)
Preparing Citizens:Capturing Success
We set out to document a day in the life of the Stanford Women’s Basketball team. (We ended up capturing life with Coach Tara VanDerveer, too.)
Story tags:
)
)
If you want to make it as a Stanford student-athlete, you have to work both sides of that all-important hyphen, putting in the hours as both student and athlete.
To see what that really looks like, we spent a day with the team—and, without knowing it at the time, got a glimpse of Coach Tara VanDerveer’s final season. Long before you see the team on the court, they go to class. And morning drills. And the training room. And somehow, they fit in team dinner and some dancing before it’s finally game on.
A little past 9 a.m.
)
Coach Tara VanDerveer gets down to business, reviewing game day strategy before morning practice. At the time, VanDerveer was the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball.
)
The team preps for tonight’s competition.
9:45 a.m.
)
)
Hannah Jump, ’23, MA ’24, holds a defensive position.
)
Lauren Green, ’26, drills layups.
)
Assistant coaches Tempie Brown and Kate Paye, ’95, MBA ’03, JD ’03, feed passes to players. Paye has since succeeded VanDerveer as the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball, and Brown is now the Harry K. and Ida S. Berland Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach.
)
Nunu Agara, ’27, nails the color scheme.
)
Kiki Iriafen, ’24, delivers.
)
The power of the low five.
)
Practice may be over, but Courtney Ogden, ’27, is just getting started.
12:30 p.m.
)
Lauren Green, ’26, and Elena Bosgana, ’24, face the morning commute.
)
Teammates on the court, teammates on the Quad.
)
When they aren’t shooting baskets, Kiki Iriafen, ’24, and Nunu Agara, ’27, shoot film.
3 p.m.
)
It’s carb-loading time.
)
Pre-game meal at the iconic Jimmy V’s cafe.
5:10 p.m.
)
)
Pre-game warmup begins with dynamic stretches in the training room.
)
Associate Olympic Sports Performance Coach Andrea Hayden checks on Talana Lepolo, ’25.
)
Athletic trainer Katelin Knox tapes up all the players.
)
Who says stretching is boring?
)
Chloe Clardy, ’27, Courtney Ogden, ’27, and Nunu Agara, ’27, record a TikTok, no doubt viral.
)
Like all of her teammates, Stavi Papadaki, ’25, juggles athletics and academics.
)
Junior Elena Bosgana, ’24, jokes about how shy she was in her first year at Stanford.
)
Talana Lepolo, ’25, sits strong now to stand strong later.
)
Moments like these are part of the preparation.
7 p.m.
)
)
The starters take a minute off court. (Cameron Brink, ’24, would typically be among them, but she’s out sick for tonight’s game.)
)
Team huddle.
)
Tip-off!
)
Time to make some noise!
)
The energy in Maples Pavilion is palpable.
)
With the clock ticking and the score close, Coach VanDerveer talks defensive strategy.
)
A clutch basket brings the team off the bench.
)
She shoots . . .
)
. . . She scores! three-pointers all night by Brooke Demetre, ’24.
Onto another day . . .
Stanford Athletics: The impact
Why it matters
Athletics are an inseparable part of Stanford’s identity. The combination of athletic and academic achievement is part of a culture of excellence that lifts up all Stanford students.
The opportunity
Stanford is renewing its commitment to every sport and every student-athlete, navigating the changing landscape of college sports while staying true to our values.
)
:focal(2849x1496:2850x1497))
:focal(1023x1001:1024x1002))
:focal(1216x1354:1217x1355))