When Kate Paye took over the head coaching job from legendary Tara VanDerveer, it marked the start of a new era of Stanford women’s basketball. VanDerveer had coached the team for 38 years and exited the scene as the winningest coach in NCAA history with three national titles. Bernard Muir, who then served as the athletic director for Stanford, hired Paye. 

The hiring seemed obvious. She had served as the assistant coach under VanDerveer for 17 years, and the program expected her to continue the culture that the fabled coach had set for decades. In Paye’s first season, Stanford missed the NCAA Tournament, and then did so again last season. It marked the first time in 40 years that it missed the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons.

But Paye’s poor start took a further hit after The San Francisco Standard published a report with players and parents alleging that the head coach created an “unwelcoming and toxic environment.” Paye has been silent since the report published. But after six months, she has finally hit back and called out the “negativity.”

“This is the world we live in — it’s click-bait junk journalism,” Paye told USA Today. “We don’t peddle negativity. When others go low, we go high, and we’re looking forward.”

Last year, the Cardinals were among the first eight teams to miss the NCAA Tournament. Following a loss to Miami in February, on their way to a failed season, Paye’s coaching staff handed out the stat sheet to every player. What followed was a brutal remark from the head coach. 

“No one [in the transfer portal] is going to want anyone with these numbers,” Paye allegedly said, per Standard. 

According to the accounts given by two players and four parents who were with Stanford last year, “coaches intimidate and threaten players.” Falling on the bad side of the coaching staff even led to players being shut down during practice. But accounts suggested that Paye went further. She even threatened “getting rid of scholarships or refusing to give recommendations for grad school programs.”

In response, after the season, seven Cardinals entered the transfer portal, including Nunu Agara, who joined Maryland. Carly Amborn went to rival Cal, Lara Somfai to TCU, Chloe Clardy to North Carolina and Courtney Ogden transferred to Michigan. Harper Peterson joined Tennessee. 

 While a report has already been filed by parents with the office of director and chair of athletics John Donahoe, they are still waiting for action by the director. Two parents and a former player also told Standard that Paye intends to implement a rule that would prevent players from graduating early, which would include new rules on larger courses and summer classes. 

The exodus began earlier. The Washington Mystics’ Kiki Iriafen graduated in three years. She left Stanford in the 2024-25 season and joined USC. The same pattern followed afterwards. After Talana Lepolo and Lauren Green left in May this year, Nunu Agara, Courtney Ogden, and Chloe Clardy left Stanford and graduated early.

Kate Paye moves beyond allegations with new Stanford squad

The inaction from Stanford has a clear message that they stand in support of the head coach. Unbothered by the outside reports, Paye is preparing her team for the upcoming season. 

“We’re excited about more opportunity,” Paye said. “That certainly is our goal: to make the tournament and have a deep run in the tournament. I’m very excited about our roster that we put together. We’re young, we’re hungry.”

Hailee Swain is the only starter on the team who will return with the team this season. Last year, she was an All-ACC freshman and once ranked top 10 in ESPN. The sophomore star already has the confidence of her head coach.

“You’re going to see a bust-out year from Hailee,” Paye said. “Hailee, first and foremost, is a worker. She is in the gym all the time. I think you’re going to see a totally new player, just in terms of her scoring ability, her shooting ability, her playmaking ability and her defensive ability.”

Stanford has been able to restack the team. Aside from Gracyn Gilliard, the Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Indiana, the program has been able to get good pieces through transfers and recruiting, which included two talents from ESPN’s top 100. 

Paye will look to have her team playing when March Madness starts. If not, Stanford might be forced to make a hard call.