Kate Paye taking over for VanDerveer at Stanford

Stanford promoted associate head coach Kate Paye as director of its women's basketball program to succeed the legendary Tara VanDerveer, the school's director of athletics Bernard Muir announced Tuesday.

Paye was on VanDerveer's staff for 17 years, spending the last eight in her previous role.

VanDerveer, the NCAA's all-time wins leader, retired last week after 38 seasons at the Cardinal's helm.

"Stanford University has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember and I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead its women's basketball program," Paye said in a statement. "I'd first like to thank Tara, who has played such a pivotal role in my career for her friendship and guidance.

"It's not what she's done, but how she's done it, that has had such a profound impact upon me. She has set the standard for basketball coaches everywhere."

Paye played for VanDerveer in the early 90s and, in 1992, was a member of the Cardinal's national championship squad. She spent the 1995-96 campaign as an assistant for San Diego State's women's team before embarking on a brief playing career that included stops with the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm.

Paye became Pepperdine's assistant bench boss in 2004 and then returned to the Aztecs for a two-year stint before re-joining her alma mater in 2007.

"Stanford women's basketball is a sisterhood, and I'm grateful that Kate was hired to maintain that culture and lead the program forward," VanDerveer said in a statement. "She has long been ready for this opportunity and is the perfect leader for Stanford at this time of immense change in college athletics.

"Kate was the choice for this job, and I am confident she will achieve great success as head coach."