April 23, 2008
Eleven years is quite a long time, and a lot had changed in regards to the Women's Final Four in those 11 years since Stanford women's basketball had made its last appearance.
Yet even as the 13 Stanford players took that bus ride from the Tampa airport to the Westin Harbour Island Hotel that they would call home for the next six days, the four members of the coaching staff entered familiar territory, already accustomed to the colorful banners that decorated the host city.
Head Coach Tara VanDerveer, Associate Head Coach Amy Tucker, and assistants Bobbie Kelsey and Kate Paye, all of whom possess championship rings from Stanford's last national champion squad in 1992, sat back during the ride, allowing the players to bask in the feeling of arriving at long last to the mecca of college hoops.They all knew that the following morning, it would be time to get down to the task at hand, going for
Day 1
Friday morning began with a team breakfast, followed by the five starters (Candice Wiggins, Jayne Appel, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, JJ Hones, and Kayla Pedersen) joining VanDerveer for the three-minute ride to the St. Pete Times Forum for teaser shoots with ESPN as well as sit-down interviews with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli of Westwood One Radio, and the entire ESPN on-screen and production staff.
Plush leather couches provided comfort to the student-athletes as they waited their turns in front of the ESPN cameras. Then, the whole starting five had a chance to strut its stuff in front of the camera, introducing themselves, giving shout-outs to friends and family, and even showing off their best dance moves.
Following the fun, the starting five and VanDerveer were ushered into a room where they sat in a round-table discussion with the ESPN producers, as well as studio hosts Trey Wingo, Stacey Dales, and Kara Lawson, and play-by-play man Mike Patrick, color commentator Doris Burke, and sideline reporters Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe. The six spent time answering questions about the road to Tampa, their insights, feelings, and thoughts on coming this far.
As Stanford exited its interviews, it passed by the Connecticut starting five and Head Coach Geno Auriemma, who were awaiting their meeting with the ESPN crew.
The evening allowed for the team to shed its usual attire of practice sweats and jerseys in exchange for dress clothes as the Final Four banquet took place at the Tampa Convention Center. Things started with a cruise through Tampa Bay, accompanied by pirates, and featured the team getting sized for its Final Four rings.
Dinner saw presentations of each team's path to the Final Four, as well as Stanford captains Wiggins and Jillian Harmon taking the stage for a chat with Mowins and Antonelli, who were serving as the event's emcees.
Day 2
Saturday's busy schedule was built around Media Day. But first, news was given to the team that earlier in the morning, Wiggins had been named the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year
Arriving first for the assembled media, the Cardinal made its way to its locker room as VanDerveer, Appel, Pedersen, and Wiggins were directed to the podium for a press conference. Following a short Q&A session with the players, VanDerveer remained on the dais to address the media throng.
Meanwhile, the Stanford team lounged about in its locker room during the 30-minute open media session, as some snacked on granola bars and fruit while others spoke with the local and national media about the following day's contest against Connecticut.
Once media interviews closed at 12:45, Stanford prepared itself for its one-hour open practice for the media and general public. VanDerveer put her team through a light workout, focusing mainly on outside shooting as well as three-point contests between teams of upper and lowerclassmen. Following the conclusion of the open session, the team loaded up and bussed to a local prep school for another hour of practice and gameplanning.
The team received a treat, both literally and figuratively, after the evening's team dinner, as VanDerveer surprised the team with an ice cream social and invited a group of former Stanford standouts to speak to the team. Over ice cream sundaes, such Cardinal legends as Jennifer Azzi, Vanessa Nygaard, Kate Starbird, and Sonja Henning gave the team a pep talk about the honor of being at the Final Four, and offered encouragement to the team to get it done and bring home the national title.
Day 3
Gameday. Team breakfast, followed by a one-hour shootaround at the arena, followed by a video session and team meal.
Tip-off against Connecticut was set for 7 p.m., so the team boarded its bus at 5:15, and set off for the arena at 5:30. Quick changes and last-second tapings from athletic trainer Marcella Shorty preceded the team taking the court for pregame warmups.
Following the hard-fought 82-73 victory, there was nothing but jubilation in the Cardinal locker room. Wiggins, Appel, and Pedersen spoke to the media at the press conference, then rejoined the raucous locker room during the open media session.
The team stayed at the arena to watch the first half of the Tennessee-LSU contest, as Wiggins and VanDerveer joined Wingo, Dales, and Lawson on the ESPN set for a halftime interview.
With its duty done for the day, the Cardinal headed back to the hotel to get a good night's rest, as tomorrow held another full day of media activity before the national title game.
Day 4
Another media press conference, this time with VanDerveer and all five starters, was followed by breakout room session with each of the five players. For 45 minutes, they answered any and all questions from the assembled media, followed by more teaser shoots with ESPN.
During this time, the rest of the squad milled about the locker room during open media time. Cissy Pierce answered questions about her hair from a Tampa Tribune reporter, while assistant coaches Bobbie Kelsey and Kate Paye spoke with ESPN.com's Graham Hays.
At the end of the 30-minute session, the team took part in a 90-minute closed practice, then called it a day at the arena, heading back to the hotel for some film, then some R&R.
Day 5
This was it. National championship gameday. Same routine as before, breakfast, shootaround, film, team meal. Tip-off at 8:30 p.m., so a 7 p.m. departure was in order.
The locker room was serious, ready to go. Ankles taped, braces on, time to hit the floor. The Cardinal faithful welcomed its team onto the court, and as the national anthem played, the excitement and eagerness for the contest to begin was palpable.
Despite a gritty effort, the Cardinal were denied the program's third national title. Tennessee captured the 64-48, and a dejected Stanford team made its way through the tunnel back to its locker room. Wiggins and Appel bravely faced the media in the press conference, answering all questions while fighting back tears.
The rest of the squad graciously answered any questions put to them in the locker room, and as the minutes past, it became apparent that something special had taken place and culminated in tonight's game. The fog of the loss seemed to lift some, as the players recognized just how far the team had come, how fun a ride it had been, and how much the returners wanted to get back in 2008-09.
As the team returned to the hotel for its final night, then the next morning boarded its charter to return home to Stanford, all it could think about was "Wait `Til Next Year."