Stanford Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer is awarded the game ball from Pacific head coach Bradley Davis as VanDerveer sets the record for coaching wins at the NCAA Division 1 women’s level on Tue Dec 15, 2020 as the Cardinal defeated Pacific in Stockton (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer became the career coaching wins record holder for NCAA Division I women’s basketball Tuesday, when the Cardinal defeated Pacific 104-61 in Stockton.

It was win No, 1,099 for VanDerveer, passing legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s previous record of 1,098. VanDerveer received video congratulations from Billie Jean King, Steve Kerr, John Elway and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the ESPN telecast after the record-setting victory.

VanDerveer, 67, could have reached the milestone sooner if not for game cancellations and postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, VanDerveer’s win totals include two seasons at Idaho and five at Ohio State before taking over the Stanford program in 1985.

Her career win-loss record in 1,099-253 (.813), including NCAA D-I championships in 1990 and 1992. VanDerveer has led her teams to the NCAA tournament 31 times out of 34. She is a four-time national coach of the year and a 15-time Pac-12 coach of the year.

In 1996, VanDerveer took a year off from Stanford to coach the Olympic women’s basketball team to an 8-0 record and the gold medal. Thirty of VanDerveer’s Stanford players have played in the WNBA, 12 of them first-round draft picks, including Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks.

Overall, VanDerveer tralls only Mike Krzyzewski of Duke for most D-I coaching victories. Coach K has 1,159 as of Tuesday.

On the women’s victory list, Geno Auriemma of Connecticut is next at 1,092.