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Mechelle VoepelESPN.com
What he lacked in suspense, made up for in its historical importance. Stanford’s No. 1 win over Pacific on Tuesday was coach Tara VanDerveer’s 1,099th race, which gave her the highest number of wins in Division I women’s basketball history.
He was then handed the game ball and then given a new jacket, nicknamed “T-Dawg”, by his celebratory players.
“I’ve received so many messages from people. It’s been so exciting,” VanDerveer said. “It’s been a great trip. I hope Pat Summitt is looking down and saying, ‘Good job, Tara. Keep it up. “
VanDerveer overcame the end of Summitt, whose legendary career in Tennessee ended prematurely in 2012 after he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, such as Alzheimer’s. Summitt, who scored 1,098 victories in the race, died in 2016.
VanDerveer, 67, began his career as a college coach in Idaho in 1978 and took over in 1985 at Stanford, where he has recorded 947 of his victories. He has won two NCAA titles, advanced to 11 other Final Fours, won or shared 23 Pac-12 regular season titles, and won 13 of the 19 league tournaments held.
He has coached some of the best players in the sport. Among them are Jennifer Azzi, who helped lead the Cardinal to his first NCAA title in 1990, four-time North American Candice Wiggins, Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, and a team this year that has started 5-0 and looks be a strong final Four contenders.
“Basketball has always been and will always be a great team sport,” VanDerveer said. “This could be an album with Tara VanDerveer’s name on the side, but it’s about the athletic directors who hired me and gave me a chance. Great, great, great assistant coaches who have worked really hard for our program. .And it’s about having great players.
“I’ve never been the best player on a team I’ve ever played for. I don’t consider myself a John Wooden Jr. coach. But I’m determined, I work hard and I love this game of basketball. And I really love coaching young women. and help them improve ”.
While Stanford is undefeated, this season has had its challenges. Because of the COVID-19 protocol in Santa Clara County that banned indoor activities, including contact sports, Stanford had to move to Las Vegas to practice there and play two of its games so far. Sunday’s record-breaking draw came against Cal in Berkeley. Tuesday’s win was in Stockton, California, with no fans.
VanDerveer said his focus is on his players and what will come of them, though he appreciates the recognition.
A native of the East Coast who went to Indiana University and used to watch Bob Knight’s internship, VanDerveer has incorporated the cardinal into the West Coast Crown jewelry program. He has won 81.3% of his games, with just 253 losses. In the Pac-12 game, VanDerveer is 512-82 (86.2%). He would have done so much earlier, unless he moved away from the Stanford Four-Five Final season in 1995-96 to coach the United States team, which won the 1996 Olympics.
1099.
Pat would be proud.
Congratulations, Coach VanDerveer! pic.twitter.com/T2R6hmVqCh
– Lady Vol Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) December 16, 2020
It was no surprise that VanDerveer thought of Summitt just after Tuesday’s game. The coaches were born a year apart: Summitt in June 1952 and VanDerveer in June 1953.
Summitt began his career as a college coach in Tennessee in 1974 and VanDerveer began in Idaho in 1978. His teams began a series in 1988, thanks to Azzi being a native of Tennessee and the coaches met three times at the NCAA tournament, all won by Tennessee. .
VanDerveer said he improved by training against Summitt.
“He helped me do that because of playing against his teams,” VanDerveer said. “Something I learned from Pat was just to be passionate about the game. I study other people; I’m a copier. The importance of bouncing, playing really hard, their teams did it. The teams were determined.”
UConn’s Geno Auriemma doesn’t lag behind VanDerveer; got its 1,093th victory Tuesday at Seton Hall. Auriemma took over the Huskies the same year VanDerveer took over the cardinal.
“I’ve been here since 1985. Tara is still at Stanford,” Auriemma said. “Yes [the success] Does it have anything to do with stability, being in one place for so long? And that Pat was in one place for a long time? I think this has something to do with it.
“Tara [has been] in a great school, a place that really values women’s athletics and women’s basketball. The test of time: in short, this is what seals your legacy: time. It’s a lot of games to train, let alone win. “