The Pac-12 is a dying conference. In the next college sports cycle, several current Pac-12 schools will be in the Big Ten Conference. Others will go to the Big 12. Oregon State and Washington State, technically Pac-12 schools, will play Mountain West opponents in football and West Coast Conference opponents in basketball. There isn’t much time left for Pac-12 schools, teams, coaches, and athletes to achieve Pac-12 milestones. One Stanford legend notched a big feat before Stanford leaves for the ACC in several months. Tara VanDerveer now stands alone.
VanDerveer scored her 1,203rd career Division I victory on Sunday afternoon when Stanford beat Oregon State, 65-56. VanDerveer passed Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski — Coach K — for the top spot on the all-time Division I basketball wins list.
VanDerveer has won three national championships at Stanford and reached 14 Final Fours. At the age of 70, she now has an achievement reflective of the marriage of her longevity and excellence.
Notable about this win: Stanford won without injured star Cameron Brink, who got hurt Friday against Oregon. VanDerveer had to make adjustments for this game and get an altered lineup ready to play against a good Oregon State team which is likely to make the NCAA Tournament.
In her record-breaking win, VanDerveer reminded everyone how great she is, a fitting tribute to a coach who has dotted her Is, crossed her Ts, minded her Ps and Qs, and who has now eclipsed Coach K.
Thankfully, the Pac-12 — not the ACC — was able to fully claim this special college basketball milestone at Stanford.
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