Tara VanDerveer
VanDerveer cutting down the nets after the Elite 8 game in the 2011 NCAA Division I tournament | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biographical details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 26, 1953 Melrose, Massachusetts, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1972 | Albany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1975 | Indiana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Guard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1978 | Ohio State (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | Idaho | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1985 | Ohio State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–2024 | Stanford | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 1,216–271 (.818) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournaments | 0–1 (AIAW Division II) 104–36 (NCAA Division I) 5–1 (Big Ten) 27–2 (Pac-10) 29–6 (Pac-12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accomplishments and honors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2011 (profile) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tara Ann VanDerveer (born June 26, 1953) is an American former basketball coach who was the head women's basketball coach at Stanford University from 1985 until her retirement in 2024. Designated the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketball, VanDerveer led the Stanford Cardinal to three NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships, winning in 1990, 1992 and 2021. She stepped away from the Stanford program for a year to coach the U.S. women's national team to a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.
VanDerveer was voted Naismith National Coach of the Year in 1990, 2011, and 2021 and was voted Pac-12 Coach of the Year 18 times. VanDerveer was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
VanDerveer is one of only nine NCAA Women's Basketball coaches to win over 900 games, and one of ten NCAA Division I coaches – women's or men's – to win 1,000 games. On December 15, 2020, she won her 1,099th game as a head coach, passing the late Pat Summitt for most wins in women's college basketball history. On January 21, 2024, she won her 1,203rd game as a head coach, passing retired coach Mike Krzyzewski and becoming the winningest head coach in men's or women's college basketball history. VanDerveer retired from coaching at the end of the 2023–24 academic year with 1,216 career wins as a head coach. On November 20, 2024, Geno Auriemma, coach of the UConn women's basketball team, won his 1,217th game as a head coach, passing VanDerveer.