The coach of Stanford’s women’s basketball team is facing serious allegations from former team members and their families, who claim she created a “dysfunctional and toxic” environment.
According to a detailed report by the San Francisco Standard, two former players and four parents have accused coach Kate Paye and her staff of using intimidation and threats against team members.
It is alleged that Paye’s staff threatened to revoke scholarships and grad school recommendations during particularly stressful team meetings.
Two former players, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that team stars were criticized as being “too weak” to play for the Cardinal. They also claimed players who displeased Paye were excluded from practices and faced retaliation for voicing concerns about perceived unfair treatment.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Stanford’s athletics department for their response to these allegations.
The controversy follows the decision of seven Cardinal players to enter the transfer portal after the season-ending loss on March 26. Currently, only five players from the 15-member roster are expected to return next season.
Stanford’s Kate Paye has been accused of overseeing a ‘dysfunctional and toxic’ environment
Players and parents have claimed Paye would ‘intimidate and threaten’ members of her team
When those who were entering the portal made the announcement, there was a notable lack of references to Paye and her coaching staff.
One player, Mary Ashley Stevenson, said she had ‘decided to find a basketball environment that suits me better. I am really excited about that.’
‘The girls did not want to leave Stanford,’ one parent told the Standard. ‘It will be spun that way, but it was not about NIL.’
The report also comes on the back of a dismal season for Stanford. The famed program went a second straight season without making the NCAA Tournament and didn’t feature in the AP Top 25 for the first time in 30 years.
After parents supposedly raised their concerns by email with Stanford’s director and chair of athletics John Donahoe, it’s alleged Angie Jabir, the executive associate athletics director, came to watch the team’s practice ‘multiple’ times which was unusual.
Two parents and one former player have also claimed that Paye wants to stop student-athletes from taking bigger course loads and summer classes to prevent them graduating early.
A recent survey by Athletes.org named Stanford athletics 50th out of 59 schools for its treatment of student athletes.
One women’s basketball player, who remained anonymous, commented: ‘There is no development, negative environment, personal attacks, one-third of the team walked away during the season.’
The famed program went a second straight season without making the NCAA Tournament
Paye didn’t address the allegations in a statement to the Standard. She said: ‘Our returners are outstanding young women who have recommitted to each other, Stanford women’s basketball, and the entire university community.
‘They are a focused group that has already begun working diligently to prepare for the year ahead and are excited to welcome our incoming freshmen into the fold this summer.’
‘We are actively engaged in the transfer portal, and the past few weeks have reinforced that Stanford and this program remain highly attractive to prospective student-athletes who are looking for the singular combination of elite academics and athletics that we offer,’ Paye continued.
‘We look forward to officially announcing those additions once they have completed the application process and are admitted to the university.’
Paye was given the tough task of replacing Stanford icon Tara VanDerveer when she retired following a 38-season run in 2024. Paye was an assistant to VanDerveer for 17 seasons.
VanDerveer was the winningest coach in NCAA history during her time with Stanford and led the Cardinal to three national championships.
In Paye’s first season at the helmet, Stanford missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 38 years and this year they finished 21-14 and had a losing record against ACC schools.
A parent of a player who played under both VanDerveer and Paye said: ‘Not a great environment. It’s not the same program anymore.’ Meanwhile, a former Stanford player added: ‘I’m glad I moved on. I’m one of the lucky ones.’
