Let the games begin

Fans of Stanford women’s basketball got a taste of what’s to come when they attended an open practice Oct. 21 in Maples Pavilion. And while no one’s predicting how the season will end, this preview promised some exciting times.

It was especially intriguing because it gave fans their first look at the new crop of freshmen. The team has what might be an unprecedented six newcomers, but only five were present. The sixth, guard Amber Orrange, had a cold and couldn’t attend.

Of the nine returning players, only eight saw action. The ninth, junior forward Mikaela Ruef, was there and in uniform but mostly stayed on the sidelines because of a sore foot. However, she didn’t waste her time. When she wasn’t on the exercise bike, she was being put through conditioning paces by Susan King Borchardt, ’05, the team’s new sports performance coach.

As the session began at 4 p.m., Eileen Roche, director of basketball operations, handed out rosters to help fans identify the freshmen. She later estimated that about 170 people were there by the end of the three hours.

After 15 minutes of drills as the coaches watched, Susan took over and led stretching and warmup exercises. Fifteen minutes later, everyone gathered at the center circle as head coach Tara VanDerveer spoke to them.


Then came something familiar to fans – the traditional opening run onto the court, this time led by senior guard Lindy La Rocque. I don’t recall seeing any misses on the subsequent layup drill.

Associate head coach Amy Tucker and assistant coach Kate Paye worked with the guards as they shot 3s at one end of the court. Assistant coach Trina Patterson, another new addition to Tara’s staff, worked with the bigs on the other end. Tara alternated between the groups before going to the microphone to welcome the fans.

Most of the rest of the practice was taken up by three 15-minute scrimmages between the white and red teams, overseen by three referees. On the white team for the first round were freshman forward Taylor Greenfield, freshman guard Jasmine Camp, sophomore guards Sara James and Toni Kokenis, sophomore forward Chiney Ogwumike, junior forward Joslyn Tinkle and senior forward Nneka Ogwumike.

Their red-team opponents were freshman guard Alex Green, freshman forwards Erica Payne and Bonnie Samuelson, Lindy, senior guard Grace Mashore, senior center Sarah Boothe and two male practice players.

Even though the 6’2” Nneka is 3 inches shorter than Sarah, she won the tipoff. Jasmine and Lindy started as the point guards for their teams, but Toni played at that position, too.


Various combinations of players saw action as they were subbed in and out during the scrimmages, all of which were characterized by lots of hustle by everyone. Worth noting in the first scrimmage is that Alex beat everyone on two fast breaks despite a brace on her knee. The score ended at 45 white to 32 red.

The second scrimmage saw Sara, Jasmine, Nneka, Chiney, Alex, Sarah and Lindy in white. Erica, Toni, Joslyn, Sara, Bonnie and Grace wore red, as did the two men. There was a scary moment when Nneka fell clutching her elbow. Trainer Marcella Shorty checked on her and soon had her on her feet and going to the sideline. Not long after that, Nneka reappeared with a red pad on her elbow, returned to action and seemed none the worse for wear – a great relief to everyone.


This scrimmage was highlighted by some good assists by Sarah, two 3s in a row by Taylor and two steals in a row by Erica. The score ended at 30 red to 22 white.

For the final scrimmage, the white team fielded Toni, Nneka, Chiney, Joslyn, Lindy, Taylor and Erica. Players in red were Sarah, Grace, Alex, Jasmine, Sara, Bonnie and the men. The final score was white 34, red 28.


Overall, the team looked good for this early in the season. It was good to see Sarah playing with no sleeve on her right shoulder after undergoing surgery during the summer. She seemed to play with more confidence and hit her layups more consistently. Sara also played with a lot more confidence and hit several 3s. Lindy had some nice 3s, too. And of course the Ogwumike sisters were terrific. One of their specialties is putbacks: If one misses her shot, the other is there to rebound and put the ball in.

The scrimmages were followed by free-throw practice. Everyone then gathered again at the circle for some words from Tara and team physician Dr. Elaine Lambert.

After the practice, 132 fans packed neighboring Jimmy V’s for a dinner of salad, fresh fruit, chicken, pasta with a choice of sauces, steamed vegetables and cookies.


While the fans ate, the team arrived, and Tara briefly introduced each player, starting with the seniors.

She said that Lindy, who usually is a 2 guard, was playing the point in the place of the speedy Amber. Introducing Grace, she said, “Our seniors are doing a fabulous job of mentoring our freshmen.”

Nneka “doesn’t need any introduction,” Tara said. “We’re looking forward to a great senior year.”

Of Sarah, who is a senior academically but a junior athletically after red-shirting her sophomore year, Tara said, “We are so excited that Sarah’s 100 percent and healthy. She played in pain” with her shoulder last season.

Joslyn “worked hard this summer. She tore up in the Pro-Am,” Tara said, referring to the summer recreational league at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco. Joslyn was the standout on her team, which included all of the freshmen except Alex, who was still recovering from ACL surgery during her senior year of high school.

Mikaela also worked hard during the summer. To Sara she said, “You had a great scrimmage today.”

Toni had “another outstanding day. All of our guards are pushing each other, and Toni is leading the way.”

Chiney, among other assets, “plays within herself.” “This is a hungry team,” she added. “Our inside game has a lot of experience.”

She described Bonnie as “high energy, always positive. She does so many things well.”

Taylor “has had great practices.”

Entering college “is a big adjustment for freshmen, (but these) freshmen catch on quickly, and they’re fast.”

Even though Alex hadn’t played for a year because of her ACL, “she’s doing well,” Tara said, as Chiney hugged her freshman teammate.

As for Erica, “I love your aggressiveness. She’s fearless,” Tara said.

Later she said that “Amber changes things a lot.”

Completing the team introductions with Jasmine, whom she called “a vocal floor leader,” Tara said, “This is an exceptional freshman class.”

She then introduced her staff, including Trina, who “brings experience and is a super person. There are some big shoes to fill on this staff,” she said, referring to Bobbie Kelsey, who left at the end of last season to become head coach at the University of Wisconsin. Bobbie “is going to do great.”

Besides the other coaches, Eileen and Marcella, the staff includes Lauren Greif, who has been named special assistant and video coordinator after serving an internship last season. This year’s intern is Liz Rizza.

Susan didn’t attend the dinner, perhaps because “she really has her hands full with 3-month-old twins and an 18-month-old,” Tara said.

Tara excused the players and took questions from the fans.

She explained that the 3-point line has been moved out to the men’s line, and “I’m OK with it.” A new line around the basket marks a restricted area where no charges are allowed -- an effort to protect players going to the basket.

Although Amber and Mikaela didn’t scrimmage, they’re in the top group of players, Tara said, adding, “It might be different every night.” The team has many good offensive players, so defense and rebounding will determine who sees the most action.

A recent newspaper article said Tara might consider red-shirting one or two freshmen. At the dinner, Tara said that’s a possibility only if it were good for the player and the team. She doesn’t have to make any decision until after the two exhibition games. NCAA rules allow freshmen – but not upperclassmen -- to play exhibition games before being red-shirted.

“This is a very different team” from the past, Tara said. “It’s going to grow on you.”

The players all have a good attitude, and the upperclassmen are doing a good job of mentoring. The younger players are mature. “They have already exceeded my expectations for them.”

She’s hoping to extend the team’s defense. Its speed and depth will allow the team to be more aggressive.

Overall, “They’re all great young women,” she said.

Summer seasoning for Cardinal players

Although summer provides a break from actual game competition, Stanford women’s basketball players are using the time to prepare for the next season.

As is traditional, the six incoming freshmen are getting a head start on the academic aspects of their Stanford careers by attending summer school. Except for guard Alex Green, who is rehabbing from knee surgery, they’re also working out and playing pickup games.

In addition, guards Jasmine Camp and Amber Orrange, along with forwards Taylor Greenfield, Erica Payne and Bonnie Samuelson played together on the South Bay team in the San Francisco Pro-Am recreational league. Joining them on that team and in summer school was junior forward Joslyn Tinkle.

Others attending summer school are r/s junior forward/center Sarah Boothe, junior forward Mikaela Ruef and sophomore forward Chiney Ogwumike. These veterans also worked at head coach Tara VanDerveer’s summer hoops camps. Sarah had shoulder surgery in the spring but is recovering well and is expected to be ready for the opening of the season, said associate head coach Amy Tucker.

Junior guard Lindy La Rocque wasn’t in summer school, but she was on campus quite a bit, working at the camps and joining her teammates in workouts and pickup games, Amy said. Sophomore guard Toni Kokenis worked at the final camp session after training at home in Illinois.

Senior guard Grace Mashore has spent her summer at home in the Washington, D.C., area while working at an internship.

Senior forward Nneka Ogwumike, although based at home in Houston, has been traveling a lot. She went to Nigeria with her family, went to the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles with Chiney and went to Washington, D.C., to watch her younger sisters play in a basketball tournament.

Next she and Chiney will be at the USA Basketball Women’s World University Team training camp in Colorado Springs from July 31 to Aug. 8 in hopes of making the final cut and playing in the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China, Aug. 14-22.

Sophomore guard Sara James spent two weeks in Europe with her family, then worked at Tara’s hoops camps.

In the meantime, Tara, Amy and assistant coach Kate Paye have been dividing their time between hoops camps and the recruiting trail. Besides helping with these responsibilities, their new colleague, assistant coach Trina Patterson, who started work earlier this summer, has been moving her family to the area and getting settled. The coaches will have some vacation time in August.

End of the line at Kezar

The Stanford-dominated South Bay team put up a good fight but in the end was dealt a 100-95 overtime loss at the hands of the bigger, stronger San Francisco team in the first playoff round of Pro-Am competition July 23 at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco.

South Bay sorely missed the presence of junior forward Joslyn Tinkle, its leading scorer and rebounder. The team captain, who has averaged more than 30 points per game, was in Las Vegas with her family.

Freshman forward Taylor Greenfield was there but not in uniform because of a sore back. Freshman guard Alex Green, rehabbing a knee injury, was there for moral support, as she has been throughout the summer. Some other stalwarts were absent, leaving South Bay with only seven players.

The game was played in front of a good turnout of Stanford fans, who saw several lead changes. At the half, the score favored South Bay 51-47. During the second half, the team led by as many as 13 points, but San Francisco kept whittling that down to pull ahead.

South Bay trailed 85-90 with just 55.5 seconds to go but narrowed the gap to 90-91 with 19.1 seconds to go. A San Francisco free throw and a 2-point basket by South Bay’s Jessica Kellogg, who has played professionally in Spain, tied the game at 92-92 just before the final buzzer.

By then South Bay was down to five players because guard Markisha Coleman, ’07, and freshman guard Jasmine Camp had fouled out during regulation play.

With 3:11 to go in overtime and the score knotted at 94-94, freshman forward Erica Payne fouled out, leaving South Bay with only four players on the floor. Besides Jessica, they were Kelsey Shea of Cal and two Stanford freshmen --guard Amber Orrange and forward Bonnie Samuelson.

Bonnie led the team with 30 points. She was six for seven on 3-point shooting. I didn’t keep track of free throws per se, but if she missed any, it was only one. She also had three rebounds and a block.

Among the other Stanford players, Amber was next in scoring with 15 points to go with three rebounds and a steal. Jasmine had 6 points, one rebound and four steals, while Erica had 5 points, nine rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Markisha contributed 4 points, two rebounds and a steal.

The starting lineup featured Jasmine, Bonnie, Jessica and Markisha with Erica at center. Jessica filled in for Joslyn as captain.

Besides Bonnie’s laser-like 3-point and free-throw shooting, the game was notable for how fearlessly Amber and Jasmine drove to the basket. Bonnie and Erica had the unenviable task of guarding Cal’s bigger and stronger Talia Caldwell. Other Cal women playing for San Francisco included Natasha Vital, Lindsay Sherbert and Brittany Boyd.

Stanford fans got a bit of a scare when Bonnie was fouled and landed on her knee under the basket, but she bounced back to make her free throws. An assistant coach applied an ice pack to it during a timeout. After the game, she said it was OK.

As has been true throughout the summer, South Bay was plagued by turnovers and poor rebounding.

Still, the team delivered a lot of fun, exciting basketball for fans. It also provided an enticing look at what might lie ahead for the Stanford Cardinal when the entire team gathers in September and head coach Tara VanDerveer and her colleagues take over.

Mixed bag for Stanford women in Pro-Am play

After coasting to a 98-65 victory over East Bay on Saturday, July 16, the Stanford-led South Bay team lost 91-87 to Mission Rec Center in overtime the next day in women’s SF Pro-Am play at Kezar Pavilion.

As she has throughout this summer program, junior forward Joslyn Tinkle led South Bay with 38 points (my unofficial tally) and 14 rebounds in the East Bay game. Stanford freshmen pitched in with 13 points each from guards Jasmine Camp and Amber Orrange, while forwards Erica Payne added 9 and Taylor Greenfield added 6.

Guard Markisha Coleman, ’07, completed the Stanford scoring with 7 points. The speedy little guard also had three rebounds and three steals. Freshman forward Bonnie Samuelson missed both games.

Among the interested observers both days was freshman guard Alex Green, who’s rehabbing a knee injury. The Ogwumike sisters – senior Nneka and sophomore Chiney, both forwards – watched the first game.

That game was marked by sharp passing and good teamwork by the Stanford women, but rebounding was a problem, especially on the offensive end.

Rebounding hurt the South Bay team in the July 17 loss to Mission Rec Center in a makeup game. The opponent’s speed also led to numerous costly turnovers by South Bay.

Whereas Saturday was quite foggy, Sunday was sunny, but parking around Kezar was tight because of the crowds participating in the annual AIDS Walk in Golden Gate Park. Inside Kezar, though, the South Bay fan turnout was light, perhaps because the game was scheduled to start shortly after the USA team lost the championship Women’s World Cup soccer match to Japan. Fan interest in that match was keen.

The game started late because it was preceded by an exhibition game between a Canadian team from Calgary and a group of Pro-Am players who have no more college eligibility. The Pro-Am players won.

The Kezar crowd included one new Stanford fan, Daisy, the nearly 4-year-old English bulldog that belongs to Erica and her East Bay family. The gregarious canine was accompanied by Erica’s parents, Laurie and Harry, and watched the whole game.

South Bay opened a lead that varied between 10 and 11 points during most of the first half, but turnovers began to take their toll, cutting the lead to 47-43 at halftime.

The game was tied 78-78 with 2:11 left. Both teams eked out another 6 points each to make the score 84-84 at the final buzzer and send it into overtime. Joslyn prevented a possible loss with a timely defensive rebound with 1.5 seconds left in regulation play.

She finished the game with a team-leading 28 points (unofficial), her first under-30 tally this summer. She also hauled in 10 rebounds and had three steals and five blocks.

She was closely followed by Erica with 26 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Amber added 8 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Jasmine had 6 points, two rebounds and a steal. Markisha had 2 points, three rebounds and four steals, but she fouled out with 4:11 left. Taylor played only a few minutes in the first half and had no points.

South Bay, which fell to second place in the six-team league, will face fifth-place San Francisco in a playoff game at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23. If it wins that game, it will play the winner of the Bay City-Golden State game at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 30.

Championship games (two out of three) are scheduled at 2 p.m. Aug. 6 and 7 with a final game – if needed – at 2 p.m. Aug. 13. Stanford’s summer term ends that day with the last day of finals.

All games are at Kezar Pavilion, which is on Stanyan Street at the east end of Golden Gate Park. Paid parking is available in an adjacent lot.

Joslyn leads rout at Kezar

Junior forward/center Joslyn Tinkle led South Bay, “the Stanford team,” to a 111-81 victory over San Francisco in Pro-Am play at SF’s Kezar Pavilion on July 2.

Joslyn scored 38 points – including four 3’s – and hauled in 10 rebounds for a double-double. She also accounted for a steal, several assists and some blocks.

The Stanford freshmen also acquitted themselves well. Guard Jasmine Camp had 15 points and three rebounds. Forward Bonnie Samuelson, had 14 points, including four 3’s, plus four rebounds and a steal. Forward Taylor Greenfield had 8 points and two rebounds. Guard Amber Orrange and forward Erica Payne had 6 points each. Amber also had two rebounds and a steal while Erica had three rebounds and two steals. Guard Markisha Coleman, ’07, had 3 points from a 3, plus a rebound. (Rebound and steal numbers are unofficial.)

This was Erica’s first action at Kezar after missing last week’s game with a sore ankle. She impressed the 15 or so Stanford fans on hand with her hustle and scrappiness, as did Jasmine. All of the Stanford players displayed good teamwork and willingness to share the ball, traits that will serve them well when the season starts.

One area where the South Bay team could use more work is rebounding. I didn’t keep track, but it seemed that San Francisco consistently dominated the glass both offensively and defensively.

The start of the game was delayed a few minutes because the jerseys for San Francisco – which has several Cal players on its roster – hadn’t arrived. South Bay used the time well by going through a shooting drill similar to the one that precedes Stanford games.

South Bay’s starters were Joslyn, the team captain, along with Bonnie, Jasmine, Markisha and Jessica Kellogg, a San Jose State grad who has played in Spain. During the course of the game, all of the 10 or so South Bay players saw action.

The score stayed fairly close during the first few minutes as South Bay seemed to have a low shooting percentage. As the half wore on, however, South Bay inched ahead, taking a 47-38 lead into the half.

Sitting at the end of the South Bay bench was freshman guard Alex Green, who is recuperating from a torn ACL suffered during her senior year in high school. She said she hopes to be ready to play this fall.

South Bay will play again at 4 p.m. July 9, 4 p.m. July 16 and 3 p.m. July 17 (a makeup game against Mission Rec). Playoffs are scheduled July 23 and 30 with championship games on Aug. 6 and 7 and, if necessary, Aug. 13.

Pro-Am games are played at Kezar Pavilion, 755 Stanyan St., at Waller, at the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Admission is free, and parking costs $2.50 an hour in the adjacent lot.

A weather word to the wise: Even if it’s hot elsewhere in the Bay Area, the Kezar neighborhood can be chilly, windy and foggy, so dress in layers.

First look at 4 freshmen

Several dozen fans of Stanford women’s basketball got their first chance to see four of the six incoming freshmen in action as they played a SF Bay Area Pro-Am game June 25 at Kezar Pavilion. Their team, South Bay, defeated Bay City 85-81.

The win came in large part from the skills of junior forward Joslyn Tinkle, who scored 37 points, snared numerous rebounds, blocked several shots and seemed to serve as the floor general for her freshman teammates: guards Amber Orrange and Jasmine Camp and forwards Bonnie Samuelson and Taylor Greenfield. She was especially vocal on defense during the first half, shouting, “Rebound, rebound.”

Two other Stanford women on the South Bay roster were on the sidelines. Freshman forward Erica Payne had a sore ankle, while junior forward Chiney Ogwumike didn’t arrive until late in the first half. She said after the game that she won’t be playing in the recreational league. She and her senior forward sister, Nneka, hope to play with the USA Basketball team in the World University Games later this summer.

Joining them on the sidelines was incoming freshman guard Alex Green, who is recovering from an ACL injury in November.

Former Stanford player, guard Markisha Coleman, ’07, is on the South Bay roster, too. However, as game time neared, South Bay had 10 players, while Bay City had only two. Therefore, four Bay City players, including Markisha, were recruited to play for Bay City, giving each team six players.

(Markisha said after the game that she has completed her master’s degree in education with an emphasis on psychology at Pepperdine and is working as a probation officer for Santa Clara County. Her young niece was with her.)

With so few players on each team, everyone got lots of playing time. Joslyn played the entire 40 minutes, while her teammates had only brief breathers.

As mentioned, Joslyn led the scoring by Stanford women with 37 points. She was followed by Bonnie and Amber with 16 each, Jasmine with 12 and Taylor with two. I didn’t keep track of rebounds, but Taylor had several, as did the other Stanford women. Joslyn, Taylor and Bonnie got into foul trouble with four each, but they managed to stay in the game.

Markisha, who doesn’t seem to have lost a step since her Stanford days, had 10 points. Some of them came as a Bay City player would make a defensive rebound and lob a long pass to her as she streaked toward the basket. She also stole the ball several times.

Joslyn started the game with several unsuccessful 3-point attempts but soon found her footing by posting up under the basket. She did wind up with several 3s, but I didn’t keep track.

South Bay trailed by 11 points, 44-33, at the half, but Joslyn led a rally that brought her team to within 2 points, 70-68, with 7:15 left. At one point she scored several successive baskets, helping to put South Bay ahead 82-81 with 2:01 to go.

As the players warmed up before the game, fans tried to figure out who was who, aside from Joslyn and Markisha. The program was no help because it didn’t have jersey numbers. Finally, the scorekeeper went onto the floor and got them from the players.

Before the officials decided to send some South Bay players to the Bay City team for the afternoon, Joslyn came over to the Stanford fans and jokingly asked if anyone wanted to play.

It’s too early to predict how well this freshman class will do. The promise they show is awaiting Stanford coaching and collegiate competition. They’ll also benefit from the time they spend on the strength and conditioning regimen.

In the meantime, they all showed a good work ethic and sense of teamwork with some efficient ball movement. Both guards, Amber and Jasmine, are speedy, and neither is afraid to penetrate the defense and drive to the basket.

South Bay will play again at noon July 2, at 4 p.m. July 9, at 4 p.m. July 16 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday July 17.

The July 17th game, between South Bay and Mission Rec. Center, has been added to a schedule as a makeup game for the one which didn't exactly happen on June 18th. The original game did take place, but with four borrowed players for South Bay.

Playoffs are scheduled July 23 and 30 with championship games on Aug. 6 and 7 and, if necessary, Aug. 13.

Pro-Am games are played at Kezar Pavilion, 755 Stanyan St., at Waller, at the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Admission is free, and parking costs $2.50 an hour in the adjacent lot. There’s a North Beach Pizza just across the street, where several fans went after the game.

Thanks for the memories, Part 3 of 3

By virtue of its second consecutive undefeated Pac-10 season, the Stanford women’s basketball team earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament in Los Angeles.

Because of a change in the tournament format, the Cardinal enjoyed two byes and automatically went into the semi-final game. Moreover, another change moved that game and the final game to Staples Center, while the earlier games were played at USC’s Galen Center, where all the women’s games had been played in recent years.

Finally, the men’s and women’s games were scheduled over the same time period, but all of the men’s games were at Staples.

Pac-10 Tournament

ARIZONA --- The new format meant that Stanford’s first opponent was Arizona, which had to win two games on two consecutive days to reach the semi-finals on March 11. The game was scheduled at noon, but a sort of competition started two hours earlier at the hotel where the teams were staying.

Both teams’ bands and fans were there for a send-off, with the Arizona delegation forming a reception line outside one door toward the waiting buses, while the Cardinal group formed another line at the adjacent door. Mostly the bands took turns playing, but when the Arizona band launched into “Born to be Wild,” the Stanford players happily joined in the refrain.

The players and their fans also were happy at the game’s outcome, with Stanford winning 100-71. All 13 uniformed players got into the game, but the forwards led the way. Junior Nneka Ogwumike had 32 points, followed by freshman Chiney Ogwumike with 21, senior Kayla Pedersen with 16 and red-shirt sophomore Sarah Boothe with 12. The Cardinal outrebounded the Wildcats 41-29 and had 30 assists to Arizona’s 10.

After briefly joining their families, the players, along with the coaches, returned to the arena to scout the Cal-UCLA semi-final game. Thus they saw Kayla receive the annual Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award. She got a plaque, and Toyo Tires, the sponsor, gave $1,000 to the Stanford athletic scholarship fund.

UCLA --- The team enjoyed another sendoff from the hotel the next day, March 12, before facing UCLA for the championship. Stanford trailed 21-30 at the half, but heated up in the second half. Freshman guard Toni Kokenis came off the bench to provide a spark, finishing the game with a team-high and career-high 17 points. The final score was 64-55.

Thus Stanford became the last Pac-10 women’s champion. Next season the conference will become the Pac-12 with the addition of Colorado and Utah.


NCAA Rounds One & Two

UC DAVIS --- NCAA competition began March 19 at Maples. The weather outside was cold and rainy, but the No. 1-seeded Cardinal reigned inside with 13 3-pointers and an 86-59 victory over No. 16 seed UC Davis. The 13 3’s were the most since 14 in the exhibition game against Vanguard. The most in a regular season game was 12 at Arizona in February.

Junior guard Lindy La Rocque had four 3’s, followed by Kayla, senior guard Jeanette Pohlen and Toni with three each. All five starters were in double figures. Nneka had a game-high 22 points, while Lindy had 14, Jeanette and Kayla had 11 each, and Chiney had 10. Toni had 11 off the bench.

As the Cardinal continued to pull ahead in the second half, the more than 6,500 people packing Maples were entertained by the antics of the Aggies’ mustang mascot, Gunrock.

ST. JOHN’S --- The Cardinal’s next opponent at Maples was No. 9 seed St. John’s, which had defeated No. 8 seed Texas Tech. Stanford won handily, 75-49. Thus the team’s four true seniors did something no other Cardinal class before them had done – they ended their collegiate careers with a perfect 63-0 home record of 63-0. They also gave their team a berth in their fourth consecutive Sweet Sixteen in hopes of heading for their fourth Final Four.


Still, the March 21 victory was a total team effort with the scoring led by Nneka with 22 points and Kayla with 14. Chiney, celebrating her 19th birthday, had 13 points and 12 rebounds. The team’s two sophomores, forwards Mikaela Ruef and Joslyn Tinkle, made significant contributions. Their heads-up plays resulted in 7 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block by Joslyn and 5 points, four rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal by Mikaela. They each had a 3-pointer, to go with two each by Jeanette and Kayla.

The only unsettling moment came when Toni limped off the court and then into the locker room with what appeared to be an ankle injury. When she returned to the bench with about 11 minutes to go in the second half, the crowd of just more than 5,900 gave her a prolonged standing ovation.

Spokane Regional

Stanford fans were vastly outnumbered at the Spokane regional, but their team was not outscored. Instead the Cardinal defeated No. 5 North Carolina 72-65 on March 26 and No. 11 Gonzaga 83-60 to win the regional trophy on March 28.


Because Spokane is Gonzaga’s hometown, the Spokane Arena was packed with its fans. The roar was deafening when the underdog Zags defeated No. 7 Louisville 76-69 on March 26.

Everywhere you looked around town, people sported the Gonzaga logo. Two exceptions were the Davenport Hotel, the Cardinal headquarters, and the neighboring Post Street Ale House, which hosted fan get-togethers before the team send-offs.

Even though most of the Louisville and North Carolina contingents had left, the arena was packed for the Stanford-Gonzaga showdown. While waiting for the game to start, fans kept track of the game between a No. 2 seed, Notre Dame, and another No. 1 seed, Tennessee. The Irish won that one 73-59.

Gonzaga trailed through most of the game but stayed fairly close during the first half, which ended 47-38. With 1:14 left and the score at 79-58, Gonzaga’s phenomenal senior point guard, Courtney Vandersloot, left the game. She received a prolonged standing ovation from the entire crowd and ended as the game’s leading scorer with 25 points.

She also was named to the all-regional team along with Kayla, Chiney and North Carolina’s Italee Lucas. Nneka was named the tournament’s most outstanding player with a total of 42 points and 14 rebounds in the two games.

Final Four

Stanford’s hopes for a national championship evaporated in a mere 3 seconds after Texas A&M scored the winning basket to inch ahead 63-62 in the semi-final game at Indianapolis on April 3.

It appeared that the Cardinal had the upper hand when a basket by Nneka put her team ahead 62-61 with 9 seconds to go, but the Aggies managed to get the ball down the court and score.

It was a bitter disappointment for the team that had gone to four consecutive Final Fours and returned home empty-handed. Still, the team and individual players can point to a long list of accomplishments.

The outcome might have been different if just a few things had been different, but the Aggies played strong defense, an attribute that led them to dispatch Notre Dame 76-70 in the championship game on April 5. Both Notre Dame and the Aggies were No. 2 seeds. The Aggies had bounced Baylor in their regional, while Notre Dame defeated Tennessee in their regional before knocking off UConn in the other semi-final game.

The day of the semi-final games began with high hopes and high spirits at Stanford’s Crowne Plaza Hotel.


The crowd included several hundred fans and family members like Erica and Olivia Ogwumike. They were wearing T-shirts made by their mother that had “Go Sis” on the front and the numbers 13 and 30 on the back, for older sisters Chiney and Nneka, respectively.

Three children wearing Tree costumes with “Sprig” on one, “Sprout” on another and “Shrub” on the third, quickly became favorites for photos, posing with the cheerleaders.

The Stanford-Texas A&M game was tight, with nine lead changes and four ties. Statistically, Stanford led in rebounds, 39-29; assists, 13-10; blocks, 8-5; steals 8-7; and points in the paint, 32-22. The Cardinal had 18 fouls to the Aggies’ 19, but the Aggies made all 10 of their free throws while Stanford made 13 of 19. The Aggies had 12 turnovers, which led to 10 Stanford points, while Stanford had 22 that led to 21 Aggie points.

Nneka led both teams in scoring with 31 points. Jeanette was the only other Cardinal in double figures with 11, while Kayla was the game leader with 10 rebounds. Chiney and fifth-year senior guard Melanie Murphy both fouled out late in the game. Jeanette went to the bench with a sprained ankle after the Aggies’ final basket with 3.3 seconds left. Stanford’s effort to get the ball up the court was unsuccessful, and so ended the game.

Despite their deep disappointment, the Stanford players and coaches accepted the loss gracefully, as demonstrated in the post-game press conference with Nneka, Kayla, Mel and head coach Tara VanDerveer.

There was no finger-pointing, no blaming. Instead they complimented the Aggies. The players’ biggest regret, as voiced by Kayla, was that they would no longer be playing with and for their teammates. That’s a sentiment shared by their saddened fans, who will miss Mel, Kayla, Jeanette, forward Ashley Cimino and guard Hannah Donaghe.

Spring Banquet

The team and fans had one more opportunity to get together at the annual spring banquet on April 20 at the Stanford faculty club. It was both a celebration of the 2010-11 season and a sad farewell to some of the people who made it so successful.

Besides the five senior players, the team is losing senior managers Kerry Blake and Dorothy Boakye Donkor. The coaching staff is losing assistant Bobbie Kelsey, who has been named head coach at the University of Wisconsin.

People in the sold-out crowd of more than 300 congratulated her and wished her well. She told the guests that she hopes to import some of Stanford’s wisdom to her Badger team, but “for all you folks who want us to schedule Stanford – forget about it,” she said.

Like Bobbie, Kayla and Jeanette drew crowds of well-wishers during the social before the dinner. Kayla is headed for the Tulsa Shock after going seventh in the recent WNBA draft, and Jeanette will play for the Indiana Fever after going ninth.

Ashley is applying for graduate schools near her home in Maine and is hoping for an internship in public relations. Mel said she’ll probably go back to New York and perhaps run basketball clinics. She wants to continue working with Candice Wiggins,’08, who’s leading an autumn trip to Spain, where she played after her first season with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Hannah is going to Australia to fulfill a study-abroad requirement.

Tara introduced the players and talked about their strengths and accomplishments, starting with the freshmen and ending with the seniors, who all thanked the fans for their support over the years.

The evening also featured a video that highlighted great plays by each team member as well as memorable moments during the season, including the “Got Bounce” music video created by Mel.

Then it was time to announce the team’s choice for the Lizard Lung Award, a light-hearted tradition honoring the team’s most gullible player. It was presented to Chiney by last year’s winner, Hannah, joined by other previous winners Jeanette, Sarah and Bobbie.

Tara wrapped up the evening by praising the team for its courage and “the emotional energy that went into this season.” Looking ahead, she said she’s excited about the six freshmen who will join the team this coming fall.

“The seniors have set such a high bar” that was learned from others before them. Therefore, she urged the returning players to continue that tradition with their new teammates. “Returnees (are the) keepers of the culture,” she said.

With that, she reminded the returnees that they had a 7:15 a.m. workout the next day – time to start looking forward to 2011-12.

Thanks for the memories, Part 2 of 3

Pac-10 play gets under way


CAL --- Ending 2010 with decisive victories over Xavier and UConn and a 9-2 record (the only losses before the Final Four), the Stanford women’s basketball team started 2011 off right with a 78-45 win at Cal on Jan. 2.

Of the nearly 5,200 spectators watching this Pac-10 opener, many wore Cardinal red. They included 45 who rode the booster bus, whose driver quipped, “We’ve got a longer win streak than UConn.”

The Cardinal presented a balanced scoring attack against Cal with five players in double figures led by senior guard Jeanette Pohlen with 15, junior forward Nneka Ogwumike with 14, freshman guard Toni Kokenis with 12, plus senior forward Kayla Pedersen and freshman forward Chiney Ogwumike with 11 each.

This game also marked fifth-year senior guard Melanie Murphy’s first time in uniform after knee surgery the previous spring. Even though she didn’t play, fans were pleased to see her progress.

ARIZONA --- Returning to Maples, the Cardinal defeated Arizona 87-54 on Jan. 6. The game got close in the first half, but then the home team turned on the jets and shot a torrid 70.4 percent, outscoring the Wildcats 47-21 in the second half. Although her status was doubtful after she had landed on her shoulder during the Cal game, Nneka led the scoring with 24 points and eight rebounds. Chiney and Kayla both had double-doubles of 11 and 11 while Jeanette had 13 points.

Afterward the Fast Break Club had a chance to become better acquainted with Toni, who’s from the Chicago area. In high school she played soccer as well as basketball, but she complied with Stanford coaches’ request not to play soccer her senior year to avoid injuries, said associate head coach Amy Tucker. When the team went to Chicago to play DePaul in December, Toni’s mother cooked dinner for everyone, Amy said.

ARIZONA STATE --- By defeating Arizona State 82-35 on Jan. 8, the Cardinal handed head coach Tara VanDerveer her 805th career victory. Her milestone 800th win had come at USF on Dec. 22, but the official tribute was delayed because many in the Stanford community were on vacation or in Miami for the football team’s Orange Bowl victory after that.

Stanford president John Hennessy and athletic director Bob Bowlsby gave Tara flowers, a game ball and a framed poster showing her holding a net aloft following a tournament victory. A video also honored her.


“Well, 800 was a lot of fun, but how about 802?” Bowlsby said, referring to the 71-59 home victory on Dec. 30 that ended the Huskies’ historic 90-game winning streak.

Thanking everyone, Tara said, “800 wins is because I work for a great university” with a great administration and coaching staff as well as “fabulous players” in front of “the loudest fans in the land.”

After the game, Kayla spoke to the FBC. She said she had already completed the coursework for her major in psychology and was taking the one class needed to complete her other major in communication. She aimed to finish a quarter early with hopes of going into the WNBA and playing overseas.

UCLA --- With Stanford ranked fourth in AP’s national poll and UCLA ranked eighth, a competitive game was expected when the Bruins visited Jan. 20. Instead Stanford won decisively, 64-38, and placed itself squarely atop the Pac-10 Conference.

One highlight of the game was Mel’s return to action after being cleared to play only two days earlier. She entered the game with 6:03 left in the first half. Five minutes later, she stole the ball, ran the length of the court and made a tough basket, bringing the crowd of nearly 4,300 to its feet.

Kevin Aha, the new marketing associate for women’s basketball, talked to the FBC after the game. He was followed by two more additions to the WBB staff, interns Lauren Greif and Sha'Rae Gibbons Mitchell. The two 2010 grads are guards from Cal and UC Santa Barbara, respectively.

USC --- While many students were outside basking in the unusually warm winter sunshine, USC was the latest team to feel the heat in Maples, falling 95-51 on Jan. 22. Jeanette led the way with a career-high 12 assists to go with 21 points, five rebounds, one steal and zero turnovers. Twelve of her points came from four 3-pointers.

Kayla added 16 points, including three more of the team’s 10 3-pointers. The others came from junior guard Lindy La Rocque with two and senior forward Ashley Cimino with one. Also scoring in double figures were Chiney and Nneka with 14 each and red-shirt sophomore Sarah Boothe with 11.

After the game, Kayla told the FBC that the team has benefitted from Jeanette’s 31 points against UConn because opponents have to pay so much attention to her, leaving openings for her teammates.

Kayla also modeled the team’s new home white uniform. Made of a “hyper-elite, aerodynamic,” lightweight material, it was designed by Nike with some input from Amy, the coach said. Behind the number on the back are faint pictures of campus landmarks along with a block S.

WASHINGTON STATE – After two successful road trips, during which Stanford defeated Oregon 91-56 on Jan. 27, Oregon State 77-44 on Jan. 29, Arizona State 72-54 on Feb. 3 and Arizona 91-51 on Feb. 5, the Cardinal returned home to topple Washington State 100-59 on Feb. 10. Thus Stanford won its 49th consecutive Pac-10 game, breaking its own record.

Because it was a night for breast cancer awareness, everyone was asked to wear pink. Continuing a practice started by Joe Appel, father of Jayne Appel, ’10, Jeanette’s dad, John Pohlen, wore Joe’s pink tutu over his pants but added a pink scarf rather than Joe’s pink shower cap.


In a halftime video promoting the wrestling team, Tara wore a Stanford wrestler’s uniform and took on wrestling coach Jason Borrelli, who dubbed her “Tara the Terror.” The wrestling team then came onto the court for cheers and applause.

In a KerryCam video created by manager Kerry Blake during the previous week’s trip to the Arizona schools, Tara teamed with Sarah to challenge assistant coach Kate Paye and Ashley in a two-on-two basketball matchup, which Kate and Ashley won.

The videos were shown to the FBC after the game, when fans got to meet Kerry and her fellow manager, Dorothy Boakye-Donkor, who are both seniors. Even with their many duties, “it’s a really great job,” said Dorothy, a political science major. Kerry is majoring in sociology.

Another FBC guest was Jenny Claypool, director of championships, who has been in her post for 11 years.

WASHINGTON – After coasting to easy wins, the Cardinal had a tougher time against Washington on Feb. 12 but emerged with a 62-52 home victory. Washington held Jeanette to 3 points, but the three starting forwards stepped up with Nneka scoring 22, Chiney 21 and Kayla 13.

“It was a very physical game. It was a battle,” Amy said afterward. Washington was whistled for 27 fouls that led to four players fouling out. Stanford had 16 fouls. Washington had 21 turnovers compared with 12 for the home team.

Fans also had a chance to catch up with Sarah Dimson, ’01, who works for a social entrepreneurship organization in Washington, D.C. She travels a lot and recently spent a year and a half in India and Pakistan.

Senior guard Hannah Donaghe, an earth systems major, talked about her summer travels. She had an internship through the biology department and spent most of her time in a dry tropical forest near Oaxaca, Mexico. Hannah isn’t playing because she tore her ACL during a fall practice.

OREGON STATE --- After returning with two wins – 78-64 over USC on Feb. 18 and 67-53 over UCLA on Feb. 20 -- from what is often its most challenging Pac-10 trip, the Cardinal completed the conference season at home.

First up was Oregon State, which fell 73-37 on Feb. 24. The victory assured Stanford of a least a share of its 11th consecutive Pac-10 season title and marked the team’s record-tying 59th straight victory at Maples.

Nneka missed both this game and the UCLA game after injuring her ankle at USC. Against Oregon State, Sarah came off the bench and helped to make up for that lost production by pouring in a team-high 16 points along with six rebounds. Joslyn started in Nneka’s place.

A halftime highlight was Bloomer Basketball, featuring a half-court game between some bloomer-clad fans and graduates between the ages 50 and 80. They followed the rules from the 1950s and 1960s, which are quite different from today’s rules.

Prior to the regular game, Stanford fans loudly applauded the OSU players and head coach Scott Rueck as they were introduced. The fans were showing their respect for a program that made remarkable progress after the termination of Rueck’s predecessor and decimation of the roster due to transferring or quitting.

“Our fans are first class,” Tara said.

Those fans were honored as part of Fan Appreciation Night after the game. Other schools envy the support that the Stanford team gets from its fans, especially through the FBC and its website, said Eileen Roche, director of basketball operations. She acknowledged webmaster Marian Cortesi and others who write for the site.

Sponsors of the freshmen’s lockers received photos of themselves with their freshmen. Wally Mersereau, who reports on most away games for the FBC site, was honored with the annual Fan Spirit Award.

OREGON – With a 99-60 victory over Oregon on Feb. 26, the team won its 11th consecutive Pac-10 season championship and its 20th overall in the league’s 25 seasons of women’s sports. The win and championship were expected, so Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott was on hand to present the trophy to Tara after the game. She in turn gave it to the team captains: Kayla, Jeanette and Nneka.


The game also marked a milestone as the team won its 60th consecutive home game, a team record. That streak started with the first game of the 2007-08 season, meaning that seniors Kayla, Jeanette, Ashley and Hannah have never lost a home game.

With only one more conference game on the schedule, Tara used this game to rest the starters for much of the game. Hence, everyone got in, and no one played more than 22 minutes. Nneka returned to action but played only 12 minutes and had 4 points. Playing 20 minutes, Jeanette scored 20 points, while Kayla had 13 (plus 10 rebounds for a double-double) and Sarah had 11. Chiney, Mel and Toni had 10 each.

Three of the seniors – Hannah was on a field trip – plus Mel spoke to fans after the game. Mel said she hopes to get into talent management, while Jeanette and Kayla were hoping for the WNBA. Ashley said she has applied for graduate school in Boston and for Teach for America.

CAL -- The seniors were honored more extensively following the team’s 75-51 victory over Cal on March 3.

As fans began filling Maples before this Senior Night game, many carried signs thanking the seniors and picturing the five of them. Shortly before the game, Tara gave flowers to Cal’s two seniors, Rama N’diaye and Rachelle Federico. A video showed Tara thanking all the people connected with the games, people who aren’t usually recognized but who are so important to the team’s success and the fans’ experience.

During timeouts, three Trees cavorted in their costumes, joined by a green-hued guy, the Sprout, who will be next year’s Tree. As the second half wore on, this year’s Tree removed his costume and helped his successor put it on.

Then there was a touching moment with 25.8 seconds left and Cal with the ball. Tara put Hannah into the game, kept her safely in front of the bench, and then quickly called a timeout to allow her to return to the bench.

After the game, a video honored the senior players and the managers. Then Tara presented flowers to the two graduating male practice players, Greg Klausner and Ilan Kolowitz, followed by managers Kerry and Dorothy.

Then it was time to honor the players, starting with Ashley, joined by her mother and sister. Hannah was escorted by her parents and sister, and Mel was escorted by her mother. Kayla came onto the floor with her parents, followed by Jeanette with her parents and two brothers.


Because the game had started at 8 p.m. on a school night, there was no opportunity to hear directly from the players and their parents.

After that, it was tournament time – coming in Part 3

Thanks for the memories – A look back at 2010-11 – Part 1 of 3

Wow, what a ride the Stanford women’s basketball team and its fans took during the 2010-11 season. Compiling a 33-3 record, the team made history with its second consecutive combination of an undefeated Pac-10 season and the Pac-10 tournament championship. It also set a team record of 63 consecutive wins – and counting -- in Maples Pavilion, meaning that the class of 2011 has never lost a home game.

The team marched through the NCAA tournament at home and in Spokane before going on to its fourth consecutive Final Four and the semi-final game in Indianapolis in April.

All along the way, the team and individual players broke records and won well deserved honors. Here’s a look at how it all unfolded.

Pre-season events

KEZAR --- Fans who couldn’t wait for the season to start got their first tantalizing sample of what was to come as they watched incoming freshman guards Sara James and Toni Kokenis plus forward Chiney Ogwumike in the Bay Area Pro-Am summer games at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco.

On the same team with them were sophomore forward Mikaela Ruef and junior forward Sarah Boothe, who was returning to competition after red-shirting the previous year to recuperate from foot surgery. Chiney didn’t play right away because she was in Colorado for the USA U-18 team’s gold medal game, which it won.

All five Cardinal players impressed fans with their scoring, rebounding and ball handling while tallying the majority of their team’s points.


At various times, spectators included not only fans and family but also Stanford players like senior forward Kayla Pedersen, senior guard Jeanette Pohlen, junior guard Lindy La Rocque and junior forward Nneka Ogwumike, all of whom were in summer school. Another interested observer was the James family dog, Sadie, a terrier mix.

WINE TASTING --- As the players returned for the fall term, about three dozen fans gathered at Vino Locale in Palo Alto for the fifth annual Fast Break Club wine tasting and social Sept. 12.

Looking ahead, “this is probably the most competitive schedule that we’ve ever had,” head coach Tara VanDerveer told the group. She listed UConn, which defeated Stanford for the 2010 NCAA national championship in San Antonio; and Xavier, which lost to Stanford in the Sacramento regional final. That’s when Jeanette – in one of the most memorable moments in Stanford WBB history – ran the court in the final 4.4 seconds and scored the winning basket.

Fans also had a chance to meet the season’s two interns, Lauren Greif, recently graduated Cal guard; and Sha’Rae Gibbons Mitchell, recently graduated UC Santa Barbara guard.

The players began an eight-hour-a-week training regimen on Sept. 15, spending two of those hours with the coaches and the rest in conditioning and weight-lifting.

OPEN PRACTICES --- Regular practices started Oct. 6, followed by an open practice consisting mostly of drills Oct. 9 in Maples Pavilion. Afterward, the players signed autographs for fans going to the Stanford-USC football game (won by Stanford).

Progress was evident three weeks later on Oct. 30 when the team had another open practice followed by a barbecue at Jimmy V’s, where Tara introduced the players. She started with the eldest, fifth-year senior guard, Melanie Murphy, who was rehabbing from knee surgery after the previous season.


The only sour note of the afternoon was that fans learned that senior guard Hannah Donaghe would miss the season after tearing her ACL in a previous practice.

Otherwise, “I don’t know that we’ve ever had a better October,” Tara said. “This group has been really special. Great things are in store.”

She also said she hadn’t decided on a starting lineup except for the big three, returning starters Kayla, Jeanette and Nneka.

EXHIBITIONS --- One week later on Nov. 6, the players donned their home whites and hosted Vanguard for an exhibition game, which the Cardinal won 116-65. In the next exhibition, UC San Diego fell 100-52 to the host Cardinal on Nov. 9. Joining the big three in the starting lineup were Toni and Sarah. Chiney came off the bench to score 24 points in 23 minutes.

The season starts

RUTGERS --- The season got under way for real on Nov. 14 when Rutgers came calling and fell 63-50. The starters were the big three, Chiney and sophomore forward Joslyn Tinkle. Afterward, Jeanette spoke to the FBC and thanked the fans for their support. She said that during the time between summer school and the fall term, she went home to Brea in Southern California and worked with the speed coach and the trainer who had helped her so much after her freshman year.

UTAH --- While the team took its first road trip to the University of Utah on Nov. 19, about 30 fans watched the 62-53 victory at the First & Main sports bar in Los Altos. Nneka didn’t play for undisclosed reasons, so Sarah started in her place. Joslyn and Chiney also started along with Jeanette and Kayla. The Stanford crowd cheered for Utes forward Michelle Harrison. She graduated from Stanford in June, but had another year of eligibility after missing a year with a torn ACL. The game also marked Lindy’s first action after rehabbing from a foot injury.

SOUTH CAROLINA --- The team continued its pre-Thanksgiving road trip at Gonzaga on Nov. 21, winning 84-78. Back home after Thanksgiving, the team drubbed South Carolina 70-32 on Nov. 26. The starters were the big three plus Joslyn and Chiney. “A lot of different people are getting looks,” Tara said afterward. “It’s a puzzle to put together.” Joining her at the post-game gathering was Chiney. Even though older sister Nneka was an obvious draw, Chiney chose Stanford after asking herself, “What’s the best combination of athletics and academics? That was an easy decision,” she said.

TEXAS -- The next visitor, the University of Texas, fell 93-78 on Nov. 28. Stanford was ahead 2-0 even before the clock started running. Kayla made two free throws after Texas was called for an administrative technical foul for failing to submit its starting lineup by 10 minutes before the game’s start. After the game, Sara was FBC’s guest. “Stanford was always my first choice,” she said.

FRESNO STATE --- It was Dog Lovers Day on Dec. 12 as the Fresno State Bulldogs came calling but left with a 77-40 loss. Honoring Humane Society Silicon Valley, the afternoon was devoted to Cardinal dogs with photos of players’ and fans’ canines shown on the video board. Then there were some videos of coaches and some staffers morphing into dogs. To top it all off, the popular agility dogs from ACE Dog Sports made their third annual appearance at halftime.

Toni and Chiney were in the starting lineup. Chiney had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the first double-double of her college career. Jeanette also hit a milestone, becoming the 32nd Cardinal to score 1,000 points. She hit that mark in the first half and finished with 15 points. Yet another milestone was that Tara recorded her 799th coaching victory.

“It’s really exciting to see so many people play and do so well,” Tara said while being interviewed by Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, ’10, who was providing color commentary for KZSU radio Post-game guests were Mikaela and Joslyn, who said they were glad to have final exams behind them.

DEPAUL, TENNESSEE --- Next came a disappointing road trip with the Cardinal falling 91-71 to DePaul on Dec. 16 and 82-72 in overtime at Tennessee on Dec. 19. Kayla missed the DePaul game after hitting her head on the floor in the Fresno State game. The crowd included a large contingent of friends and family of Toni and Sarah, who are from the Chicago area.

About 30 fans gathered at Mike’s Café in Menlo Park to watch the Tennessee game. The starting lineup featured the big three plus Chiney and Lindy.

USF --- The USF game on Dec. 22 was an away game, but it had the feeling of a home game with a busload of Cardinal fans joining hundreds of others expecting to witness history. They weren’t disappointed, as Stanford won 100-45 and gave Tara her 800th career victory. As the final seconds ticked off, red signs popped up everywhere. They read “800” on one side and “Congratulations Tara S” on the other.


The signs were a grace note to the accolades from USF. Head coach Jennifer Azzi and associate head coach Katy Steding, both in their first year there, gave Tara the game ball and flowers. Jennifer and Katy were in Tara’s first Stanford recruiting class in 1985 and went on to help Stanford win its first national championship in 1990. They also played for Tara on the undefeated U.S. Olympics team that won the gold in 1996. Besides the present team, others who had added to the victory total were Tara’s staff: associate head coach Amy Tucker and assistant coaches Bobbie Kelsey and Kate Paye.

Chiney didn’t play because of a tweaked ankle, so Joslyn started in her place, along with Lindy and the big three. Kayla led all scorers with 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.

XAVIER --- With memories of the last-second win in the Sacramento regional earlier in the year, fans were expecting a tough game when Xavier visited Maples on Dec. 28. They were wrong. Xavier fell 89-52. “This was a statement game for our team,” Tara said afterward.

It also secured the starting lineup for the rest of the season with the big three plus Chiney and Lindy. Also speaking afterward was Vanessa Nygaard, ’98, who was joined by her 6-month-old daughter, Emerson.

UCONN --- Then came the most highly anticipated game of the season for not only Stanford but for all fans of women’s college basketball. UConn arrived at Maples on Dec. 30 with an unprecedented 90-game winning streak, the most by any women’s or men’s NCAA team.

The Huskies left with the streak only a memory as Stanford won decisively, 71-59, before a loud packed house. The score was never tied, nor did UConn ever take the lead. The last time UConn had lost was to Stanford 998 days earlier in the semi-finals of the 2008 Final Four in Tampa.


Jeanette was the game’s undisputed MVP, scoring 31 points, including five 3-pointers, and snatching nine rebounds while dishing out six assists and making one steal. Stanford’s defense held UConn superstar senior Maya Moore to 14 points.

Prior to the game, Angela Taylor, ’93, hosted a gathering in Dallmar Court to announce her new venture, Networks Sports Consulting. One of her first projects is to help Candice Wiggins, ’08, organize a tour of Spain, where she played two years ago. A member of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, Candice returned to Stanford for the fall quarter to finish her undergraduate degree while rehabbing from a torn Achilles.

NEXT UP – Pac-10 play

A final farewell

The Stanford women’s basketball spring banquet on April 20 was both a celebration of the 2010-11 season and a sad farewell to some of the people who made it so successful.

Chilly temperatures and the possibility of rain moved the pre-dinner social inside as more than 300 people attended the sold-out event at the Stanford faculty club. The social gave guests a chance to mingle and to talk with the players and coaches. It also gave them a chance to see the players with their hair down and wearing dressy attire. Several of the taller players wore high heels that added 2 or 3 inches to their height.

Senior forward Kayla Pedersen and her classmate, guard Jeanette Pohlen, drew lots of attention as guests wished them well and said how much they’ll be missed. Kayla is headed for the Tulsa Shock after going seventh in the recent WNBA draft, and Jeanette Pohlen will play for the Indiana Fever after going ninth.

Assistant coach Bobbie Kelsey also drew a crowd of well-wishers. She has been named head coach at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

DeeDee Zawaydeh, administrative assistant, served as emcee for the evening, which she termed a tribute to “a memorable and exceptionally great season.” Gracing the wall behind her were the framed jerseys of the departing seniors: Kayla, Jeanette, forward Ashley Cimino and guards Hannah Donaghe and Melanie Murphy (completing her fifth year).

Honors for Tara

After the main course, DeeDee introduced head coach Tara VanDerveer and went through the long list of her accomplishments this year. She was named national coach of the year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, the Associated Press and Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Award). On top of that, she was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. She’s already a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

She recorded her 800th career win on Dec. 22 when the Cardinal defeated USF 100-45, becoming just the fifth Division I head coach to achieve that milestone. By season’s end, her overall career record was 826-198, DeeDee said. Her record during 25 years at Stanford is 674-147, or 82.1 percent of her games.

After receiving a standing ovation, Tara said, “I’m blown away at how fast this year went.” She also thanked DeeDee for organizing the dinner.

“This is a bittersweet evening,” she said, because it means saying goodbye to five players, two managers and “one outstanding coach.” She then cited the four true seniors’ 63-0 record at home, but added an asterisk that this ongoing Maples record doesn’t include an exhibition loss to the USA team of greats that won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.

“Going to the Final Four four times is exceptional,” she said. Except for Mel, no one else on the team knows anything else, “and we want to keep it that way.”

Saluting the Freshmen

After thanking the supportive Stanford administration and others, she asked the three freshmen to come forward and be introduced alphabetically. She started with guard Sara James, “a very motivated young lady” who had her best game against USF. Tara also noted that Sara’s mother was there.

Next came guard Toni Kokenis, a human biology major who got an honorable mention for the Pac-10 all-freshman team and served “as a very valuable reserve.” Her mother, a UCLA graduate, and father attended the dinner.

Forward Chiney Ogwumike was named the Pac-10 freshman of the year and was named to the all-Pac-10 team and Pac-10 defensive team as well as the NCAA all-regional team in Spokane. She led the team in rebounds with 281, closely followed by Kayla with 280. “She is a competitor. She brought a great passion and energy to the court,” Tara said.

and the Sophomores and Juniors

After more thank-you’s, Tara called up the sophomores: forwards Sarah Boothe (an academic junior who red-shirted the previous season), Mikaela Ruef and Joslyn Tinkle.

Sarah, a psychology major, “is a very hard worker” with a “sweet high post shot.” Mikaela “made great progress from last year,” while Joslyn “is a high-energy player,” Tara said.

The juniors were introduced after additional thank-you’s. Lindy La Rocque, a two-guard who started 29 games, “is a heady player who does a lot of little things” like setting screens. Her parents were at the dinner.

As for guard Grace Mashore, who is an American studies major, “her contributions are more in practice,” where she runs the scout team. She won the traditional sombrero after recording the best shooting percentage, 2 for 2, on the Arizona trip.

With the graduation of center Jayne Appel last year, “Nneka became the focus of our opponents’ defense,” Tara said. A psychology major, she had “an exceptionally huge tournament,” especially in the second Gonzaga game, when “she was not to be denied.” With a 58.6 percent average, she led the team in scoring with 576 points. She also racked up a number of awards, including All-American recognition by the AP, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, State Farm Coaches and the John R. Wooden Award committee.

Thanks to the Coaches

In thanking her coaching staff, Tara asked the threesome to join her in front. Besides Bobbie, they are associate head coach Amy Tucker and assistant coach Kate Paye. She credited Amy for her “wealth of knowledge” and ability to judge talent, having spotted Jeanette and Kayla early in their high school years. She also bakes cakes for the players’ birthdays.

She said Kate is “very organized” and a “student of the game” as well as the “key to the development of our guards.”

As for Bobbie, “Congratulations to the newest Badger cheesehead,” Tara said. She’ll do well in her new job at Wisconsin, but she’ll be missed. Bobbie responded, “Thank you for four great years.” She hopes to import some of Stanford’s wisdom to Wisconsin, but “for all you folks who want us to schedule Stanford – forget about it!”

Tara then honored senior team managers Kerry Blake and Dorothy Boakye Donkor. “You don’t always have managers who are so committed to a team,” she said, citing the KerryCam videos from road trips, among other things. They take pride in what they do and became good friends to the team, Tara said.

Saluting the Seniors

Then it was time for the seniors to come forward and be introduced, starting with Ashley. “Ashley is a glue player” who “knows her role and values her role.” Ashley responded by thanking everyone. “I can’t believe this day is actually here,” she said. The communication major told me earlier that she is applying to graduate schools near her home in Maine and is hoping for an internship in public relations.

Even though Hannah couldn’t play this season after tearing her ACL, “she put her energy into cheering for her teammates,” Tara said. Moreover, “we are all better recyclers because of you,” she said to the earth systems major, who is going to Australia to fulfill a study abroad requirement. Hannah responded with a thank-you.

Tara commended Mel for her “tremendous individual effort in our Texas A&M game” and for working hard to come back from what could have been career-ending knee surgery last spring.

“It’s been a great five years for me,” Mel said. “I hope it’s been a great five years for you.” She told me earlier that she’ll probably go back to New York and perhaps run basketball clinics. She also wants to continue working with Candice Wiggins, ’08, who’s leading an autumn trip to Spain, where she played after her first season with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.

Up next, “Kayla Pedersen. Wow,” Tara said. She first came to Stanford when she attended Tara’s summer hoops camp as a high school sophomore. During her collegiate career, she set Stanford records for minutes played, 4,762; games started and played, 150; and rebounds, 1,266. Her 1,941 points place her seventh in the Stanford 1,000-point club.

The recipient of many honors, “she has done so much for this team over four years,” Tara said. “She’s a jack of all trades and a master of all trades.”

“Stanford has always been a dream for me,” Kayla said. It was great to have the same coaches for four years, and “this team – they’re my sisters,” she said.

Turning to Jeanette, Tara said, “Jeanette has had a spectacular career.” She tied Kayla for number of games played and was second to her in minutes played. Improving year after year, “she made herself into a great player for Stanford.”

She’s second to Candice in career 3-pointers made (268 to Candice’s 295) and this year set the record for 3’s in a season with 96. She was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and an All-American by the AP, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the John R. Wooden Award committee. “She has a motor,” Tara said, as she singled out Jeanette’s 31 points in the historic victory over UConn in December.

Like her classmate, Jeanette thanked everyone for their support. She also thanked her parents, who were there, for attending nearly all of her games. Her mother, Cindy, has an unbroken streak of 136 games. “I’m genuinely grateful for the four years I’ve had here,” Jeanette said.

Video Pays Tribute to Season

The guests then were treated to a video prepared by director of videography Bud Anderson and video coordinator Sarah Boruta. It highlighted great plays by each team member as well as memorable moments during the season, including the “Got Bounce” music video created by Mel and featuring the team, cheerleaders, Tree, Dollies and others.

It even showed Hannah getting into the final few seconds of the Cal game, which was senior night. This retrospective made one realize all over again just what a terrific season it was and how much each player contributed.

The last official item of business was to announce the team’s choice for the Lizard Lung Award, a light-hearted tradition honoring the team’s most gullible player, usually a freshman. According to team lore, a player who was being treated for a blister asked what the trainer was using. The trainer told her it came from the lungs of a lizard, and the player believed her.

In keeping with tradition, last year’s winner, Hannah, was the presenter. She also won the award her freshman year. She asked other winners to join her, so Jeanette, Sarah and Bobbie all trooped to the front. Tara noted that the very first winner was Jennifer Azzi, ’90, who is now head coach at USF.

This year’s winner is Chiney, who fell for a traditional prank that upperclassmen play on the freshmen, asking if they brought certain items of equipment on the first road trip. When Chiney said she hadn’t, she went to Tara and apologized. She also believed a story that some teammates had saved two baby mountain lions at the Stanford Dish. “I’m taking one for the team right here,” Chiney said.

Some Final Words

Wrapping up the evening, Tara praised the team for its courage and “the emotional energy that went into this season.” She was especially proud that after the heartbreaking loss to Texas A&M, the team went to dinner, and each senior said how much she enjoyed playing with the team. .

Looking ahead, she said she’s excited about the six freshmen who will come on board this coming fall. “The seniors have set such a high bar” that was learned from others before them, she said. Therefore, she exhorted the returning players to continue that tradition. “Returnees (are the) keepers of the culture,” she said.

And with that, she reminded the returnees that they were due in the weight room at 7:15 a.m. the next day and sent everyone on their way.

Many in the crowd lingered afterward, chatting with the players and calling them together to pose for one last group shot of the team of 2010-11.

Coming next, a three-part retrospective of the season.