Thanks for the memories, Part 2 of 2

 

Cam and Kiki congratulate Tara as the all-time winningest coach. (Stanford Athletics)

The Stanford women’s basketball team ended the pre-conference season and began Pac-12 play by defeating Cal 78-51 there on Dec. 29 and Morgan State 98-38 at home on New Year’s Eve. Sophomore guard Talana Lepolo took the spotlight at Cal by scoring a career-high 20 points, boosted by a career-high six 3s.

Washington State fell 74-65 on Jan. 5 and Washington fell 71-59 on Jan. 7, both at home. Thus head coach Tara VanDerveer notched her 1,200^th career victory. After these games, senior forward Cameron Brink was again named Pac-12 Player of the Week.

Playing the mountain teams for the only time this season, Stanford left with a 66-64 win over Utah on Jan. 12 but a 71-59 loss to Colorado on Jan. 14. During that game, Cam snared the 1,000^th rebound of her career.

Tara sets all-time win record

Back home, the team defeated Oregon 88-63 on Jan. 19 and Oregon State 65-56 on Jan. 21. Thus Tara’s career record rose to 1,203 wins, surpassing former Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had 1,202. She became the all-time winningest basketball coach for either men or women.

After the Oregon State game, which was witnessed by several alums, a ceremony complete with showers of gold confetti celebrated the milestone. Ros Gold-Onwude, ’10, served as emcee and was joined by Chiney Ogwumike, ’14, and Jennifer Azzi, ’90.

Cam didn’t play against Oregon State after injuring her left leg in the Oregon game. Junior forward Brooke Demetre took her place in the starting lineup, and junior forward Kiki Iriafen filled in for Cam’s scoring with a career-high 36 points plus a game-high12 rebounds.

Weekly honors for Kiki and Tara

Later, ESPN named Kiki and Tara Player and Coach of the Week, respectively. The Pac-12 named Kiki Player of the Week.

Playing in the desert, the team defeated Arizona State 80-50 on Jan. 26 and Arizona 96-64 on Jan. 28.

After a disappointing 67-58 loss to USC on Feb. 2, the team bounced back to defeated UCLA 80-60 on Feb. 4, both at home.

USC guard victimizes Stanford

In the USC loss, Stanford was victimized by frosh phenom, guard Juju Watkins, who had 51 points in 34 minutes, more than half of her team’s total.

The team then returned from the Evergreen State with two more wins: 63-59 in overtime at Washington on Feb. 9 and 73-58 at Washington State on Feb. 11.

It took the season’s first overtime to defeat the gritty Washington team. Cam was the high scorer with 22 points, but Kiki fouled out about halfway through the OT after only 9 points. Washington State couldn’t get its first-ever win over Stanford as Cam scored 21 points, followed by grad guard Hannah Jump with 20, thanks in part to her four 3s, while Kiki had 17.

Playing at home Feb. 16, Stanford coasted to an 84-49 victory over Cal. Five players were in double figures: Kiki, 23; Hannah and Cam, 14; junior forward Elena Bosgana, 12; and Brooke, 11.

After a 68-61 loss to Arizona with Cam out on Feb. 23 (Brooke started in her place), she and her teammates responded by defeating Arizona State 81-67 on Feb. 25 in the last-ever Pac-12 home game.

Afterward, as everyone awaited the start of Senior Day to honor Cam and Hannah, the videoboard showed the last few minutes of the USC-Utah game. Utah won, igniting a celebration because it meant that Stanford had clinched at least a share of the Pac-12 regular season title, its 27^th.

While Cam was back, Talana was in street clothes because of a reported knee problem. Redshirt sophomore guard Jzaniya Harriel started as point guard in her place and became one of five Cardinal players in double figures: Kiki, 22; Cam, 14; Jzaniya, 12; Hannah and freshman forward Nunu Agara, 11 each.

Senior Day honors Cam, Hannah

After the post-game hoopla, Cam and Hannah had their moments in the spotlight as the team’s soon-to-be alums.

Stanford finished the final Pac-12 season by sweeping the Oregon schools: 67-63 over Oregon State on Feb. 29 and 76-56 over Oregon on March 2. Thus the team secured the conference’s regular season title.

In the OSU game, Cam had 25 points and a career-high 24 rebounds. Those rebounds tied the single-game record set by Chiney on Feb. 23, 2013, against Oregon.

Talana was out for the current Oregon game and again was replaced by Jzaniya.

Team falls short of Pac-12 title

Traveling to Las Vegas for the last Pac-12 tournament, top seed Stanford beat Cal 71-57 on March 7 and Oregon State 66-57 on March 8. Stanford had to come from behind in both games but couldn’t do it again in the championship game, falling 74-61 to USC on March 10.

Earlier in the week, Stanford dominated Pac-12 season awards in a vote by head coaches. Cam was Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Kiki was Most Improved Player, and Tara was the John R. Wooden Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Hannah and Talana received honorable mentions.

Cam and Kiki were all-Pac-12 for the third year while Cam was named to the all-defensive team. Nunu and Courtney received honorable mentions for the all-freshman team. On top of that, Cam was named National Player of the Week on March 5.

After getting a No. 2 seed for the NCAA tournament on March 17, the team hosted the first two rounds of the Portland regional.

It began with a 79-50 victory over Norfolk State on March 22 and an 87-81 overtime defeat of Iowa State on March 24.

Sweet but not Elite

Going to Portland, the team lost its Sweet 16 match with North Carolina State 77-67 on March 29. Foul trouble hurt the team as Kiki had four but scored 26 points despite playing only 22 minutes. Cam fouled out early in the fourth quarter after scoring 13 points to end her Stanford career.

Hannah played all 40 minutes and also had 13 points to end her days on the Farm.

Going into the game, assistant coach Erica “Bird” McCall was a WBCA Thirty Under 30 honoree for the season.

After the NCAA tournament, Cam was named the Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year and a WBCA All-American for the third time, joining Chiney, Candice Wiggins, ’08, and Nicole Powell. ’04.

Kiki received the Katrina McClain Award as the nation’s best power forward and received honorable mention All-American accolades from the WBCA.

Finally, the players, coaches and staff were honored at the annual banquet April 10. That morning, Tara had announced that she was retiring as of May 9. Associate head coach Kate Paye later was announced as her successor and was officially introduced at a press conference April 17.

That’s when she said that Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, director of player development, will join her on the coaching staff.

In the WNBA draft on April 15, Cam was drafted second by the Los Angeles Sparks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the memories, Part 1 of 2

 

The team took home a trophy after winning the Bull Dawgs Classic over Thanksgiving, and Kiki (third from left) took home one as the tournament's most valuable player. (Stanford Athletics)

The Stanford women’s basketball team ended the 2023-24 season with a 30-6 record and gave fans much to like.

During the season, Stanford bounced around in AP’s weekly ratings. It began with its lowest rating, No. 15, to start the season and soared as high as No. 2 on March 4.

It wound up being a bittersweet season because it was the last for the Pac-12 conference as we’ve known it. Instead, 10 of the teams will leave for other conferences, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, the destination for Stanford and Cal.

On top of that, on April 9, head coach Tara VanDerveer announced that she is retiring from coaching as of May 9. She said her decision was not related to going to the ACC. Instead, she said she felt it was time.

However, she will remain with the program as a consultant and adviser, so she’ll have a presence at Stanford. Associate head coach Kate Paye has been named to succeed her. Jeanette Pohlen, director of player development, will join Kate on the bench as a coach.

But for now it’s time to recall the season’s ups and downs, mostly ups.

Freshmen, new coaches join the team

When the summer of 2023 began, the team welcomed its Tree-O of freshmen: forward Nunu Agara, guard Chloe Clardy and forward Courtney Ogden.

Also welcomed back to the Farm was assistant coach Tempie Brown, who was an assistant there from 2013-20. Then, thanks to new NCAA rules, Stanford grad Erica “Bird” McCall, ’17, became the fifth member of the coaching staff.

Nine of the 12 players were on campus. The two Greek players, junior Elena Bosgana and sophomore Stavi Papadaki, both guards, were in their home country playing on national teams while taking classes remotely. Sophomore guard Talana Lepolo was in Madrid on the USA U-19 team.

Senior forward Cameron Brink was back after leading the USA 3x3 team to the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Vienna and being named MVP of the tournament.

Open practice, scrimmage preview team

Fans got a preview of the team during an open practice Oct. 23.

It was followed by a reception in the Hall of Champions, where Tara said that construction of new, more spacious locker rooms, training room, lounge and theater had caused the front lawn and handicapped parking area to be fenced off.  Men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball will use the facilities.

A scrimmage Oct. 28 gave fans another preview before a 126-53 exhibition victory over Dominican University, a Division II team, on Nov. 1.

The starting lineup – grad guard Hannah Jump, Cam, junior forward Kiki Iriafen, Elena and Talana – remained the same for the rest of the season except when a starter couldn’t play.

Victories usher in season

The regular season started with an 87-40 victory over Hawaii. Kiki poured in 23 points and snared 13 rebounds while Nunu came off the bench to add 18 points and six rebounds.

Another home win followed Nov. 12 when Indiana fell 96-64.

Then came two more home wins: 86-32 over Cal Poly on Nov. 16 and 82-79 over Duke in overtime on Nov. 19, when Cam led the team with a career-high 29 points. After that game, Cam was named Pac-12 Player of the Week and National Player of the Week for the second straight time.

Team brings home trophies from tournament

The team took to the road for the first time, traveling to Henderson, Nev., for the Ball Dawgs Classic. It featured a 74-55 win over Belmont on Nov. 22 and a 100-88 victory over Florida State on Nov. 24, giving the team the tournament trophy. Kiki received a trophy as the tournament’s most valuable player after she posted a career-high 30 points and 17 rebounds against Florida State.

Returning home, the team defeated Albany 79-35 on Nov. 26. Hannah provided a game highlight when she made four 3s, including the 300^th of her career in the second quarter, and finished with 303 for her career to date.

After racking up a season record of 8-0, including an 85-44 win at San Diego State two days earlier, the team suffered its first loss, 96-78, at Gonzaga on Dec.3.

With finals over, the team resumed its winning ways by defeating Portland 81-51 at home Dec. 15 when only 10 players were available. Courtney and redshirt sophomore guard Jzaniya Harriel were in street clothes, as they were the following game.

That’s when UC Davis fell 92-52 at Maples on Dec. 20. This game was highlighted by Hannah’s record-setting 312^th and 313^th 3s, surpassing former teammate Kiana Williams, ’21, who held the previous record of 311.

Next: 2023 ends, Pac-12 play begins

 

 

 

Kate to lead the team

 

Kate gets a reminder of her playing days at Stanford.

It was long expected, but now it’s confirmed. Kate Paye is the new head coach of the Stanford women’s basketball team following the retirement of Tara VanDerveer.

She was officially introduced at a press conference April 17.

In his introduction, athletic director Bernard Muir joked that “this has been an exhaustive search.” He then gave the 1995 Stanford graduate the No. 3 jersey from her playing days.

During the question period that followed her prepared remarks, Kate said that Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, director of player development for the past two years, will move to the coaches’ bench as an assistant.

Jeanette will join returning coaches Katy Steding, Tempie Brown and Erica “Bird” McCall. There was no word on who will take her player development job.

The press conference was attended by Kate’s family, the coaches and Tara, the staff and the nine returning players plus the graduating Hannah Jump.

Kiki Iriafen, who has entered the transfer portal, wasn’t there. Asked if her destination is known, Tempie said it wasn’t but that “we’re working on it” in seeing if she will return.

Since next season’s team will again have 12 players, including the three incoming freshmen, theoretically three slots are open, assuming that Kiki doesn’t return. Kate said that she and her staff plan to use the portal when possible but won’t build on it. They want players who value an education, she said.

In her prepared remarks, Kate said, “This is an exciting day for me and my family.”

Tara is retiring, and Kate is succeeding her.

She pledged to “work tirelessly every day,” as she thanked the many people who have helped her and the program. She thanked Tara for all her contributions to the program and women’s basketball and “for entrusting me with your life’s work.” She also thanked retired associate head coach Amy Tucker, whom she called a “coach, mentor and friend.”

Completing her remarks, she said. “We’re not going to change for the sake of change. … We will play Stanford basketball.”

Responding to questions, she looked ahead to the challenges of next season, when Stanford will move from the Pac-12 Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference, which has a preponderance of eastern teams, “We will figure it out.”

She hopes to play more pre-season games on the West Coast. When it’s time to travel to distant schools, class loads will be adjusted and players will likely study on the plane.

A reception in the Hall of Champions followed the press conference. Looking over the room were two lighted signs hailing her as the new head coach.

Stanford Athletics photos

 

 

Tara's retirement announcement, then the banquet

 

Stanford women’s basketball players, staff and fans got together one last time to celebrate the team and its accomplishments at the annual banquet April 10 at the alumni center.

This time, though, it had a different tone because that morning head coach Tara VanDerveer announced in a press conference that she is retiring from coaching as of May 8. However, she will remain with the program as a consultant and adviser, so she’ll still have a presence at Stanford.

At both the press conference and the banquet, the 70-year-old coach seemed at peace with her decision. She said that it was the right time and that it wasn’t because of the challenges of Stanford’s move into the ACC next season.

Kate to succeed Tara

The team will still be in good hands, though, because associate head coach Kate Paye will succeed her at the helm.

With 1,216 wins during her 45-year coaching career, including 38 years at Stanford, Tara is the all-time winningest college basketball coach for either women or men.

After the buffet dinner, she opened the program by saying that this was women’s basketball’s 50^th year at Stanford and citing the team’s many accomplishments. She also noted that during her 38 years, the team was never swept at home in the Pac-12 Conference.

With a motto of “Best year ever,” the team made Stanford’s 29^th trip to the Sweet 16, chalked up its 18th season with at least 30 wins (30-6) and won its 27^th Pac-12 season title, more than any other team.

During the program she thanked the numerous people who have contributed to the team’s success.

Players praised

She then called up the three freshmen, the Tree-O, they call themselves. Guard Chloe Clardy, the first player from Arkansas, was third on the team in steals and earned a 4.0 average during the winter quarter.

Forward Courtney Ogden can play four positions and earned honorable mention on the Pac-12 all-freshman team, as did forward Nunu Agara, who played in every game and was best on the team in free-throw percentage.

Tara’s advice to these first-year players: “Copy Kiki and get in the gym.” She was referring to junior forward Kiki Iriafen, who made significant improvement from her first two seasons.

Among the sophomores, guards Stavi Papadaki and Lauren Green didn’t play much, but they worked hard and served on the scout team during practices. Tara said. Stavi will play for the Greek national team in her home country this summer, as she did last year.

Tara praised their classmate, guard Talana Lepolo, who started at the point and had 139 assists, for her composure, coachability, unselfishness and tough defense.

After introducing the eight male practice players and other student aides, Tara asked the juniors to the podium.

Guard Jzaniya Harriel played twice as many minutes this season than she did last year.

Forward Brooke Demetre is “the quintessential student-athlete,” Tara said.

Guard Elena Bosgana, like Stavi, will play in her home country Greece during the summer. Stanford was undefeated when she scored in double points, Tara said

Kiki was the team’s leading scorer averaging 19.4 points per game and racked up 36 against Oregon. “The bigger the game, the better she played,” Tara said. She received many awards and, like Chloe, had a 4.0 last quarter.

Coaches next, followed by seniors

Next came the coaches, including coaching fellow Erin Poindexter McHan. Tara had lavish praise for assistant coaches Erica “Bird” McCall, Tempie Brown and Katy Steding along with Kate, whom she called “a phenomenal coach.”

Finally, the two seniors, who have accumulated a batch of honors between them, came to the front. Tara said she’s thankful that grad guard Hannah Jump decided to return for her fifth year of eligibility to earn her master’s degree. She played in a record 167 games over her career, never fouled out and launched 364 3s, a school record.

Speaking to the crowd, Hannah said she’s grateful to Tara, who has had “a tremendous impact on women’s basketball.”

Forward Cameron Brink had “outstanding career,” Tara said. She was named an All-American by several organizations and had 424 blocks. Only Brittney Griner and Courtney Paris, playing for other teams in the past, had more.

Cam thanked the donors and fans and paid tribute to the coaches and her family for their support.

A video of season highlights came next. Besides all the baskets made by individuals, I was most impressed by the passing and assists, indicators of the team’s unselfishness.

And as the crowd gave Tara a standing ovation, she said her career and this year have been “a magical experience for me,” as they have been for the team’s fans.