VanDerveer, Wilson pick up top Pac-12 awards for Stanford
Six individuals from Stanford’s women’s team earned all-conference recognition from the league’s coaches, as the Pac-12 Conference announced its All-Pac-12, All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams Monday.
Highlighting the awards for the Cardinal were Anna Wilson, named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and on the All-Defensive team; Lacie Hull, named the Sixth Player of the Year, and Tara VanDerveer, named the Coach of the Year. Lexie Hull, Haley Jones and Kiana Williams were each named to the 15-player All-Pac-12 list, while Cameron Brink was one of five named to the All-Freshman team.
Wilson is the third player in Stanford history to win Defensive Player of the Year, joining Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (2010) and Chiney Ogwumike (2012, 2013, 2014).
Named the Coach of the Year for the 16th time, VanDerveer led her team through unfathomable circumstances en route to Stanford’s 24th all-time Pac12 regular season championship, but first since 2014. The 2020-21 season will undoubtedly be one to remember for VanDerveer, not only for having to maneuver through the challenges of the season including nine weeks on the road and constant discipline and vigilance to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols, but also for a monumental record-breaking accomplishment, becoming the all-time winningest coach in women’s college basketball history. VanDerveer now boasts an all-time record of 1,116-255, including 964-204 at Stanford.
WOMEN’S POLL >> Texas A&M moved up to No. 2, its highest ranking ever in The AP women’s poll, a day after winning its first Southeastern Conference regular-season title.
The Aggies (22-1) beat then-No. 5 South Carolina on Sunday to win the conference title and then moved up a spot in the Top 25. Texas A&M received two first-place votes Monday from a 30-member national media panel.
UConn remained the top choice in the poll, getting 27 first-place votes.
North Carolina State fell to No. 3, with Stanford and Louisville rounding out the first five teams in the poll. MEN’S POLL >> Michigan broke the stranglehold of Gonzaga and Baylor atop The AP men’s poll, taking advantage of the Bears’ loss at Kansas to leap into the No. 2 spot behind the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga continued to hold down the top spot in the Top 25, just as it has all season, receiving 59 of 63 first-place votes among national media members. But the Wolverines picked up the other four to climb into second while the Bears, whose unbeaten season was foiled by the Jayhawks on Saturday night, dropped back to third place.
Illinois climbed one spot to fourth and Iowa gave the Big Ten three teams in the top five.
West Virginia continued its steady climb, up four spots to No. 6 after its third consecutive win. Ohio State fell three spots to seventh after its loss to the Hawkeyes. Alabama, Houston and Villanova rounded out the top 10.
IN THE TOP 25>>
NO. 21 VIRGINIA 62, MIAMI 51>> Sam Hauser scored 18 points and the Cavaliers (166, 12-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended a three-game skid by handing the visiting Hurricanes (7-16, 3-15) their sixth loss in a row.
IN THE PAC-12 >> The game between Washington State and Arizona State scheduled for Monday was not played due to COVID-19 issues in the Cougars program.