Tara VanDerveer has a laundry list of accolades. She’s a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, has been named a five-time national coach of the year and has won three national championships. Now, the 46-year college head coach will be memorialized forever by the school she has built her career with.
Stanford Athletics announced on Thursday that the court at Maples Pavilion will now be named Tara VanDerveer court. The athletics department also told the press that a public celebration and an official unveiling of the court will occur at a Stanford women’s basketball game in November.
“Coach VanDerveer has served as an excellent global ambassador for Stanford throughout nearly 40 years of service,” said University President Richard Saller. “Her dedication to ensuring high academic and athletic standards drove our women’s basketball program to new heights. We will be pleased to name the court in her honor and hope that it serves as a constant reminder for Cardinal student-athletes of her passion, care and grace.”
The University also announced that a women’s basketball assistant coaching position will be endowed in VanDerveer’s name. The gift was made by John Morgridge MBA ‘57, the former CEO of Cisco Systems, and his wife Tashia. In addition to his work at Cisco, John was a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and has been a University trustee.
“We have long been admirers of Tara and are proud to support the program this way,” the Morgridges said. “Her ability to teach, educate and mentor the women on her teams, developing true scholar-athletes and lifelong leaders, has been inspiring.”
“I would like to sincerely thank Tashia and John for their support of Stanford Athletics and this tremendous contribution,” VanDerveer said. “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.”
The inaugural Tara VanDerveer Assistant Women’s Basketball coach will be Heather Oesterle, who was hired by Kate Paye at the end of April.