Decades after coaching her first college basketball game, Stanford Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer has come out with her retirement. Even though she has played around with the idea of retiring several times now, this time seemed to be final.
VanDerveer started her college coaching stint for Ohio in 1981 and spent four years there. After her time in Ohio, VanDerveer was hired by Stanford to coach their women’s basketball team in 1985. From there, she went on to lead the program to multiple appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Among the accolades VanDerveer won during her time coaching college basketball are winning National Coach of the Year five times, 11 Pac-10/12 Coach of the Year awards, and a gold medal during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
By the end of her career, VanDerveer has steered Stanford Cardinal to three NCAA championships in 1990, 1992, and 2021. She also boasts a record of 1,158 wins and 242 losses during the entire span of her college coaching career.
Stanford Cardinal Coach Tara VanDerveer Explains Reason For Retirement
Just recently, VanDerveer announced her decision to retire from college basketball. After 38 seasons coaching and a good number of accomplishments, the legendary Stanford figure is ready to hang up her boots. She shared more in an article written by Nick Wagoner for ESPN:
“After every year I really evaluate it, I’ve probably retired at least 20 times in my mind,” VanDerveer said. “I just felt I’m ready. I never really thought I would be. I just felt like maybe I would just keel over on the bench because I love it. … It kind of just came together,” VanDerveer said.
VanDerveer’s last season coaching Stanford saw the disintegration of the Pac-12 and the eventual move of the program to the Atlantic Coast Conference next year. This season, though, the famed coach’s final game when they were eliminated in the Sweet 16 bracket by NC State. This development comes after they defeated Norfolk State and Iowa State in the first and second rounds.
VanDerveer’s retirement comes at a time of great change in college basketball. With more eyes on the sport, thanks to Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark and others who have elevated it, the Stanford coach will leave the game better than she found it.
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