de0e.html |title=Tourneytown notebook: La Salle girls got a spark with the return of Lighty |newspaper=[[Yakima Herald-Republic]] |first=Scott |last=Sandsberry|date=1 March 2017 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> She has four siblings, [[Tim Soares|Tim]], Jessica, Tiago and Rebecca. Her father played for The Master's University (TMU) men's basketball team, while her mother was the national [[Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year]] as a high school senior in 1986, and played college basketball at [[Texas Longhorns women's basketball|Texas]].<ref name="Bio"/> Tim, Jessica and Tiago all also played college basketball at TMU.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4395521/2023/04/10/wnba-draft-iowa-states-stephanie-soares/ |title=One of WNBA Draft’s most unique journeys, Iowa State’s Stephanie Soares could be a high pick |publisher=[[The Athletic]] |first=Ben |last=Pickman |date=10 April 2023 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-03-27/soares-siblings-reached-new-heights-at-masters-until-coronavirus-ended-seasons |title=Soares siblings reached new heights at Master’s until coronavirus ended their seasons |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Ben |last=Bolch |date=27 March 2020 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons}} *[https://gomustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/stephanie-soares/1173 The Master's University Mustangs bio] *[https://cyclones.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/stephanie-soares/12052 Iowa State Cyclones bio]
{{2023 WNBA draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soares, Stephanie}} [[Category:2000 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Brazilian expatriate basketball people in the United States]] [[Category:Brazilian women's basketball players]] [[Category:Basketball players at the 2019 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Dallas Wings players]] [[Category:Forwards (basketball)]] [[Category:Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball players]] [[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in basketball]] [[Category:Basketball players from São Paulo]] [[Category:The Master's Mustangs women's basketball players]] [[Category:Washington Mystics draft picks]] [[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games]] [[Category:21st-century Brazilian sportswomen]]