STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Kate Paye walked into the Stanford women's basketball office on a recent Friday morning moments after hanging up the phone with former star and Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike and who does she see but another former star in WNBA rookie Cameron Brink. This is a regular day for Paye, being surrounded by such greatness, support and familiarity.
And she understands how unique her situation is as the Cardinal's first-year coach with so many connections and logistics already firmly in place as she takes over for Tara VanDerveer. No new staff to hire. No uprooting and moving her young family.
No familiarizing herself with an entirely new athletic department. “I think it’s a really unusual situation and a real blessing,” Paye said. The 50-year-old Paye replaced retired Hall of Famer VanDerveer after years serving as coach-in-waiting and learning from the NCAA's all-time winningest coach in the men's and women's game.
“She got to learn from my mistakes for a long time, I think that’s a good thing,” VanDerveer said. Paye's first season just happens to coincide with Stanford's debut in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That makes stability so much more important.
Her assistants have been on the Stanford bench either as players, coaches or both — Tempie Brown as her associate head coach alongside Katy Steding, Erica McCall and Jeanette Pohlen. Heather Oesterle is the lone addition and she began her coaching career at Stanford in 2002-03. “I thi.