Stanford University’s longtime head coach Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement after 45 years in college basketball.
“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, 40, said in a statement on Tuesday, April 9. “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.”
VanDerveer went on to reflect on her professional accomplishments, adding, “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.”
The Stanford Cardinal will promote assistant coach Kate Paye to replace VanDerveer next season. VanDerveer, meanwhile, is expected to remain with the university’s athletic department in an advisory capacity.
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“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 said in a Tuesday statement. “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 program’s almost immediately upon her arrival at Stanford, and then maintained that standard for nearly four decades.”
Head coach Tara VanDerveer of the Stanford Cardinal. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Muir continued: “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.”
VanDerveer initially got her start at The Ohio State University before moving to the University of Idaho. She subsequently returned to Ohio State in 1980, where she led the team to three NCAA tournament appearances.
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Stanford hired VanDerveer five years later, and she remained with the Cardinal for 38 seasons. During her time there, VanDerveer reached the NCAA tournament 35 times, made 14 Final Fours and won three NCAA championships.
VanDerveer’s career makes her the winningest head coach in collegiate basketball, passing longtime Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s record last season.
