Paye was a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, and Seattle Reign. Before joining VenDerveer in 2007, she also worked as an assistant coach at Pepperdine (2004–05) and San Diego State (1995–96, 2005–07).
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer unexpectedly announced her retirement on social media late on Tuesday night. The announcement of Kate Paye as VanDerveer’s replacement was not shocking.
Paye, fifty, was an assistant coach for the Cardinals when they won the 2021 championship after winning an NCAA Tournament championship in 1992 as a player on VanDerveer’s team. She joined Stanford’s staff in 2007 and has served as an associate coach for the previous eight seasons. According to a statement from the school, VanDerveer will retire on May 8 but will continue to serve as an advisor for the sports department.
Tara VanDerveer, the winningest head coach in NCAA history, announced her retirement after 38 seasons at Stanford.
In 45 years as a head coach, VanDerveer amassed a record 1,216 victories. pic.twitter.com/h7TNAR3D3k
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 10, 2024
Stanford has enjoyed sustained success during Paye’s tenure, advancing to the tournament title game three times and reaching the Final Four nine times.
Paye’s primary responsibilities have been managing defense and assisting perimeter players. She helped recruit Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, and Haley Jones and has produced standouts including Lexie Hull, Hannah Jump, Kiana Williams, and Karlie Samuelson. Six of her guards were chosen in the WNBA Draft’s first round.
Paye was named the Division I Assistant Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2024 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Four of the last five Pac-12 regular-season championships have been won by the Cardinal. They made it to the Sweet 16 this season, finishing with 28 victories, and lost to USC in the Pac-12 tournament final. Together with Jump, they are also losing Cameron Brink, a fantastic post player. But Kiki Iriafen is likely to be the center of attention for the offensive.
Paye will be ushering Stanford into a new era in multiple ways, including the Cardinal’s entrance into the ACC as the current state of the Pac-12 dissolved.
Paye’s Stanford roots run deep. She was born at Stanford hospital, and several family members were athletes at the university: Her dad and brother were lettermen for the football team.
She was a standout defensive player and two-time team captain.
She graduated from Stanford with a master’s and PhD in business administration in 2003. Paye resumed his basketball career after a brief stint as an attorney.
Paye was a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, and Seattle Reign. Before joining VenDerveer in 2007, she also worked as an assistant coach at Pepperdine (2004–05) and San Diego State (1995–96, 2005–07).
(Photo of Tara VanDerveer and Kate Paye: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)