The John R.
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
Massachusetts native Tara VanDerveer grew up surrounded by a family that valued both education and sports. That played a pivotal role in her future coaching philosophy. VanDerveer’s career on the court at Indiana University developed her analytical, teaching-first approach to the game.
As a Hoosier she shone, becoming a three-year letter winner and Dean’s List scholar as a starting guard on the women’s team from 1973-1975. Outside of the Indiana court she earned invitations to tryout camps for the World Games in 1972 and the Olympic Team in 1974.
In 1980 she swapped the Hoosier hat to be a Buckeye, kicking off her legendary coaching career at Ohio State. There she would lead the Buckeyes to multiple Big Ten titles and develop a reputation for elite scouting and player development. She was known for her calm sideline presence and meticulous preparation.
Come 1985 VanDerveer would create a lasting impact on Stanford’s basketball program. She racked up 14 Final Four appearances earning a reputation as one of the most consistent programs in college basketball. VanDerveer then had three NCAA Championships (1990, 1992, 2021) with over 1,200 career wins making her the winningest coach in college basketball history (men’s or women’s). With her support and commitment dozens of WNBA players owe their development to her, some including Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, Candice Wiggins, and Kiana Williams.
From 1995-1996 the star coach took a leave to head the U.S. Women’s National Team. She led team USA to Olympic gold in 1996, launching what would become the modern era of dominance. Her work helped lay the foundation for the WNBA’s creation in 1997.
While her name goes down in history as one of the most pivotal people to push women in sports forward, it most certainly did not come without some hardware. Collecting various National Coach of the Year awards she was a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2002 and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2011.
As of April 2024, VanDerveer announced her retirement, moving on to enjoy life outside of the grind of the season. She continues to be involved with the Stanford program in a supportive, ambassador‑style role as the university transitioned to new leadership under Kate Paye. VanDerveer retired as the winningest coach in college basketball history with 1,216 victories.
WNBA rookie star Kiki Iriafen, who once played for VanDerveer, asked her what her favorite Tara-isms were. Her response: “Sleep nights when we’re not focusing on a drill… Some days you’re the dog, some days you’re the hydrant… They made the movie ‘Dumb & Dumber,’ and you weren’t in it.”
Category: General Sports
