2020–21 Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team
{{short description|Intercollegiate basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2020–21
| team = Stanford Cardinal
| sport = women's basketball
| logo = Stanford Cardinal logo.svg
| logo_size = 100
| logo_alt =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| conference = Pac-12 Conference
| short_conf = Pac-12
| CoachRank = 1
| APRank = 2
| record = 31–2
| conf_record = 19–2
| head_coach = Tara VanDerveer
| hc_year = 35th
| assoc_coach = Kate Paye
| ahc_year = 14th
| asst_coach1 = Katy Steding
| ac1_year = 1st
| asst_coach2 = Britney Anderson
| ac2_year = 1st
| mvp =
| mvp_year =
| captain =
| captain_year =
| arena = Maples Pavilion
| champion = NCAA tournament National champions
Pac-12 tournament champions
Pac-12 regular season champions
| tourney =
| tourney_result =
}}
{{2020–21 Pac-12 Conference women's basketball standings}}
The 2020–21 Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team represented Stanford University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Cardinal, led by thirty-fifth year head coach Tara VanDerveer, played their home games at the Maples Pavilion as members of the Pac-12 Conference. As a result of Santa Clara County, California health orders, the Cardinal were unable to play in Palo Alto for much of their season, moving home games to Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz. They finished the season 31–2, 19–2 in Pac-12 play to finish in first place. They won the Pac-12 women's tournament by defeating UCLA, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA women's tournament where they defeated Utah Valley and Oklahoma State in the first and second rounds, Missouri State in the Sweet Sixteen, Louisville in the Elite Eight, South Carolina in the Final Four and Arizona in the National Championship Game to win its third NCAA title overall and first since 1992. Haley Jones was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.{{cite news|title=How Haley Jones helped Stanford win the 2021 NCAA women's basketball championship|date=April 5, 2021|website=ESPN.com|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31195152/how-haley-jones-helped-stanford-win-2021-ncaa-women-basketball-championship|access-date=April 8, 2021}}
Roster
{{CBB roster/Header|sex=w|year=2020|team=Stanford Cardinal|teamcolors=y|high_school=y}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Agnes|last=Emma-Nnopu|link=|num=2|pos=G|ft=5|in=11|class=FR|rs=|home=Ocean Grove, Victoria|high_school=Lake Ginninderra College}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Anna|last=Wilson|dab=basketball|link=y|num=3|pos=G|ft=5|in=9|class=SR|rs=|home=Bellevue, WA|high_school=Bellevue}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Jana|last=Van Gytenbeek|link=|num=4|pos=G|ft=5|in=7|class=FR|rs=|home=Greenwood Village, CO|high_school=Cherry Creek}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Francesca|last=Belibi|link=y |alt=Fran Belibi |num=5|pos=F|ft=6|in=1|class=SO|rs=|home=Centennial, CO|high_school=Regis Jesuit}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Alyssa|last=Jerome|link=|num=10|pos=F|ft=6|in=3|class=SR|rs=|home=Toronto, ON|high_school=Harbord Collegiate}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Ashten|last=Prechtel|link=|num=11|pos=F|ft=6|in=5|class=SO|rs=|home=Colorado Springs, CO|high_school=Discovery Canyon}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Lexie|last=Hull|link=y|num=12|pos=F|ft=6|in=0|class=JR|rs=|home=Spokane, WA|high_school=Central Valley}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Maya|last=Dodson|link=|num=15|pos=F|ft=6|in=3|class=SR|rs=|home=Alpharetta, GA|high_school=St. Francis}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Cameron|last=Brink|link=y|num=22|pos=F|ft=6|in=4|class=FR|rs=|home=Beaverton, OR|high_school=Mountainside}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Kiana|last=Williams|link=y|num=23|pos=G|ft=5|in=8|class=SR|rs=|home=San Antonio, TX|high_school=Karen Wagner}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Lacie|last=Hull|link=|num=24|pos=F|ft=6|in=1|class=JR|rs=|home=Spokane, WA|high_school=Central Valley}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Haley|last=Jones|link=y|num=30|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|class=SO|rs=|home=Santa Cruz, CA|high_school=Archbishop Mitty}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Hannah|last=Jump|link=|num=33|pos=G|ft=6|in=0|class=SO|rs=|home=San Jose, CA|high_school=Pinewood}}
{{CBB roster/Player|sex=w|first=Jenna|last=Brown|link=|inj=y|num=54|pos=G|ft=5|in=10|class=JR|rs=|home=Atlanta, GA|high_school=The Lovett School}}
{{CBB roster/Footer
|head_coach=
- Tara VanDerveer ({{college|Indiana}})
|asst_coach=
- Kate Paye ({{college|Stanford}})
- Katy Steding ({{college|Stanford}})
- Britney Anderson ({{college|Virginia Tech}})
|roster_url=https://gostanford.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster
|accessdate=April 5, 2021
}}
Schedule
{{CBB schedule start|time=|rank=yes|ranklink=2020-21 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings|rankyear=2020|tv=|record=yes|attend=yes}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}| Regular season
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = November 25, 2020
| time = 11:00 am
| nonconf = yes
| rank = 2
| opponent = Cal Poly
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| gamename =
| attend = 0
| tv = Stanford Live Stream
| score = 108–40
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = November 30, 2020
| time = 2:00 pm
| status = p
| nonconf = yes
| rank = 2
| opponent = San Diego
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| gamename = Canceled due to Santa Clara Public Health Department {{cite web|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2020/11/29/womens-basketball-monday-canceled.aspx|title=Monday Canceled - Stanford University Athletics|website=gostanford.com|accessdate=December 8, 2020}}
| attend =
| tv = Stanford Live Stream
| score =
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 5, 2020
| time = 2:00 pm
| away = yes
| nonconf = yes
| rank = 2
| opponent = UNLV
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Thomas & Mack Center
| site_cityst = Las Vegas, NV
| gamename =
| attend = 0
| tv = Mountain West Network
| score = 101–54
| record = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 6, 2020
| time = 2:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| opponent = Washington
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Thomas & Mack Center
| site_cityst = Las Vegas, NV
| attend = 0
| tv =
| score = 83–50
| record = 3–0
| conference = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 11, 2020
| time = 4:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| status = p
| rank = 1
| opponent = UC Davis
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| gamename = Canceled due to Santa Clara County ban on athletic activities.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30479237/stanford-cardinal-women-basketball-team-play-uc-davis|title=Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team won't play UC Davis Athletics|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=December 11, 2020}}
| attend =
| tv =
| score =
| record = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 13, 2020
| time = 7:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = California
| site_stadium = Haas Pavilion
| site_cityst = Berkeley, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 83–38
| record = 4–0
| conference = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 15, 2020
| time = 6:00 pm
| away = yes
| nonconf = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Pacific
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Stockton, CA
| site_cityst = Alex G. Spanos Center
| gamename =
| attend = 0
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 104–61
| record = 5–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 19, 2020
| time = 6:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = USC
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Galen Center
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 80–60
| record = 6–0
| conference = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = December 21, 2020
| time = 12:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = UCLA
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Pauley Pavilion
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 61–49
| record = 7–0
| conference = 4–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 1, 2021
| time = 4:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Arizona
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = McKale Center
| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 81–54
| record = 8–0
| conference = 5–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 3, 2021
| time = 3:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Arizona State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Desert Financial Arena
| site_cityst = Tempe, AZ
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 68–60
| record = 9–0
| conference = 6–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 8, 2021
| time = 11:30 am
| neutral = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Oregon
| opprank = 11
| site_stadium = Kaiser Permanente Arena
| site_cityst = Santa Cruz, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 70–63
| record = 10–0
| conference = 7–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = TBD
| time = TBD
| rank =
| status = p
| opponent = Oregon State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Kaiser Permanente Arena
| site_cityst = Santa Cruz, CA
| gamename = postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Beavers' program.{{cite web|url=https://gostanford.com/news/2021/1/4/womens-basketball-schedule-shifts.aspx|title=Schedule Shifts|website=gostanford.com|accessdate=January 12, 2021}}
| attend =
| tv =
| score =
| record =
| conference =
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 15, 2021
| time = 12:30 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Utah
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Jon M. Huntsman Center
| site_cityst = Salt Lake City, UT
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 82–54
| record = 11–0
| conference = 8–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 17, 2021
| time = 11:00 am
| away = yes
| rank = 1
| opponent = Colorado
| opprank =
| site_stadium = CU Events Center
| site_cityst = Boulder, CO
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 72–77
| record = 11–1
| conference = 8–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 22, 2021
| time = 7:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 5
| opponent = UCLA
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = Kaiser Permanente Arena
| site_cityst = Santa Cruz, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 66-70
| record = 11–2
| conference = 8–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 24, 2021
| time = 4:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 5
| opponent = USC
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Kaiser Permanente Arena
| site_cityst = Santa Cruz, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 86-59
| record = 12–2
| conference = 9–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 27, 2021
| time = 6:30 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 6
| opponent = Washington State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Beasley Coliseum
| site_cityst = Pullman, WA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 71-49
| record = 13–2
| conference = 10–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 29, 2021
| time = 12:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 6
| opponent = Washington State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Beasley Coliseum
| site_cityst = Pullman, WA
| attend = 0
| tv = WSU Live Stream
| score = 77-49
| record = 14–2
| conference = 11–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = January 31, 2021
| time = 1:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 6
| opponent = Washington
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Alaska Airlines Arena
| site_cityst = Seattle, WA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 74–48
| record = 15–2
| conference = 12–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 5, 2021
| time = 6:00 pm
| rank = 6
| opponent = Colorado
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| gamename = Breast Cancer Awareness Game
| attend = 1
| tv = P12N
| score = 62–54
| record = 16–2
| conference = 13–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 7, 2021
| time = 1:00 pm
| rank = 6
| opponent = Utah
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| attend = 1
| tv = P12N
| score = 83–41
| record = 17–2
| conference = 14–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 12, 2021
| time = 6:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 5
| opponent = Oregon State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, OR
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 83–58
| record = 18–2
| conference = 15–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 15, 2021
| time = 6:00 pm
| away = yes
| rank = 6
| opponent = Oregon
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Matthew Knight Arena
| site_cityst = Eugene, OR
| attend = 0
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 63–61
| record = 19–2
| conference = 16–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 19, 2021
| time = 7:00 pm
| rank = 6
| opponent = Arizona State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| attend =
| tv = P12N
| score = 80–41
| record = 20–2
| conference = 17–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 22, 2021
| time = 6:00 pm
| rank = 4
| opponent = Arizona
| opprank = 9
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| attend =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 62–48
| record = 21–2
| conference = 18–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = February 28, 2021
| time = 1:00 pm
| rank = 4
| opponent = California
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, CA
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 72–33
| record = 22–2
| conference = 19–2
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}| 2021 Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 4, 2021
| time = 2:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| seed = 1
| opponent = USC
| oppseed = 8
| site_stadium = Michelob Ultra Arena
| site_cityst = Paradise, NV
| gamename = Quarterfinals
| attend = 0
| tv = P12N
| score = 92–53
| record = 23–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 5, 2021
| time = 5:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| seed = 1
| opponent = Oregon State
| oppseed = 5
| site_stadium = Michelob Ultra Arena
| site_cityst = Paradise, NV
| gamename = Semifinals
| attend =
| tv = P12N
| score = 79–45
| record = 24–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 5, 2021
| time = 5:00 pm
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| seed = 1
| opponent = UCLA
| oppseed = 3
| opprank = 9
| site_stadium = Michelob Ultra Arena
| site_cityst = Paradise, NV
| gamename = Championship
| attend =
| tv = P12N
| score = 75–55
| record = 25–2
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}| 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 21, 2021
| time = 7:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = {{cbb link|2020|sex=women|team=Utah Valley Wolverines|title=Utah Valley}}
| opprank =
| oppseed = 16 A
| site_stadium = Alamodome
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = First Round
| attend =
| tv = ESPN
| score = 87–44
| overtime =
| record = 26–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 23, 2021
| time = 6:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| homecoming =
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = Oklahoma State
| opprank =
| oppseed = 8 A
| site_stadium = UTSA Convocation Center
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = Second Round
| attend =
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 73–62
| overtime =
| record = 27–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 28, 2021
| time = 12:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = Missouri State
| opprank = 20
| oppseed = 5 A
| site_stadium = Alamodome
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = Sweet Sixteen
| attend = 1,072
| tv = ABC
| score = 89–62
| overtime =
| record = 28–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = March 30, 2021
| time = 4:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = Louisville
| opprank = 8
| oppseed = 2 A
| site_stadium = Alamodome
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = Elite Eight
| attend = 1,483
| tv = ESPN
| score = 78–63
| record = 29–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = April 2, 2021
| time = 3:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = South Carolina
| opprank = 6
| oppseed = 1 H
| site_stadium = Alamodome
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = Final Four
| attend =
| tv = ESPN
| score = 66–65
| record = 30–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = April 4, 2021
| time = 3:00 pm
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 A
| opponent = Arizona
| opprank = 11
| oppseed = 3 M
| site_stadium = Alamodome
| site_cityst = San Antonio, TX
| gamename = National Championship
| attend = 4,604
| tv = ESPN
| score = [https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401311269 54–53]
| record = 31–2
}}
{{CBB schedule end|rank=| poll=AP Poll|timezone=Pacific Time|region=A|regionname=Alamo H=HemisFair}}
Rankings
{{main|2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball rankings}}
| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap" |
| + Regular Season Polls
!Poll !! Pre- |
| style="text-align:center;"
! AP | style="background:#FFF;" | 2 | style="background:#FFF;" | 2 | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 1 (24) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (26) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (26) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (26) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (27) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (29) | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 5 (1) | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 6 | style="background:#FFF;" | 6 | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 5 | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 6 (1) | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 4 (1) | style="background:#FFF;" | 4 (1) | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 2 (5) | style="background:#FFF;" | 2 (5) | style="background:#FFF;" | N/A |
| style="text-align:center;"
! Coaches | style="background:#FFF;" | 2 | style="background:#FFF;" | ^ | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 1 (22) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (22) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (30) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (29) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (31) | style="background:#FFF;" | 1 (31) | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 4 (1) | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 6 | style="background:#FFF;" | 6 | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 4 | style="background:#FFF;" | 4 | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 2 | style="background:#FFE6E6;" | 3 | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 2 (4) | style="background:#FFF;" | 2 (5) | style="background:#D8FFEB;" | 1 (32) |
| style="border:1px solid black;"
|+ Legend | style="background:#D8FFEB; width:20px;" | | | Increase in ranking |
| style="background:#FFE6E6; width:20px;" |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| style="background:#FFFFE6; width:20px;" |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| RV
| | Received votes |
| NR
| | Not ranked |
| ( )
| | Number of first place votes |
^ Coaches did not release a Week 2 poll
References
{{reflist}}
{{Stanford Cardinal women's basketball navbox}}
{{2021 Stanford Cardinal women's basketball navbox}}
{{NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Champion navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2020-21 Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team}}
Category:Stanford Cardinal women's basketball seasons
Category:NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament Final Four seasons
Category:NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament championship seasons