Stanford University’s women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer made history on Sunday by becoming the coach with the most win in NCAA basketball history, surpassing former Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski.
VanDerveer, 70, led the No. 8 Cardinal to a 65-56 victory over Oregon State at the Maples Pavilion, earning her 1,203rd career win in 45 seasons of coaching.
She has coached at Stanford for 38 seasons, winning three national championships and 17 Pac-12 titles. She also coached at Idaho and Ohio State, and led the U.S. women’s team to a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics.
After the game, VanDerveer was honored with a ceremony on the court, where she received a commemorative basketball and a video tribute from former players, colleagues, and celebrities.
She thanked her current and past players, staff, and fans for their support and dedication. She also expressed her love for the game of basketball and the joy of coaching young women.
I am very overwhelmed, and I’m not usually lost for words, but it’s pretty impressive, all these people here, all the former players coming back.
She received congratulations from many prominent figures in the sports world, including Krzyzewski, who praised her as “a true guardian of our sport.”
In a statement he said,
This is a tremendous accomplishment for Tara VanDerveer, who is already one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of basketball.
VanDerveer’s record-breaking win came amid a challenging season for the Cardinal, who have been forced to play on the road for most of the year due to COVID-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County. Despite the adversity, Stanford has maintained a 17-2 record and a top-10 ranking.
She hopes to continue coaching and inspiring her team for as long as possible.
