PALO ALTO — Tara VanDerveer didn’t want to celebrate alone.
As she stood on the hardwood at Maples Pavilion, a court that will forever be dedicated in her name, VanDerveer waved over Kate Paye, her protégé. Paye wanted VanDerveer to have the spotlight to herself; VanDerveer believed the moment was bigger than just her.
“It’s never about one person,” VanDerveer said.
This afternoon in Palo Alto, though, was about one person, and one person alone. Before Paye enjoyed her third win as Stanford’s new head coach, an 89-58 dismissal of Gonzaga, Stanford officially unveiled Tara VanDerveer Court in honor of the winningest coach in college basketball history. Even with the inclusion of Paye, only one head coach was being recognized.
“It’s an incredible honor,” VanDerveer said. “I feel very honored, very humbled. To see so many people I coached, who I worked with is very special. It’s really overwhelming, emotionally, to be honest with you. I’m keeping it together better than I thought.”
“It’s really hard to put into words everything that Tara has accomplished,” Paye said. “I thought the ceremony was great. It was really well done. Just a tremendous moment. She sure looked cool in that jacket.”
The jacket that Paye is referring to is a white Nike bomber detailed with Stanford’s logo and hundreds of crimson red tally marks, representing the 1,216 wins she compiled as at Idaho, Ohio State and, yes, Stanford.
With UConn’s Geno Auriemma currently at 1,215 wins as of Saturday, VanDerveer’s hold on the record for most wins in college basketball history will likely last only for a couple more weeks. But following 45 years of head coaching, VanDerveer has been content to enjoy her life away from the day-to-day grind.
Retirement has provided VanDerveer with an abundance of free time — free time she didn’t have as she built Stanford into a powerhouse. Since passing the baton to Paye, VanDerveer is reading a book per week. VanDerveer recently underwent hip surgery that temporarily slowed her down, but she has several trips on her itinerary. Still, VanDerveer remains involved with the program, coming to games, assisting with recruiting and talking with the team.
“If Kate asks, I’ll volunteer information,” VanDerveer said. “I never call and say, ‘You should be doing this’ or ‘You should be doing that.’ She’s doing a fabulous job. She knows that I’m 100 percent supportive of her and always there for her if she ever has any questions or wants to talk about anything.”
Prior to tip-off, the lights in the gym were dimmed and the jumbotron showed a highlight reel of VanDerveer’s time at Stanford, a montage that included her three national championships, as well as the 500th and 1000th victories. A black tarp was then ripped off to reveal the court’s new logo, one that incorporated VanDerveer’s style of signing her first name.
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For all the honors, the game, itself, was the best tribute to VanDerveer. On an afternoon where sophomore Nunu Agara stuffed the box score, compiling 16 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists, Stanford easily handled Gonzaga, the preseason favorites to win the West Coast Conference.
Stanford began the game on a 10-0 run, forcing Gonzaga head coach Lisa Fortier to burn an early timeout. By the end of the first quarter, Stanford built a 22-point lead. By the break, the Cardinal were doubling up the Bulldogs, 48-24. Midway through the third, the lead grew as large as 35 points.
The effort was as efficient as it was balanced as it was dominant. Nine players scored at least six points as Stanford shot 46.2 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from three. And so far, Stanford’s identity appears rooted in its outside shooting.
Three games in and Stanford is shooting 57.7 percent from beyond the arc. With an ability to score early and often, the Cardinal have already amassed a point differential of +124. That number won’t hold, but it speaks to how the Cardinal are forming an identity under Paye, one centered around fast-paced guard play.
“What I love about this team is just how unselfish they are, how they move the ball, how they’re playing nine, 10 people,” VanDerveer said. “They’re all going in and they’re all contributing and the ball is moving. There’s no one taking too many shots or bad shots. They’re all playing together.”
With Sunday’s victory, Paye needs just a mere 1,213 more wins to catch her mentor. As of now, though, Paye has no interest in matching her mentor’s longevity.
“I will not be coaching for 40 years,” Paye laughed.
