Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer retires as women’s hoops coach [Video]

STANFORD, California — Tara VanDerveer lent her time and energy to a young Dawn Staley behind the scenes years before the South Carolina coach started winning championships or delivering an improbable undefeated season.

The Hall of Fame Stanford coach did the same for her Pac-12 rivals.

For Cori Close. For Lindsay Gottlieb. For Charmin Smith. For Charli Turner Thorne. And for Kate Paye, who will become VanDerveer’s successor now that the 70-year-old women’s basketball pioneer is retiring.

Nearly everybody has a story of how VanDerveer went out of her way to do something kind along the way during her decorated, four-decade career. She cherished her role in helping the sport any way she could. And now, she is leaving on a high note.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history announced her retirement Tuesday …