Tara VanDerveer, the Hall of Fame Stanford coach, is currently focused on the final Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament, despite the emotional weight of the conference's impending split at the end of the season. The Pac-12 has a rich history, including UCLA's dominant era under John Wooden and USC's Cheryl Miller's impact on women's basketball.
In 2021, the Stanford women won an all-Pac-12 national title game against Arizona, while the UCLA men made it to the Final Four. The upcoming Pac-12 tournaments feature strong competition, with Arizona leading the men's side and six ranked teams, including three in the top 10, in the women's tournament.
After the tournaments, the Pac-12 will undergo significant changes as 10 schools depart for other conferences. Only Oregon State and Washington State will remain in the Pac-12, with the rest aligning with the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC. Coaches and players are coming to terms with the end of an era, with mixed feelings about the conference's dissolution.
Despite the upcoming changes, teams like Arizona and Washington State are focused on the present, aiming to perform well in the league tournaments. Coaches and players acknowledge the sentimental value of the Pac-12's legacy but are also looking forward to new opportunities and challenges in different conferences.
The Pac-12's transformation marks the end of a storied history that dates back to 1915. Coaches like UCLA's Cori Close reflect on the conference's journey from a low point in 2012 to becoming a powerhouse in college basketball. As the conference prepares for its final tournaments, teams are determined to make the Pac-12 proud before embarking on new paths in the world of college athletics.
