Stanford to name court after Tara Vanderveer
Former Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara Vanderveer, who became the NCAA’S all-time leader in wins during a Hall of Fame career, will have the court inside Maples Pavilion named in her honor, the school announced Thursday.
Stanford officials said a public celebration and official unveiling of the court’s name will occur in November at a to-bedetermined women’s basketball home game, with additional details to be announced closer to the start of next season.
The university also announced that a women’s basketball assistant coachship will bear Vanderveer’s name. The coachship was created with a gift from Tashia and John Morgridge.
Vanderveer, who announced her retirement on April 9, won 531 games at Maples Pavilion as Stanford’s women’s basketball coach. Her last win came on March 24, an 87-81 overtime victory over Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I would like to sincerely thank Tashia and John for their support of Stanford Athletics and this tremendous contribution,” Vanderveer said in a statement. “This endowment will go a long way to strengthening the future of Stanford women’s basketball.
“I have many wonderful memories of leading the women’s basketball program at Maples Pavilion. It’s an honor, and a little surreal, to know that my name will be linked to both in these ways, and I look forward to celebrating with all our fans this fall.”
In a 45-year coaching career, Vanderveer, 70, won an Ncaa-record 1,216 games. In 38 seasons at Stanford, she led the Cardinal to three NCAA championships – 1990, 1992, and 2021 – and 14 Final Fours.
Vanderveer was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
Heather Oesterle, hired by new Cardinal coach Kate Paye on April 25, will be the inaugural recipient of the new coachship.