Retiring Stanford women's basketball coach VanDerveer calls her time at school "nothing short of magical"
Legendary Stanford Cardinal women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer gave thanks for her time at the university on Wednesday, the day after announcing her retirement as one of the sport's most iconic figures.
While she had stints as a head coach at Idaho (1978-80) and Ohio State (1980-85) prior to taking the helm of the Stanford women's team in 1985, that year VanDerveer began a nearly unbroken stretch of leadership that lasted nearly four decades. Her time as the Stanford head coach was only broken up by the year she took off to coach the undefeated U.S. women's Olympic team in the 1996 Atlanta Games to a gold medal.
Over the course of her career, VanDerveer amassed an NCAA-record 1,216 victories, a majority of those coming during her 38 seasons at Stanford. She led the Cardinal to three NCAA championships – 1990, 1992 and 2021 – and 14 Final Four appearances.
"It's a little overwhelming, I'll admit, but I'm very excited to have a chance to talk with you and share some of my thoughts," the coach said as she opened her remarks.
VanDerveer looked back almost 39 years ago to when she told her father that she was thinking taking the head coaching job at Stanford despite being at an established school with Ohio State that already had a great team. She noted that she wasn't being completely honest, as she had in fact already accepted the position. She remembered her father's reaction being less than enthusiastic.
"He proceeded to tell me that it was impossible to win at Stanford and the job was a 'graveyard job.' After more about how crazy I was to consider Stanford, I interrupted him to tell him I had taken the job," Vanderveer said. "He hung up the phone and told my mother, 'She'll be coming home, living with us, in three months.'"
The coach said she took the job at Stanford in part "...to prove something to myself. To win at Stanford with the strict academic requirements was the ultimate challenge."
"My 38 years as the head coach of the Stanford women's basketball team has been nothing short of magical," VanDerveer added.
The coach celebrated the university's "unwavering commitment to excellence" both in the classroom and on the court during her tenure there.
VanDerveer went on to deliver a litany of thanks that ranged from her family and the university's administration to the hundreds of players who she coached over the decades and her coaching staff to the Stanford Cardinal fans who have filled the stands at Maples Pavilion, saying "I will be sitting up with you next season, cheering for our team."
When asked about stepping away from women's basketball as it reaches a new pinnacle of popularity, with the women's NCAA championship game between eventual winners South Carolina and Iowa and their superstar Caitlin Clark drawing four million more viewers than the men's championship game between UConn and Purdue.
It is so thrilling to see the support for women's basketball. When I come in this room and look around this room, there's more people in this room than there were at our first game," VanDerveer said. "The support for women's basketball -- and for basketball in general -- is just growing."
She also credited members of the media and their reporting for the growth of the game.
"I feel like I'm leaving it in a good place," she added.
While no official announcement has been made, the coach's Tuesday announcement mentioned that negotiations were underway with Kate Paye -- who played under VanDerveer from 1991-95 and has been a member of her staff for the past 17 seasons -- to become VanDerveer's successor. Paye would become the program's fifth head coach beginning with the 2024-25 season.