STANFORD, Calif. – Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketball Tara VanDerveer is the recipient of the 2018 Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Tuesday.
The WBCA Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award is named in honor of the late Carol Eckman, the former West Chester State College coach, who is considered the "Mother of the Women's Collegiate Basketball Championship." Eckman organized the first women's basketball championship in 1969 at West Chester. She continued to garner recognition and support for the women's game until her death from cancer in 1985.
The WBCA presents the award annually to an active member coach who exemplifies Eckman's spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and dedication to purpose.
"I am pleased to present Tara VanDerveer with the Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "Tara is a profoundly talented teacher who has used basketball as a classroom to prepare her student-athletes for success in life. She has also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to invest in young coaching peers to further the coaching profession. Tara has built a powerful legacy, shaping and strengthening our game over her 39 years as a head coach and reminds us of the late Carol Eckman."
VanDerveer began her coaching career in 1978 at Idaho. She coached at Ohio State from 1980 through 1985, before moving to her current position at Stanford. She has built Stanford into a powerhouse in the world of NCAA women's basketball. Since her arrival in 1985, Stanford has won two NCAA Championships, made 13 NCAA Women's Final Four appearances, won 23 Pac-12 regular-season titles and 12 Pac-12 Tournament crowns.
VanDerveer has coached two Wade Trophy winners, two Naismith Player of the Year recipients, 30 first-team All-America honorees, 18 Pac-12 Players of the Year and 70 first team All-Pac-12 selections. She was the second coach in NCAA women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 wins mark. VanDerveer is a four-time national coach of the year and 14-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. She also won two Big Ten Coach of the Year awards during her time at Ohio State.
VanDerveer has been an ambassador of women's collegiate basketball. She currently serves as a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors. In 2002, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, followed nine years later by an induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Her time with the USA Basketball National Team was a success as well. She led the team to a 52-0 exhibition record and an Olympic Gold Medal with a perfect 8-0 run at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
The WBCA Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award was first presented in 1985.