ATLANTA (February 20, 2018) — Tara VanDerveer, head coach at Stanford University, is the recipient of the 2018 WBCA Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award,
the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
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
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
The Boston native 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. Visit www.wbca.org/recognize/ to see a list of past recipients.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
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