Tara VanDerveer, college basketball’s all-time coaching wins leader, announced her retirement Tuesday after 38 seasons at the helm of Stanford’s women’s basketball program.
A three-time winner of the NCAA Tournament with the Cardinals, the 70-year-old Vanderveer is coming off a 30-6 season. His second-seeded Stanford squad reached the Sweet 16 of this year’s tournament before falling to third-seeded North Carolina State.
Including two years as coach at Idaho and five years with Ohio State, Vanderveer has 1,216 wins against 271 losses. Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma trails with a 1,213-162 career record; the men’s coach record is held by former Duke great Mike Krzyzewski, who retired in 2022 with 1,202 wins and 368 losses.
Tara Vanderveer also coached Team USA, which Tara Vanderveer helped to an 8-0 record and a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
“Basketball is the ultimate group project and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me and our team throughout my coaching career,” Tara Vanderveer said in a statement shared by Stanford. “For nearly four decades I have failed to coach the best and the brightest in one of the world’s premier institutions. It’s been an unforgettable journey with my time at Ohio State and Idaho and as the head coach of the United States National Team.”
A three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year and 18-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Tara Vanderveer was also twice honored as Big Ten Coach of the Year with the Buckeyes. He led the Cardinals to 14 Final Fours in 35 trips to the NCAA Tournament, and his three titles are surpassed only by Auriemma (11), legendary former Tennessee coach. South Carolina’s Don Staley tied Vanderveer’s mark with his third NCAA championship of his own.
“Tara has been dedicated to this campus for 40 years and a servant to all the student-athletes that have come through his all program. They built one of the sport’s iconic programs almost immediately upon arriving at Stanford, and then maintained that standard for nearly four decades. An energetic and positive teacher, a Hall of Famer, a trusted friend and mentor, Tara’s influence is simply unparalleled, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to single her out as one of the most influential people ever to be associated with this university. “
According to Stanford, it is in talks with Kate Pai to take over the program after serving on Vanderveer’s staff for 17 seasons.
Tara Vanderveer’s last day as the Cardinals’ coach will be May 8, the school said, coinciding with the date he was hired in 1985.
“The joy for me was every season, watching a group of young women work hard for each other and form an unbreakable bond,” Vanderveer said. “Winning was a byproduct. I have loved playing basketball since I was a child, and it has given me so much throughout my life. I hope I can at least give something back.”
Tara VanDerveer earned his 1,203rd career win on Jan. 21 with a 65-56 decision at home against Oregon State, passing retired Duke and Army coach Mike Krzyzewski’s NCAA record of 1,202 wins. His final win came as his Cardinal defeated Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Maples Pavilion. 2-seed Stanford lost to Final Four team NC State in the Portland 4 Regional semifinals.
Tara VanDerveer — a Massachusetts native who grew up in New York — may be known for establishing a West Coast stronghold in California, but his influence and excellence were felt nationally and beyond. He has guided Stanford to the NCAA Tournament every season since 1988, a streak of 36 consecutive appearances that is second only to Tennessee. He joins UConn’s Geno Auriemma (136) and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt (112) with at least 100 NCAA Tournament wins while compiling 28 Sweet 16 and 21 Elite Eight berths.
Vanderveer’s last official day at Stanford will be May 8, the 39th anniversary of his hiring, the school said. A press conference will be held on campus on Wednesday.
Auriemma, who has coached his entire career at UConn since 1985, will enter the 2023-24 campaign with 1,213 wins, three shy of Vanderveer’s record mark.
Pei, who played for Vanderveer from 1991-95, spent the past 17 years on Vanderveer’s staff, including eight as associate head coach.