Renowned head coach Tara VanDerveer of Stanford has revealed her retirement after an impressive run of 38 seasons. Stanford made public that their longstanding women’s basketball coach will be providing guidance to Stanford’s Athletics department in an “advisory capacity.”

The realm of Women’s basketball bids farewell to the finest coach the game has seen. Stanford disclosed late Tuesday that their veteran coach will be shelving her strategies. Tara VanDerveer, at the age of 70, achieved the title of NCAA’s most successful coach earlier this year. With a total of 1,216 victories, she will be stepping away from the sport she has mentored for over four decades.

Hailing from Massachusetts, VanDerveer transitioned into coaching following her collegiate basketball career at the University of Albany and Indiana. Merely five years after her college endeavors, Tara VanDerveer was appointed the head coach of Idaho University for a span of two seasons.

Following her five-year tenure as the head coach of Ohio State University, she returned to California, her home state. In 1985, she took on the role of head coach at Stanford University, where she led the women’s basketball team for the subsequent 38 seasons.

And after 38 years, VanDerveer is widely acknowledged as one of the trailblazers who contributed to shaping and opening pathways in women’s basketball. Fostering aspirations of playing basketball since childhood, she transcended beyond being just a player. A luminary in the basketball community, she leaves behind a legacy that is inspirational and profoundly influential.

Reflecting on her departure, VanDerveer believes she is bidding farewell to the sport at a remarkable juncture, especially as women’s basketball is currently thriving. Passing on the baton, VanDerveer expressed her excitement at witnessing the evolution of women’s basketball. Even during her youth, she envisioned the trajectory of women’s basketball leading to its present standing.

Over the course of her illustrious career, VanDerveer clinched the NCAA Championship thrice and made 14 appearances in the Final Four. Enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, the native of Massachusetts secured the Pac-12 Championship 15 times and was named National Coach of the Year on five occasions.

She coached several prominent athletes including Cameron Brink, Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, Jennifer Azzi, Nicole Powell, among many others.

An NCAA Champion in 1990, 1992, and 2021, VanDerveer wraps up her coaching record with 1158-242 victories. In her 38-season tenure with the Cardinal, the enduring coach amassed a win-loss record of 1065-220.

Coach VanDerveer and the Cardinal faced disappointment in this year’s NCAA Tournament as they were eliminated by NC State in the Sweet 16. VanDerveer officially retired shortly after the tournament concluded, marking the closure of a significant era in the Pac-12. While one of the most fiercely contested conferences is concluding after this season, Stanford will be joining the ACC in the upcoming year.

Addressing the switch to the ACC, VanDerveer asserted that the conference relocation did not play a role in her retirement resolution. If anything, she viewed it as a “motivator to stay,” and anticipates the ACC will be a “great, great, league.”

During a live stream on Wednesday afternoon, VanDerveer hinted at the reasons behind her decision to retire:

“I felt it was time, VanDerveer told the media during the livestream. Although she is stepping down from coaching, she hopes to remain involved as an “ambassador” or “advisor” with the Stanford Athletics Department.

Admitting she “retired 20 times” in her mind, VanDerveer stated her mom is 97 years old, and the game has “changed a lot over the last four years.”

Coaching Women’s basketball demands round-the-clock dedication, encompassing aspects such as recruiting, meetings, and training. Even during vacations, VanDerveer devoted every available moment to coaching.

Regarding her potential successor, the former Stanford and WNBA player Kate Paye is the frontrunner. With 17 years of experience as an assistant under coach VanDerVeer, Paye possesses a deep understanding of the program. Showering praise upon Paye, VanDerveer described her as “brilliant” and “hardworking.”

If Paye assumes the mantle, the Stanford Cardinal will embark on a fresh chapter in the ACC without standout player Cameron Brink. Nevertheless, junior forward Kiki Iriafen demonstrated her substantial value to the team.

Having left an enduring impact in Paolo Alto, Tara VanDeveer has forever altered the landscape of women’s basketball. Now, she can savor life post-coaching, witnessing the sport she helped elevate soar to greater heights.