Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer on Saturday announced her retirement after 50 seasons and 1,055 victories.
Stringer, 74, who has coached at Rutgers University since 1995 and led the Scarlet Knights to a pair of NCAA women’s Final Four appearances, will step down effective Sept. 1, the university announced in a news release.
As part of her retirement agreement, Stringer will be paid $872,988, NJ.com reported. The university is honoring her career by naming the court at Jersey Mike’s Arena after her, according to the website. A formal dedication ceremony will be held during the upcoming basketball season, the university announced.
After 50 years and 1,055 wins, @cvivianstringer will retire from coaching, effective Sept. 1.
— Rutgers W.Basketball (@RutgersWBB) April 30, 2022
It is impossible to find the words right now to sum up what you mean to us and to the game, but we'll start with two:
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒀𝒐𝒖
We love you, Coach.
📰 https://t.co/o37BXjOebn pic.twitter.com/l96DjhY43b
Stringer guided her teams to 28 NCAA tournament appearances and four Final Four berths -- at Rutgers in 2000 and 2007, the University of Iowa in 1993 and Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University) in 1982. That makes her the first college basketball coach -- men’s or women’s -- to lead three different schools to the Final Four, ESPN reported. She is also the first Black Division I coach (men’s or women’s) to earn 1,000 victories.
“My life has been defined by coaching and I’ve been on this journey for over five decades. It is rare that someone gets to do what they love for this long and I have been fortunate to do that,” Stringer said in a statement. “After recently celebrating the first women’s Final Four team at Cheyney State University, where it all started, it sat with me that I have been at this for a long time. It is important to step aside and challenge others to step up and take this game forward.
“This was the hardest decision of my life, but I thank God he has allowed me to do the thing I love most. I am ready to start my new journey and spending more time with my family, children, and grandchildren. I am truly blessed to have had so many wonderful people in my life.”
Stringer was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
She is fourth all-time in Division I women’s basketball victories, joining Tara VanDerveer, Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma with more than 1,000 wins.
“Coach Stringer is a titan in college basketball, inspiring generations of student-athletes and coaches to pursue excellence on and off the court,” Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs said in a statement. “As the first coach to lead three different programs to the Final Four, she will continue to be mentioned along with the game’s other great Hall of Famers. Her place in the history of the game is cemented, but more remarkable is the legions of young women whose lives she helped shape.”
Stringer had been on paid leave from Rutgers since April 2021, shortly after signing a five-year contract, NJ.com reported. Associate head coach Tim Eatman served as acting head coach.
Stringer originally intended to return to the team ahead of the 2021-22 season, but her leave was extended at least three times, according to the Asbury Park Press.
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