Giants’ former Stanford players react to VanDerveer retirement

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants right-hander Tristan Beck reacted as any former Stanford athlete would at the news that women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer is retiring.

“She was right in the middle of things,” Beck said Wednesday before the Giants (4-8) closed out a six-day homestand against the Washington Nationals (5-6) in hopes of avoiding a three-game sweep. “Just a very visible presence on campus. A tough day for the Cardinal but we are thankful to have such a historic career happen there.”

VanDerveer, 70, retired Tuesday night after 38 years at Stanford and 45 overall. She retires with 1,216 victories, the most of any coach in men’s or women’s basketball. The Cardinal was 30-6 in 2023-24 and won the Pac-12 regular season title with a 15-3 record.

“She had an unbelievable career,” Giants outfielder Austin Slater said. “Created a top five program throughout women’s college basketball and she built it from the ground up. She’s a great leader and motivator. I’m sure the university and alumni are all going to miss her.”

Slater played three season at Stanford before being drafted in 2014. Beck, who is currently on the injured list after vascular surgery on his upper arm, pitched for the Cardinal from 2016 through 2018. Beck said baseball coach Mark Marquess, who retired in 2017 after 41 years, and VanDerveer were pace-setters on campus.

“That was something I always noticed about her and (Marquess),” Beck said. “You’d never guess how long they’d been there by their daily energy levels. It feels like the end of an era on campus. She wa great, were really tight with some of the women’s basketball players and they were great to be around. Everybody just loved her.”

Giants manager Bob Melvin grew up in Menlo Park but was starting his professional baseball career the same time VanDerveer arrived at Stanford.

“I haven’t (had any interaction), honestly, but knowing the history, it’s phenomenal,” Melvin said. “One of the great coaches in Bay Area history. It was a little bit of a surprise. I haven’t really dug much into the `why’ but she’s an icon.”

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Center fielder Jung Hoo Lee was rested for the first time against left-handed starter Patrick Corbin, with Slater taking over and batting leadoff.

Melvin called Lee’s transition “seamless and said “He has a real good understanding of the game He’s learning ballparks and stuff like that.”