04-10-2024, 11:56 AM
Not a surprise, but definitely shocked and a bit heartbroken. TVD was such a brobdingnagian advocate for women’s basketball, but especially for West Coast hoops. East Coast bias really is a thing and she did her best to bring up not just Stanford but all of West Coast basketball.
Her legacy is much more than the number of wins. Her influence and impact went beyond the W’s. It’s more what happens when no one is looking when you start to understand why she is revered so much by colleagues, fans, players and opponents.
She was really someone who was a women’s basketball fan at heart, whose passion for the game was pure and just wanted what was best for the sport and not just her teams. She was someone who went out of her way to impact people, mentor them, teach them.
One of my favorite stories I learned today was back in 2010, after Stanford destroyed South Carolina, Staley asked TVD to give a pep talk to her team. She did it for the students, but she also did it to set an example to coaches on how they should act and respect opposing coaches. Stories like this have started trickling out and it’s fun and sad to read.
Yes, Geno will break the all-time wins record (deservedly so) later this year, but if you really know, understand and appreciate women’s basketball and it’s history, you’ll know TVD’s impact is more than just how many wins or national titles she has won.
I first became a fan of Stanford sports because of TVD. It was the Sweet Sixteen against Alabama and Kate Starbird had just fouled out. I was listening over the radio and was riveted by the game, which Stanford ended up winning in OT. After that, I was hooked and became obsessed with not only Stanford women's basketball, but basically all college sports (save football). So thank you TVD for inspiring the sports fan in me.
Congrats on a fabulous career at Stanford.
Her legacy is much more than the number of wins. Her influence and impact went beyond the W’s. It’s more what happens when no one is looking when you start to understand why she is revered so much by colleagues, fans, players and opponents.
She was really someone who was a women’s basketball fan at heart, whose passion for the game was pure and just wanted what was best for the sport and not just her teams. She was someone who went out of her way to impact people, mentor them, teach them.
One of my favorite stories I learned today was back in 2010, after Stanford destroyed South Carolina, Staley asked TVD to give a pep talk to her team. She did it for the students, but she also did it to set an example to coaches on how they should act and respect opposing coaches. Stories like this have started trickling out and it’s fun and sad to read.
Yes, Geno will break the all-time wins record (deservedly so) later this year, but if you really know, understand and appreciate women’s basketball and it’s history, you’ll know TVD’s impact is more than just how many wins or national titles she has won.
I first became a fan of Stanford sports because of TVD. It was the Sweet Sixteen against Alabama and Kate Starbird had just fouled out. I was listening over the radio and was riveted by the game, which Stanford ended up winning in OT. After that, I was hooked and became obsessed with not only Stanford women's basketball, but basically all college sports (save football). So thank you TVD for inspiring the sports fan in me.
Congrats on a fabulous career at Stanford.