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Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer, college basketball’s all-time wins leader, announced her retirement on Tuesday night after 38 seasons at the school. VanDerveer won 1,216 games during her historic career, and led the Cardinal to three national championships.
Negotiations are underway for Kate Paye, current associate head coach and a former player under VanDerveer, to become the new head coach. VanDerveer, 70, will remain with the university and the athletic department in an advisory role.
“Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career,” VanDerveer stated in a press release. “I’ve been spoiled to coach the best and brightest at one of the world’s foremost institutions for nearly four decades.
“Coupled with my time at Ohio State and Idaho, and as head coach of the United States National Team, it has been an unforgettable ride. The joy for me was in the journey of each season, seeing a group of young women work hard for each other and form an unbreakable bond. Winning was a byproduct. I’ve loved the game of basketball since I was a little girl, and it has given me so much throughout my life. I hope I’ve been able to give at least a little bit back.”
VanDerveer began her coaching career at Idaho in 1978, and after two seasons was hired by Ohio State in 1980. She spent five seasons with the Buckeyes, leading them to their first Elite Eight appearance in program history, before leaving to take the Stanford job in 1985.
She had been in Palo Alto ever since, where she turned the Cardinal into a national powerhouse and won five national Coach of the Year Awards. After missing the NCAA Tournament in her first two seasons with the Cardinal, VanDerveer took them to the Sweet 16 in 1988. They have not missed the Big Dance since then. Under VanDerveer, Stanford won 15 Pac-12 Tournament championships, made 14 Final Four appearances and won national championships in 1990, 1992 and 2021. Stanford is one of five schools with at least three titles and VanDerveer is likewise one of five coaches to accomplish the same feat.
“Tara’s name is synonymous with the sport and women’s basketball would not be what it is today without her pioneering work,” Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir stated. “She has been devoted to this campus for 40 years and a servant to all the student-athletes who have come through her program. Tara built one of the sport’s iconic programs almost immediately upon her arrival at Stanford, and then maintained that standard for nearly four decades.
“An energetic and positive teacher, a Hall of Famer, a trusted friend and mentor, Tara’s impact is simply unmatched, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to characterize her as one of the most influential people to ever be associated with this university. We will look forward to finding the appropriate ways to honor her deep impact and legacy here at Stanford.”
Outside of college basketball, VanDerveer also served as the head coach for the USA Basketball women’s national team. She briefly stepped away from Stanford during this period, and did not coach the Cardinal in their 1995-96 season. During her tenure with USAB, she led Team USA to a bronze medal at the 1994 World Championships and a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
VanDerveer was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
A press conference featuring VanDerveer is scheduled for Wednesday.
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