Tara VanDerveer, NCAA's Winningest Basketball Coach, Retires

Tara VanDerveer, the NCAA's winningest basketball coach with 1,216 victories across 45 years, is retiring, Stanford announced Tuesday evening.

Negotiations are underway for Kate Paye, a former player under VanDerveer and a longtime member of her staff, to become her successor, the school added.

VanDerveer, 70, has been one of the most illustrious coaches in the sport, winning three national championships (1990, 1992 and 2021) in her 38 seasons at Stanford and guiding them to 14 Final Fours. The Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Famer previously coached at Idaho (1978 to 1980) and Ohio State (1980 to 1985).

"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, who finishes with an all-time record of 1,216-271 (81.8%), will continue to work with Stanford and the athletic department in an advisory capacity, the school said.

VanDerveer passed retired Duke and Army coach Mike Krzyzewski's NCAA record of 1,202 wins Jan. 21, earning her 1,203rd career victory with a 65-56 decision at home against Oregon State.

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Her final win came in the second round of the NCAA tournament at Maples Pavilion as her Cardinal defeated Iowa State. Two-seed Stanford went on to lose in the Portland 4 regional semifinal to eventual Final Four team NC State.

Her 14 Final Four appearances are third most behind Auriemma (23) and Summitt (18), and she is one of five coaches with at least three national titles (alongside Auriemma, Summitt, Baylor/LSU's Kim Mulkey and South Carolina's Dawn Staley).

VanDerveer has produced successful WNBA players (such as former No. 1 picks Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike, Jennifer Azzi and Candice Wiggins) for decades, sending 30 in all to the WNBA draft since the league was founded

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Gallery Credit: Peter Richman