Legendary women’s basketball head coach Tanya Haave announced her retirement today, hanging up her clipboard after 25 years on the sideline.
“After considerable thought, I have decided to retire from coaching at MSU Denver,” Coach Haave said. “While many factors went into this decision for me, this is the right time for me personally and professionally for the next chapter in my life and also the right time for a new voice to lead the program.”
The Evergreen, Colorado native spent the last 14 years leading the charge for the Roadrunners women’s basketball program and finished as the winningest coach in program history.
“I can’t thank Coach Haave enough for all she has done for MSU Denver and our women’s basketball program,” Director of Athletics Todd Thurman said. “Not only did she have great success as our coach, but she was an amazing leader who provided guidance and mentorship to the players that came through our program.”
“First and foremost I want to thank my family, Mary and Dean Haave and Roseann Stiblo, and my spouse Susie, for all of their support throughout the years,” Coach Haave said. “I don’t know where I would be without them.”
She was announced as the 11th head coach in Roadrunners women’s basketball history on June 8, 2010.
Her first season with MSU Denver was one of the top campaigns for the Roadrunners women’s basketball program. That team went 30-3 with a 21-1 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, earning the program’s first regular-season championship since 1998 and leading the squad to its first ever NCAA regional championship.
She won three RMAC Coach of the Year awards in her time with the Roadrunners and led the team to two RMAC regular season championships, the 2022 RMAC Tournament championship and five NCAA Tournament appearances. She also coached two All-Americans, five All-Region players, three RMAC freshmen of the year and 38 All-RMAC honorees.
“I want to thank all of the players I’ve had the opportunity to coach,” Coach Haave said. “One of the major reasons I loved coaching so much was the special relationships I developed with so many players through the years and those relationships will always be special to me.”
Coach Haave finished her Roadrunners career with a 252-179 record, and a 201-120 mark in the RMAC. In her 18 years of coaching, she finished with a 288-265 overall record.
“A special thank you goes out to all the athletic directors, who were great mentors to me,” Coach Haave said. “I am equally grateful to MSU Denver president Dr. Janine Davison and former president Dr. Stephen Jordan for their exceptional leaderships and support for our athletics department.”
Haave started her coaching career assisting another legendary head coach in Ceal Barry at the University of Colorado. She spent four seasons in Boulder and helped lead the squad to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
From 1998 to 2001, Coach Haave joined fellow RMAC school Regis University as an assistant, where she helped the Ranger program to three winning seasons.
Her first head coaching job came at the Division I level, where she led the Dons of San Francisco for four seasons. Then coach made her way back home, taking the Roadrunners head job before the 2010-2011 season.
Before her coaching career, Coach Haave played at one of the most prestigious college basketball programs under one of the most heralded basketball coaches of all time. She played at the University of Tennessee when Pat Summitt was manning the sidelines and helped the program reach three Final Four appearances.
“I have also been incredibly blessed to have two amazing mentors in particular who have shaped so much of who I am as a coach,” Coach Haave said. “Pat Summitt is the reason I wanted to coach and I am forever grateful to have had her in my life and I miss her every day.”
She then went on to play professional basketball in Europe and Australia for 14 years. She earned 10 all-star selections and coached one year in Sweden.
Coach Haave finished her prep career at Evergreen High School as one of the most decorated high school athletes in state history. She became the first woman in Colorado history to earn the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame High School Athlete of the Year award, while also earning the 1980 Sportswoman of the Year award. In 2004, she was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
“MSU Denver is a special place and serves an important role in the Denver metro area and the Colorado community at large,” Coach Haave said. “I am forever grateful for the experiences I have had here. While the wins and championships are great, it is the moments and relationships built in between that I will cherish more.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you and Go Roadrunners.”
