Tara VanDerveer’s retirement shocked many fans, but it was a new reality for her that finally made sense. On Wednesday, when describing why she decided to retire now, after 38 seasons, she dropped a morbid one-liner — a “Tara-ism” — about what making that decision was like.
To know Tara VanDerveer is to understand that she can coach the heck out of some basketball and deliver a zinger like nobody else can. Affectionately known as “Tara-isms,” VanDerveer’s witty but impactful one-liners were a staple of her career. That wasn’t going to change simply because she’s retiring.
During her retirement press conference on Wednesday, the Stanford head coach explained to the media that she wasn’t sure the day she would no longer coach would ever come. VanDerveer jokingly said she thought the conclusion of her life would be on the bench.
“Sometimes, it’s just…you’re ready. I just felt I’m ready. I never really thought I would be. I kind of just felt like maybe I would keel over on the bench…because I love it.”
Kelly Xu’s biography on the Stanford University website ends with six words: First female champion at Augusta National.
A decade ago, Xu won the 9-and-under division at the inaugural Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals.
She was 4-foot-8, 61 pounds and called it, “The best day of my life.”
While being awarded her trophy — the first presented to a female at Augusta National — the fourth grader said, “I want to play on the LPGA Tour but not before attending a top university.”
Fast forward 10 years and Xu is a sophomore at Stanford. She arrives this week to compete in her first Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“It’s a full circle moment,” Xu said. “The Drive, Chip & Putt was one of my first achievements in golf, and it really helped foster my journey. What Augusta National has done, generously allowing us to use their course, has meant so much. If it wasn’t for the Drive, Chip & Putt, I wouldn’t have gotten that push.”
As a 9-year-old, Xu claimed her favorite subject in school was lunch; she said she’d serve Brunswick stew, cornmeal, cornbread, sweet corn, sweet tea and peach cobbler at the Champions Dinner.
Now, the Claremont, California, native majors in political science, and says her choice class this semester is a Chinese policy seminar.
As for her updated spread?
“I’d serve sushi,” she said.
Xu has made a habit of accomplishing goals since 2014. Following her trophy presentation, the fourth grader admitted that her dream pairing would be with former Secretary of State and Augusta National member Condoleezza Rice.
A decade later, Condoleezza is Xu’s academic advisor at Stanford.
Another aspect that hasn’t wavered is Xu’s respect for Augusta National.
As a child, she called the layout, “The most amazing course in the world,” and echoes the adoration as a 19-year-old.
“My parents are immigrants, and 10 years ago, we didn’t understand the depth of Augusta’s history,” said Xu, who hasn’t returned to Augusta since 2014. “After 10 years of golf, we get it now.”
Xu is vying to become the first competitor to capture a Drive, Chip & Putt title and ANWA crown.
“It’s bigger than I can comprehend right now,” Xu said. “I’m a process person, so my goal is to do 150 percent off the course to help my preparation.
“But, yeah, when I step onto that first tee box, I know the nerves will be insane.”
Three-star DT Kole Briehler announced his final three and Oklahoma is set for a battle with Ohio State and Stanford for his commitment.
Oklahoma is rounding the final turn and is gearing up for the home stretch in the race for one of their defensive line targets in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].
On Wednesday morning, three-star defensive tackle [autotag]Kole Briehler[/autotag] offered an update about his recruitment process. He posted a graphic on social media highlighting the final three schools in his recruitment process.
Oklahoma, Stanford, and Ohio State remain firmly in the mix, according to Briehler’s post.
Briehler also listed dates for his official visits with each choice as well. Stanford, soon to be an ACC member in 2024, will get the first official visit on June 1. A couple of weeks later, Ohio State will host Briehler. Recently, Briehler visited the Buckeyes. Last but certainly not least, the Sooners will host him on June 21 and have the final official visit before what could be a summer commitment.
Briehler is 6-foot-3 and has incredible strength. Oklahoma offered him back in November, and they have remained a steady candidate since then. Out of the Hun School, the talented defensive line prospect hails from the same program that produced 2023 offensive line signee [autotag]Logan Howland[/autotag].
No one knows how this may go, and no predictions have been submitted yet, but this recruitment will last through the summer. [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] is the primary guy for Oklahoma here, and he has a good track record for securing defensive linemen from the East Coast.
Will he prevail again? We’ll find out.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.
“After a couple of years of painful deliberation, I have come to realize that I do not want to play professional golf.”
This spring, after Rachel Heck completes her senior year at Stanford, she’ll put her golf clubs away and take on an internship in private equity. She’ll also be pinned as a Lieutenant of the United States Air Force. Heck explained her reasons for not turning professional in a first-person essay on nolayingup.com.
“I was strongly considering attributing my decision to my injuries,” wrote Heck, who has grappled with several in recent years. “It is true that even if I wanted to, I do not know if my body would hold up on tour. But frankly, after a couple of years of painful deliberation, I have come to realize that I do not want to play professional golf.
“I do not want a life on the road and in the public eye. I no longer dream of the U.S. Open trophies and the Hall of Fame. And I realize now that these dreams were never what my dad intended when he first put a club in my hand.”
Golf has given me the world and more. Post-graduation, I’m choosing to hold onto my love of the game as an amateur as I explore new horizons. Read about my decision at the link below🫶🏻https://t.co/LDq5j0pYYRpic.twitter.com/pZ7sEfpuX0
Heck qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at age 15 and, as a hotshot junior, suffered a back injury that left her sidelined from the game. Without golf, she felt lost, and during a period of darkness, decided that she wanted to pursue the Air Force ROTC to find something more. Heck’s parents told her she was crazy, but she persisted.
Heck won six times in nine starts in 2021, including her last five events. She became the third player in NCAA history to sweep the postseason, winning the Pac-12 Championship, NCAA regionals and nationals. She posted 15 of 25 rounds in the 60s, including 12 consecutive.
But, as her college career progressed, more injuries followed. While Heck intends to pass on the professional life, she does plan to continue to play amateur golf, following a similar path set by Wake Forest grad Emilia Migliaccio.
“I have grappled with anger, hope, depression, joy, and everything in between,” Heck wrote, “but amid each trial in which I so desperately sought the clarity of a deeper meaning, God always showed me the next step. Right now, the next step is not professional golf.”
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer has the most wins in college basketball history, so she knows what it takes to reach the mountaintop. You have to play some wild, hold-on-to-your-butts games to lay claim to a title like that, including Sunday night’s Stanford-Iowa State overtime thriller. Naturally, VanDerveer described it as “hotter than snot.”
To be fair, Sunday’s game was so wild I wasn’t even sure I was breathing for half of it. It had SEVENTEEN lead changes, ELEVEN ties, a 41-point performance from Stanford’s Kiki Iriafen, a 36-point performance from Iowa State’s Emily Ryan and two stars — Cameron Brink and Audi Crooks — fouling out.
Postgame, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, as only she can do, described the game as legitimately “hotter than snot.”
Tara just said Iowa State was: hotter than snot. Pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve heard that one. It’s now my new goal to work that into conversations. pic.twitter.com/g8ZTt9rObg
Lip-readers think Cameron Brink used some very NSFW language as she walked off the court.
The Iowa State-Stanford matchup was an instant classic, and the hoopers were HOOPING. Unfortunately, it was not the best night for Cameron Brink. She brought her signature defense but fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Brink was none too pleased about the call, and lip-readers think she shouted some colorful language toward a nearby ref.
If you didn’t stay up to watch the Cyclones and Cardinal women’s basketball team go at it, frankly, I don’t blame you. (It ended well after midnight Eastern time.) BUT YOU MISSED OUT. It was a back-and-forth game that included tons of buckets, blocks and fouls. Standford senior forward and WNBA prospect Cameron Brink had her lowest-scoring performance since January. Additionally, with just over two minutes remaining in the game, Brink was called for her fifth foul, ending her night and her career at Maples Pavilion.
She seemingly didn’t approve of the call, and as she walked to the bench, lip-readers think she said “[Expletive you]” to a nearby ref.
Kanaan Carlyle, who averaged 11.5 points for Stanford as a freshman, has reportedly heard from Duke since he entered the portal.
Duke might be working in the transfer portal amid March Madness.
Kanaan Carlyle, a former four-star prospect and 247Sports’ No. 59 overall player in the Class of 2023, entered the transfer portal earlier this week. 24/7 High School Hoops reported on Saturday afternoon that Carlyle has heard from at least 15 schools since he joined the portal, including the Blue Devils.
Carlyle averaged 11.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a freshman for Stanford last season. He played in 23 games, starting in 16 of them, and his season-high of 31 points came in a January loss to Washington State. He scored at least 20 points in two other contests.
The former Cardinal has also reportedly heard from Baylor, Gonzaga, UCLA, Indiana, Clemson, Florida State, and Villanova, among other schools.
Stanford transfer Kanaan Carlyle has heard from these schools since hitting the portal this week, per sources:
Duke Texas Tech Arkansas Oklahoma Georgia Georgia Tech Miami Villanova Indiana UCLA Cincinnati Florida State Clemson Gonzaga Baylor
Duke won’t struggle for depth next season either way as its vaunted 2024 recruiting class features four five-star players and six of the top 50 players in the class.
Englemann admits she’d be lying if she said the lack of attention never bothered her.
Sadie Englemann used to bring her iPad to class in high school to watch the pros play Amen Corner on Masters.com during class. The surefooted Texan knew from a young age that she wanted to one day compete at the highest level.
Folks who follow women’s amateur golf even a little bit know two of Englemann’s highly decorated teammates at Stanford – Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck. They might even know Megha Ganne, who dazzled at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open when she played her way into the final group on Sunday as a high schooler.
But Englemann?
It’s tough to step out from the shadows cast by the greatest amateur player in the modern game (Zhang), and the hotshot golfer who will graduate as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force (Heck).
Englemann admits she’d be lying if she said the lack of attention never bothered her. A top-10 finish at a tournament barely gets a mention when her teammates are winning every week.
“But when it’s two of your best friends in the world,” said Englemann, “it’s hard to be jealous.”
Englemann, now in her senior year, came to the realization if she wanted that kind of spotlight, she’d have to raise her game.
Heading into her second Augusta National Women’s Amateur April 3-6, Englemann ranks 38th in the world and boasts back-to-back top-five finishes in her last two college starts. She’s the highest-ranked Cardinal of the four who qualified for the field. Heck, still plagued by a shoulder injury, is expected to play.
The two ANWA appearances will bookend Englemann’s career at Stanford. She missed the cut the first time around, but one gets the feeling her time is coming.
“Sadie absolutely loves golf,” said Stanford coach Anne Walker. “She eats, sleeps and breathes golf all day long. Because of that, she’s always wanting to get better. She’s obsessed about getting better.”
And her game since coming to Palo Alto, said Walker, is like night and day.
“I was a good player, and I had some success in my junior career,” said Englemann, “but I was also a hothead. Anyone would tell you that.”
Unable to control her emotions on the course, a bad stretch of holes would invariably balloon into a bad round. It’s not that she gave up on the round.
“I would try so hard to get back to even par,” she explained, “that I would blow up mentally.”
A more mature Englemann has learned how to stabilize herself, pointing to significant progress in recent months.
From a technical standpoint, Walker rerouted Englemann’s swing to help her play with a fade. Englemann came to Stanford hitting a draw that sometimes became uncontrollable.
While she doesn’t have a textbook swing, Walker notes, Englemann is comfortable with her own style and has learned much about her game. In 2022, Englemann helped the Cardinal win the team NCAA title.
“To play at the highest level,” said Walker, “you have to know yourself well.”
Englemann, who will graduate in June with a degree in science, technology and society, was starstruck at her first U.S. Women’s Open last summer at Pebble Beach. At the same time, the exposure gave her confirmation she could perform among the best in the world.
Zhang won her first LPGA start as a professional last spring after claiming both the ANWA and NCAA titles.
Englemann notes that Walker never gave Zhang special treatment at Stanford. She qualified for tournaments like everyone else.
When Walker talked to the media, Englemann continued, she never focused on one player. The chemistry felt among the Stanford players – with Zhang at the center – was strong, and it was real.
Zhang propelled everyone around her to get better.
“Freshman year Sadie would’ve gone (to ANWA) just overwhelmed by the stage and all the great players,” said Walker. “Almost feeling like she was an outsider looking in.
If the ACC crumbles, the Big Ten could be ready to pounce on a few potential members.
If you thought the Big Ten was going to settle in an 18-team membership following this year’s additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, you are probably fooling yourself. Expansion could be looming on the horizon once again if things in the ACC continue on the path they seem to be heading.
Florida State previously opened a significant legal battle challenging the ACC on its grant of rights. If Florida State is successful, it would open the doors for a potential mass exodus from the ACC to the Big Ten or SEC in a similar fashion to what happened in the Pac-12, although perhaps not quite as devastating in the grand scheme.
Florida State is not alone in its legal challenge of the ACC, however. Clemson officially joined the battle this week with its own lawsuit filed in South Carolina, potentially opening the door for Clemson and Florida State to carve a path to leave the ACC in search of greener pastures in the Big Ten or SEC. And if Clemson and Florida State do force their way out, then it stands to reason others in the ACC would explore their options as well, including North Carolina.
And, of course, this somehow all gets back to the future of Notre Dame as well.
SEC Network analyst and radio host Paul Finebaum created a stir suggesting Notre Dame is inching closer and closer to having to make a big decision on its future with football independence or conference membership. As Finebaum suggests, and something I’ve been saying for years, at some point Notre Dame’s leaders will have to realize that it is far more profitable and beneficial for the school to be a member of a conference than it is to be an independent. Considering the revenue shares that Big Ten and SEC schools receive compare to the revenue Notre Dame football generates, it has to fiscal sense to at least strongly consider ditching football independence in the evolving world of college sports.
This would especially be true if the ACC cracks with its membership. Notre Dame is a member of the ACC in most of its other sports (although it is a Big Ten school in ice hockey), but if members start leaving the ACC, it would make sense for Notre Dame to look for a more stable future.
The Big Ten would be the natural landing spot for Notre Dame, one might think. This is especially true if a crumbling ACC loses Stanford and Cal to the Big Ten amid potential realignment changes. The Big Ten adding Stanford, Cal, North Carolina, and Notre Dame would be a decent haul overall.
Zhang is one of five past winners of the Therese Hession Regional Challenge in the field this week.
Rose Zhang’s pre-tournament press conference at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship got moved because of a final exam in her media psych class. Later that night, she had a 15-page paper due for a political science class.
“That class is a little bit more niche,” she explained, “so it requires more research and reading and integration of real-life context versus the context that we learned in class. So it’s a little bit more difficult there.
“But after these are done, I’ll be golden for the next couple days and going forward until I come back to winter quarter next year.
Just over a year ago, Zhang was at Palos Verdes Golf Club with her Stanford team for the Therese Hession Regional Challenge. The three-shot victory marked Zhang’s eighth title in 15 career collegiate starts. As a team, the Cardinal finished second that week without two of their starters.
This week marks the third time Palos Verdes has hosted an LPGA event. Zhang is one of five past winners of the Therese Hession Regional Challenge in the field this week, joined by World No. 1 Lilia Vu (2018), Andrea Lee (2019), Lindy Duncan (2012) and Carlota Ciganda (2011).
Zhang teed it up in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, where she tied for seventh, and flew back to Florida in February for Capital One’s The Match IX with Rory McIlroy, Max Homa and Lexi Thompson.
Zhang skipped the second LPGA event in Florida, the Drive On, won by Nelly Korda, as well as all three events in the Asian swing.
Even so, there wasn’t much downtime during Zhang’s extended offseason. Trying to find a balance between part-time student and full-time golf professional remains a priority for the 20-year-old.
Though Zhang hardly returns to the LPGA refreshed, she called her winter quarter back at Palos Verdes “fulfilling,” pointing toward time spent with her non-golf friends. The lack of sleep and academic grind, she said, has tested in her ways that golf can’t. She’s also recovering from a recent battle with the flu that left her bedridden.
“But we’re out here thriving,” she said smiling. “I think a lot of the stress has come on to me, especially this week, it’s finals week, everyone is dying back at Stanford as well. All my friends are just going through it.”
As for her golf game, Zhang admits that finding time to practice has been difficult. Trying to balance 20 units in 10 weeks with all the other obligations that come with sponsorships as well as a social life has cut into time spent on her game.
When asked whether she’d considered not going back to campus in the future, Zhang, who has a residence in Las Vegas, said it’s a possibility.
“I mean, I’m pretty excited to come back out here to be fair,” she said. “Actually, school stresses me out a little bit more than golf does.
“I have considered taking online classes while I’m here on tour, so that’s a to-be-determined plan. As of now, I’m taking the spring quarter off and then we’ll evaluate what I do in the fall.”