Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterApr 10, 2024, 07:19 PM ET

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer had flirted with retirement several times before, but she never thought she'd quite be ready to walk away from the job with which she has become synonymous for the better part of the past four decades.

Yet there VanDerveer sat at Stanford's Arrillaga Family Sports Center on Wednesday afternoon, spending roughly 45 minutes answering questions, telling stories and recounting the highs and lows of a legendary career in which she became the NCAA's winningest basketball coach with 1,216 victories at Stanford, Ohio State and Idaho, three national championships and 14 Final Fours at Stanford.

Stanford announced VanDerveer's decision to retire Tuesday night, adding that she will remain affiliated with the university in an advisory role and that Kate Paye, VanDerveer's longtime assistant and former player, was in the middle of negotiations to replace her. VanDerveer's retirement from the coaching position will become official May 8, which will mark exactly 39 years since she was hired as the Cardinal's coach.

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"After every year I really evaluate it, I've probably retired at least 20 times in my mind," VanDerveer said. "I just felt I'm ready. I never really thought I would be. I just felt like maybe I would just keel over on the bench because I love it. ... It kind of just came together."

For VanDerveer, it all came together after a season in which she didn't necessarily know it would be her last but checked plenty of boxes if it was going to be, especially with the diminishment of the Pac-12.

But even with the Pac-12's disintegration and Stanford poised to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference next year, a move that will come with a taxing travel schedule, VanDerveer emphasized that didn't play a role in her decision to step away.

"I want to just say that it has nothing to do with going into the ACC," VanDerveer said. "Really, that was a motivator to want to stay, to play that competition because I think it's going to be a great, great league."

According to VanDerveer, the motto for the 2023-24 Cardinal was simply "best year ever," and she was motivated to make it just that.

Along the way, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski's NCAA record of 1,202 wins Jan. 21 and, more important, coached a team that ranked in the top 10 most of the year before bowing out in the Sweet 16.

As VanDerveer and her team walked off the Maples Pavilion court following a round of 32 overtime win against Iowa State, she allowed herself to ponder the idea that if it was her last game on the sidelines in Palo Alto, it was a fun way to go out.

According to some of her players, VanDerveer had made a habit throughout the season of savoring every moment. It was, perhaps, a clue that retirement might be forthcoming, but nobody was certain.

After Stanford's 77-67 loss to NC State in the Sweet 16, VanDerveer said she did what she usually does, taking some time to assess where she stood and if she wanted to continue. During that period of reflection, VanDerveer considered the amount of work and dedication it took to succeed at her job.

The thoughts struck a similar tone to 10 years ago, when VanDerveer said she came closest to walking away as she struggled with exhaustion. At a dinner with longtime Stanford supporter John Arrillaga and with the blessing of athletics director Bernard Muir, VanDerveer agreed to return but with the caveat that she would need the summer off.

This time, though, VanDerveer thought of playing bridge with her 97-year-old mother, Rita, and the opportunity to go water skiing and sailing without having to worry about the recruiting or any of the many other endless responsibilities of coaching.

Ultimately, VanDerveer decided she couldn't give her all around the clock anymore. She informed the school of her retirement Tuesday night and called her mother before the news broke.

"It's a bittersweet moment," senior guard Hannah Jump said. "I'm very happy for her and everything she's accomplished and all the lives and relationships she has kind of touched here. But also, it's sad. She had such an impact on this sport and all of our lives as well."

Stanford has not yet formally announced Paye as VanDerveer's successor, but all sides are aiming for that to happen sooner than later. Paye played for VanDerveer from 1991 to 1995 and has been on Stanford's staff for the past 17 seasons, during which she emerged as the obvious choice to one day step into the lead job.

On Wednesday, VanDerveer called Paye her "security blanket," and noted that Paye has paid her dues, passing up other head-coaching opportunities to wait her turn in Palo Alto. Now that time is near, and Paye acknowledged Wednesday the challenge that comes with replacing a legend.

"Tara is one of one," Paye said. "That's plain and simple. Nobody could ever replace her or duplicate her."

Paye said that while there will be plenty of change for the program in the next year, she expects to retain the coaching staff as she hopes to "lean into continuity."

And, as Paye and the Stanford program forge a new path, VanDerveer won't be far away. While VanDerveer is looking forward to doing the things her life in basketball have kept her from doing, she said she has more to contribute to the athletic program, whether that's as an ambassador or in an advisory role in which she helps coach other coaches.

"I want to be involved," VanDerveer said. "But it'll be a balance. When you're a coach ... You're on 24/7, and I'm ready for maybe just the seven, not the 24."

VanDerveer's retirement comes at a time when a handful of some of the most successful coaches in sports have also walked away from high-profile jobs, if not retired altogether. Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban retired after winning seven national championships. Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick did the same after winning six Super Bowls.

But VanDerveer is also walking away at a time when women's college basketball is thriving at previously unmatched levels. Sunday's NCAA championship game between Iowa Hawkeyes and South Carolina Gamecocks averaged 18.7 million viewers, besting the men's final by nearly four million average viewers, and marking the first time the women's final has drawn a larger number than the men.

While none of that seemed factor into VanDerveer's decision to stay or go, she said it will help her walk away at peace with her choice.

"The support for women's basketball is just growing, and for basketball in general, it's very, very exciting," VanDerveer said. "I feel like I'm leaving it in a good place."

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Stanford's Tara VanDerveer on retirement -- 'Just felt I'm ready' - ESPN

DETROIT Before the nets came down on a day few will forget, Matt Painter walked across the court and extended a hand. He needed to see one of his own. Robbie Hummel had done his damnedest for the previous two hours to play it down the middle, with no bias, no allegiance, as a radio analyst for Westwood One, but now the former Boilermaker star clasped the hand of his old coach and it all came out. Big, real, hot tears. The purest kind. Because Hummel knows perhaps more than anyone else what it meant for Purdue to beat Tennessee on this Sunday in Detroit and book a spot in the programs first Final Four in 44 years.

Hummel could hardly collect himself, so broadcast partner Kevin Kugler handled the questions for Painter. Only in the waning moments of the interview did Hummel muster a few words.

We, he said of himself and everyone else who has worn a Purdue jersey, are so proud of you.

Everyone was spent. This was no ordinary Midwest Regional victory. This was catharsis. A moment so large that fans young and old wept. Gene Keady, the programs modern patriarch, was a 43-year-old head coach at Western Kentucky the last time Purdue reached a Final Four. Painter, now 53, was 9 years old in 1980. Hummel wasnt born.

But this was a day that, for two hours, embodied what Purdue basketball is. A 72-66 win was ruthless and tough. Bodies on the floor. Elbows in chests. Rebounds requiring co-pays. But it was also tactical and exacting. The right reads at the right time. Course correction in timeouts.

Basketball, well-engineered.

Exactly what Painter has tried to manifest for so long.

If you can put skill and competitive spirit together, Painter would say afterward. Those two qualities together is magic, man.

Sundays alchemy began with Painter in the pregame locker room delivering this final message: Up 10, or down 10, I dont care. Just keep going. Score the ball. And make sure you have fing fun.

The theory was promptly tested. Tennessees Dalton Knecht is a first-team All-American because he gets off shots few others can, kills fools with a deep bag of tricks and is unhindered by conscience. Fifteen minutes into Sundays game, it was all on full display. Knecht made six of his first nine shots, including all four 3-point attempts, and scored 16 early points. Seeing 5:11 on the clock and his team on the wrong end of a 15-2 run, and suddenly trailing 32-21, Painter called timeout.

As the teams exited the floor to their respective huddles, Knecht was met with chest bumps by every teammate. He then stared up into the rows and rows of Volunteers fans behind the bench and declared: This is my fing game!

Knechts clean looks were coming, in part, because he was being checked by 6-foot Purdue guard Braden Smith. Purdue needed to defend the Vols star more physically, so Painter tasked Lance Jones with chasing and harassing Knecht. Jones isnt much taller than Smith, but hes older, stronger and more physical.

What needed to be said was said in that huddle.

Totally changed the game, Hummel said of that timeout. I dont know what (Painter) said, but if you could bottle that, you could sell it for a lot of money.

Turns out, according to Purdue director of basketball operations Elliot Bloom, it wasnt only Painter talking. Zach Edey had a message, and, yes, when 7-foot-4, 300-pound Zach Edey speaks, everyone listens. Were not tired, Edey shouted. Theyre tired. Lets go!

Purdue outscored Tennessee 15-2 to end the half. Knecht went 1-of-5 in the stretch, scoring only on a runout dunk. Its hard to score when suffering from claustrophobia, and Lance Jones put him in a crowded elevator.

Knecht was incredible, but Painters switch made a world of difference. The soon-to-be NBA lottery pick finished with 37 points on 31 shots. He went 2-of-8 on 2s after being introduced to Jones.

He was cooking, the fifth-year transfer from Southern Illinois said. So I wanted to do anything I could to shut his water off.

Lets set aside how incredible that quote is to point out that no other Tennessee player finished in double figures and the Vols scored only 14 points at the rim. All game, from behind the microphone, Hummel wondered aloud if Knecht could actually take down Purdue by himself.

Because thats what it wouldve taken.

Purdue was, as it so often is, inconceivably well-prepared. Every question had an answer, and on the offensive end, it was typically born from a middle ball screen. Guards Smith and Fletcher Loyer played off relentless screens from Edey, leaving Tennessee constantly calculating between guarding Edey on the roll, attacking the ballhandler and sending a help-defender. The game of Choose Your Own Adventure typically ended badly because Purdue so enjoys taking your decision and using it against you.

With under four minutes to go and Purdue leading 61-60, and Edey having scored 12 straight points, the Boilers got into their offense for a crucial possession. With Loyer and Edey stacked as screeners atop the lane, Smith drove hard down the right side of the lane. On an island, Tennessee center J.P. Estrella was stuck picking between giving Smith a clear layup or leaving Edey. Jumping to block Smiths shot, Estrella could only watch as the ball passed in front of him to the open, waiting hands of Edey. The dunk gave Purdue a three-point lead with 3:22 to go.

Following a missed Knecht 3 on the other end, Smith again went to work. This time, after some sequencing, Edey stepped out to the perimeter for a ball screen, springing Smith down the right side, again. This time, as Tennessees Zakai Zeigler sagged, Smith kicked the ball to the man he left, Jones, who stepped into a dagger 3-pointer. Purdue up, 66-60, 2:40 to go.

Do they want to stay with us when we drive, and well shoot the layup, or stay with (Edey)? Smith said of the Boilers confounding attack. Pick your poison there.

Considering Edey as a poison is an interesting thought exercise. Theres no rapid result in poisoning. A proper poisoning is schemed, meticulously administered and mercilessly effective. In Edey, the uninformed see a monster and assume his production is based only on size and power. In reality, his every movement is created and calculated from Painters beautiful mind.

Against Tennessee, according to an unofficial tabulation, Purdue created 40 post touches for Edey out of offensive sets. This is despite Tennessee doing all things imaginable to prevent such entry passes. Those 40 touches produced all 13 of Edeys made field goals, a bulk of his 15(!) fouls drawn and six missed shots, while he passed out of the rest (often getting the ball back).

The way he moves Zach, the pick-and-roll stuff, the fake-dribble handoff play, Hummel said of Painter after the game, thats high-level stuff. Hes just playing chess out there.

The rest of Edeys damage came on the glass. This, to be clear, was absolutely a product of size and power. Five offensive rebounds, countless tip-outs. Purdue rebounded nearly 45 percent of its misses. That this game ended as the Boilers worst 3-pointing performance of the season 3-of-15, 20 percent went almost unnoticed thanks to 13 offensive rebounds in a 67-possession game.

Edey, in the end, lived up to his legend. In his 136th game at Purdue, and the biggest game the program has played since 1980, he set a new career-high with 40 points. He made 13 field goals He made 14 free throws. He grabbed 16 rebounds. He played 39 minutes and 27 seconds.

He also, appropriately, delivered the eulogy. After air-balling a foul shot with Purdue leading late and Tennessee looking to extend the game, Edey walked down the floor with his head slung. Teammate Mason Gillis approached from his left and gave a nudge. Edey looked at him, shook his head, and said, only, Im good.

The next play, with the Vols looking to cut Purdues lead to two or three with under 40 seconds left, Edey met Knecht star v. star, alpha v. alpha and swatted away the shot and sealed the game.

As the final horn sounded, unsure what else to do, Edey cut the line, stepping in front of Tennessee coach Rick Barnes to hug his head coach. He held tight. Painter might have a collapsed lung from such a squeeze, but it was worth it.

I get to pay him back, said Edey, whose scholarship list out of high school was fairly light for a player currently awaiting his second shipment of national player of the year awards. There were so many coaches that overlooked me. Name a program, I can name a coach that looked over me.

Tennessee fans will likely bemoan the officiating. Understandably. The Vols were called for 25 fouls, compared to Purdues 12, while Edey drew 16 and was called for one. His 22 free-throw attempts were double what Tennessee shot as a team (11). It was a very similar story when the two teams met earlier this year when Purdue notched a win in the Maui Invitational.

Barnes, though, stressed afterward that he did not blame the officiating. Edey, he said, is both unique and exceedingly difficult to officiate, and what was done, was done.

And now Purdue is off the Final Four in Phoenix. There isnt enough time here to account for all the rings in the tree that preceded this, but Hummel is among them and could speak for everyone. All the former Boilers. All the greats over the last 44 years himself, Glenn Robinson, ETwaun Moore, Caleb Swanigan, Carsen Edwards, Jaden Ivey who didnt reach the Final Four. Painter, himself, played from 1990-93, reaching three NCAA Tournaments, before later replacing his old coach, Keady, as head coach 19 years ago.

Ive talked to so many former guys that say, man, when I watch this team, they make me so proud because they do it the right way, Hummel said.

GO DEEPER

Voice of reason: Why Robbie Hummel is the next big thing in college basketball (if he wants to be)

In another universe, it mightve been some of those former players who took Purdue to the Final Four. Surely theyve all thought about it. Hummel surely had. Hes lived most of his adult life resenting the fact that those diabolical injuries not only curbed his career but maybe kept Purdue from reaching this promised land years ago.

I know what theyve been through, Hummel said. Theyve been through hell and come out the other side.

The view is different there.

It looks an awful lot like Phoenix.

(Top photo of Zach Edey hugging Matt Painter: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

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Matt Painter's chess moves and Zach Edey's relentlessness lead Purdue to Final Four - The Athletic

JMU has exceeded in many areas of study and student life this academic year, such as its number of admissions, research efforts and athletic success, President Jonathan Alger said in his presentation to the Board of Visitors (BoV) on Friday.

The BoV at JMU is composed of eight different committees, each of which focus on different areas of student life and university success, that meet together multiple times a year to discuss both future plans and recent accomplishments.

Fridays meeting took place in the Festival Student and Conference Center and recounted the universitys most recent successes.

Alger said JMU received the largest cash gift to date received by the university, which totaled $6 million and was donated by a 1949 Madison College graduate. The donor was the first woman in American history to command a brigade-sized male unit in the U.S. armed forces, Alger added.

Were very excited to celebrate her legacy, he said.

When discussing admissions, Alger said the total number of freshmen applications for fall 2024 was over 40,000, a 67.5% increase from the number of freshmen applicants in 2021. Alger added that this increase counters national trends, particularly for public universities, and that many colleges and universities nationwide struggle to increase enrollment.

JMU was also recognized as a national research university, which helps in attracting exciting numbers of out-of-state applicants, Alger said. JMUs diverse population is home to many first-generation students and minority groups, he said, that have been historically underrepresented. In fall 2022, 74.3% of JMU's student body identified as white, down over 4% since 2013 but 14.5% higher than the states population, as The Breeze reported in August.

Alger also said there seems to be an increase in the number of international applications received this year, which suggests theyre recovering from COVID. Transfer applications are continuing to be submitted, Alger said, with the number of applicants already over 800.

Alger also highlighted a new civic leadership minor launching this fall, in which students focus on studies implementing practices of foundational leadership, civic sciences and technology, alongside involvement in community civic leadership.

These will be great opportunities for our students, and it will certainly reflect the strategic plan of JMU in terms of high impact learning, because every student you see is going to complete an internship, some sort of research or a portfolio project related to team civic leadership, so really excited to launch this minor, Alger said.

Alger also recognized the success surrounding athletics throughout the university,

JMU was the only Division I school in the nation to qualify for NCAA mens and womens soccer tournaments, and it reached its first-ever bowl game. ESPN also selected JMU as the location of their 30th anniversary College GameDay with a record-breaking crowd of 26,000 fans.

This is the third time we have hosted ESPN GameDay; we are the only non-Power 5 school to have ever done this, Alger said.

Alger praised JMU womens lacrosse for its win over Virginia Tech on Wednesday, which bumped the Dukes up to No. 3 in the country and said the team has potential for a really special season.

During his presentation, Alger made note of a development for the JMU Doctor of Education (EdD) degree, which has recently been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

These are not easy programs to get approved its a long process, Alger said, adding that the only thing theyre waiting on before implementing this program is an external review.

Alger also said the Virginia State Board of Education approved the JMU Lab School for Innovation and Career Exploration on Jan. 25, which will offer new opportunities to high school students enrolled in Rockingham County Public Schools (RCPS).

Its a partnership with us, [RCPS] and also Blue Ridge Community College, he said. It will have that emphasis on career pathways and experiential learning. In 11th and 12th grade, students will have the option to take classes for either college credit or dual enrollment.

JMU will receive 12.3 million dollars to fund the program, Alger said.

Alger said online programs offered at JMU have been nationally recognized.

Its interesting to note here, in [the] U.S. News [and World Report], several of our online programs are now ranked in the top 100 nationally, starting with our MBA program at No. 18, Alger said in regards to the recent rankings for online programs.

JMU is also ranked 34th nationally for its MBA program for veterans, 41st for Masters in Computer Information Technology and 97th for the Masters in Nursing program.

JMU periodically conducts economic impact assessments, which were challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic but ultimately proved to be powerful, Alger said.

Despite COVID-19, Alger said the fiscal year 2022 data showed JMU invested $363 million in the Harrisonburg area, $488 million overall in the Commonwealth and generated $22.7 million in local tax revenue.

Alger added that JMUs $592 million in the Harrisonburg area and $763 million invested in the Commonwealth created jobs throughout the community and for every member of the Universitys faculty and staff.

We are the largest economic engine here in this part of the Shenandoah Valley but also across the Commonwealth, Alger said. So again, hats off to everybody who's working in economic development."

The BoV will meet next on April 18 in the Festival Student and Conference Center.

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BoV roundup: new education program, JMU rankings and economic impacts - The Breeze