THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 12, 1996 TAG: 9604120760
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
The drought is over for Marianne Stanley.
After applying for more than 90 jobs in the last 2 1/2 years, the former Old Dominion coach was named head women's basketball coach at the University of California on Thursday.
``I have a sense of peace that I'm in the right place,'' said Stanley, the Lady Monarchs' coach from 1978 to 1987 and winner of national championships in 1979, '80 and '85. ``Two and a half years ago, I thought I'd never coach again, at least on a Division I level, so I guess I'm as surprised as anyone.''
Calling herself something of ``a pariah in university athletics,'' Stanley has been unable to land a head coaching job since she filed a lawsuit against Southern Cal, where she coached from 1990 to 1993. Stanley cited Title IX in taking the university to court because the administration was unwilling to make her salary commensurate with that of the men's coach. She lost her job and the case, although the decision remains under appeal.
Stanley, 41, has spent the last year as interim co-head coach with Amy Tucker at Stanford in the absence of Tara VanDerveer, who left to coach the U.S. national team. She and Tucker guided The Cardinal to the Final Four and a 29-3 finish.
``This day and this moment could have easily gone to somebody else,'' a teary-eyed Stanley said. ``I think I'm a person of great integrity. I think I'm a person who stands for something and stands for something important. I think (athletic director) John Kasser and the university's decision to hire me reflects that.''
Kasser said he has known Stanley since her Old Dominion days, and in interviewing a dozen candidates, she was an obvious standout.
``Marianne fits right in to what we're all about at Cal,'' he said. ``We want to be the best in the nation. Marianne knows nothing else.''
Stanley's three national titles are second to Tennessee's Pat Summitt's four. In her 17 years of coaching, Stanley has a 380-149 record. After her nine years at ODU, she coached for a year at Pennsylvania before leaving for Southern Cal. She's collected four conference coach-of-the-year honors and was named national coach of the year in 1979 and 1986.
Stanley will inherit a California team that went 7-20 last season.
One early opponent will be quite familiar: Old Dominion.
``It's always great to go back to Old Dominion,'' Stanley said. ``I looked down (at the schedule) and saw the first regular-season game that I'll be back at the field house.
``I don't know if we'll give them the kind of competition they deserve, but we'll be there.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Marianne Stanley led the Lady Monarchs to three national titles in
her nine years at ODU.
by CNB