STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford assistant coach Lindy La Rocque, who played in four Final Fours with the Cardinal before graduating in 2012, is set to take the next step in her career, heading to her hometown of Las Vegas to take over as head coach of UNLV, announced today.
La Rocque will become the second-youngest head coach in Division I women's basketball and adds another branch to the Tara VanDerveer coaching tree.
"Leaving Stanford is very bittersweet, but I know that because of my experiences here I am ready and extremely excited about my next adventure at UNLV," said La Rocque, who has also served as an assistant coach at Belmont and graduate assistant at Oklahoma. "Without Tara's empowerment, mentorship and guidance, I would never have the opportunity to become a head coach. I am forever grateful for the life changing impact she has had on me since I was a teenager. Thank you to everyone at Stanford, especially Tara and the coaching staff, for pushing me to be better every day and prepare me for this position. Stanford campus and the people there will always have a very special place in my heart."
La Rocque has worked primarily with the guard position the last three seasons with the Cardinal, helping guide a handful of All-Pac-12 players including Kiana Williams, Lexie Hull, DiJonai Carrington and Brittany McPhee.
"I am thrilled for Lindy and this excellent opportunity for her to return to her hometown and further her career as head coach of UNLV," said VanDerveer. "First as a player, then as a coach, Lindy has helped maintain the championship tradition of Stanford women's basketball. I've been pleased to see her channel her high IQ both on and off the court to assist our program in every facet, including recruiting, compliance and academic efforts. Because of her basketball knowledge, matched with unwavering loyalty and integrity, I expect her to do very well in Las Vegas."
Altogether, as a player and a coach, La Rocque has totaled an all-time record of 219-34 in her time on The Farm, including four Pac-12 regular season championships, five Pac-12 Tournament championships and four trips to the Final Four. She played in 138 career games for the Cardinal, ranking 10th in program history, as Stanford went 71-1 in conference play during her time on the court.