Vanderveer ends illustrious career

STANFORD, Calif. — Tara Vanderveer gave her time and energy to a young Dawn Staley behind the scenes years before the South Carolina coach started winning championships or delivering an improbable undefeated season.

The Hall of Fame Stanford coach did the same for her Pac-12 rivals.

For Cori Close. For Lindsay Gottlieb. For Charmin Smith. For Charli Turner Thorne. And for Kate Paye, who will become Vanderveer’s successor now that the 70-year-old women’s basketball pioneer is retiring.

Nearly everybody has a story of how Vanderveer went out of her way to do something kind along the way during her decorated, four-decade career. She cherished her role in helping the sport any way she could. And now, she is leaving on a high note.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history announced her retirement Tuesday night after 38 seasons leading the Stanford women’s team and 45 years overall.

Vanderveer surpassed Mike Krzyzewski for the wins record in January. She departs with 1,216 victories at Idaho, Ohio State and Stanford. Her Stanford teams won NCAA titles in 1990, ‘92 and 2021 and reached the Final Four 14 times.

“Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career,” Vanderveer said in a statement.

And as has been the plan for years, top Cardinal assistant Paye is set to take over the program; Stanford said in a statement that negotiations with Paye are underway. Paye played for Vanderveer from 1991-95 and has coached on her staff for 17 years.

Calipari finalizes Arkansas deal

Arkansas hired John Calipari as men’s basketball coach on Wednesday, a day after the Hall of Fame coach stepped down from the Kentucky program he led to the 2012 NCAA championship.

The 65-year-old Calipari signed a five-year contract with an annual base salary of $7 million through April 2029 with a maximum of two automatic rollover years for NCAA Tournament appearances that would extend the contract to 2031.

Calipari is the winningest active coach in men’s college basketball, with a career record of 855-263 in stops at Massachusetts, Memphis and Kentucky. He has led his programs to six Final Fours and three national championship games.

Calipari replaces Eric Musselman, who left for the job at Southern Cal.