Tara VanDerveer, the winningest coach in NCAA history, announced her retirement on Tuesday, ending her 38-year tenure as Stanford's head coach.
VanDerveer has been with the Cardinal since 1985 and led the program to three NCAA championships in 1990, 1992 and 2021, with 14 Final Four appearances during that time. Inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2011, VanDerveer became a standard-bearer for college coaches throughout his tenure. Although she did not give a specific reason for her retirement, the school announced that Vanderveer, 70, would hold a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“Basketball is the greatest of group projects, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me and my team throughout my coaching career,” VanDerveer said in a statement. “For nearly 40 years, I have been blessed to mentor some of the brightest minds at some of the world's leading educational institutions.
“My time at Ohio State and Idaho, combined with my time as head coach of the U.S. national team, was an unforgettable experience. It was about watching a group of women work so hard for each other and build an unbreakable bond. Winning championships was a byproduct. I have loved basketball since I was a little girl, and basketball has been a part of my life all my life. You have given me so much. I hope I can repay you in some small way.”
The sport's all-time champion leader.
Legend of the game.
She is also the custodian of the intergenerational sisterhood.🗞️ » https://t.co/ByAigYapHt pic.twitter.com/ElLosK4T2R
— Stanford WBB 🤓🏀 (@StanfordWBB) April 10, 2024
Vanderveer's career as a varsity head coach began in 1978 when the University of Idaho hired her to head its program. After two seasons, she returned to Ohio State, where she previously served as an assistant coach and junior varsity head coach. In her third, fourth and fifth seasons there, she led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Her success at OSU sparked interest from Stanford University, and in her third year at Palo Alto, she led the Cardinal to the Sweet 16.
That laid the foundation for decades of victories. VanDerveer helped produce his two first-round WNBA picks, Nneka Ogwumike (2012) and Chiney Ogwumike (2014), as well as countless other professional players. Cameron Brink, the 2021 Cardinal national champion and three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Stanford University said VanDerveer will continue to work with the school in an advisory capacity. Her official last day will be May 8, the 39th anniversary of her appointment.
“Tara's name is synonymous with our sport, and women's basketball would not be where it is today without her pioneering work,” said Bernard Muir, Stanford Director of Athletics. .
In January, VanDerveer passed former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski as college basketball's all-time leader in wins. The occasion was celebrated with great fanfare, with former players witnessing the moment firsthand, including Krzyzewski, tennis legend Billie Jean King and South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. , a congratulatory video message featuring Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and others was aired. . Geno Auriemma of UW, who has been with the Huskies since 1985, has 1,213 career wins, so VanDerveer's win record could be broken as early as next season.
VanDerveer's tenure at Stanford included a one-year hiatus during the 1995-96 season, where she coached the U.S. women's national team, which eventually won a goal medal at the Atlanta Games. did. The team played 52 games (undefeated) on a worldwide tour to increase the popularity of the women's game, and its success is largely credited with laying the foundation for the WNBA, which began in June 1997.
In his final season as head coach, VanDerveer led the Cardinal to the Pac-12 Championship, their 28th conference title in his 38-year tenure. Stanford earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Cardinal nearly lost in the second round at home for the second year in a row, but were upset in the Sweet 16 by North Carolina State, VanDerveer's final game. I smoked it.
She then talked about the player development she hopes to see during the offseason, without mentioning her impending retirement at all.
But the changing landscape of college basketball has made things difficult for Stanford. The school did not have an official NIL collective until February, but in the era of the transfer portal, academic requirements prohibit players from transferring. Coupled with the move to the ACC, Vanderveer's role became increasingly different and difficult. Still, VanDerveer started his coaching career before the 3-point line was introduced and has made a career of adapting to the sport's landscape.
“She really understands the big picture,” Stanford assistant coach Kate Pay said. The Athletic earlier this season. “For her, it’s not all about her winning, it’s about building lifelong relationships, mentoring women, and empowering women.”
The school announced Tuesday that Paye, who played at Stanford from 1991 to 1995 and served as an assistant for 17 years under Coach VanDerveer, will be the Cardinal's next head coach, and the school and Paye are in negotiations. He also announced something.
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