Kate Paye
Encyclopedia
Kate Paye is a former collegiate and professional basketball
player. She is currently an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at Stanford University
.
's hospital, and was raised in Woodside, California
in a family of Stanford student-athletes. Both of her parents, her sister and brother all went to the school. Her father was a running back
for Stanford's football team while her brother John
was a quarterback
for the team in the mid-1980s, and later was her basketball coach at Menlo School
. At Menlo, Kate led the team to three consecutive California Interscholastic Federation
Division V state basketball championships from 1989 to 1991.
After high school, she was recruited by (and turned down) Harvard University
, Princeton University
and Dartmouth College
. Stanford never recruited her, so Paye attended its women's basketball team training camp as a walk-on and tried out. She was accepted and won a spot as a point guard
on the team.
In her freshman
year in 1992, she played on Stanford's 1992 championship
team and earned a scholarship for the following year.
She graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
.
in the American Basketball League (ABL) for three seasons until the league folded.
She later joined the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA) in 2000, and played for the Minnesota Lynx
for two seasons. After she was waived by Lynx in May 2002, she signed a free agent
contract with the Seattle Storm
and played for them in the 2002 season.
During her WNBA career, she spent the offseason pursuing a JD/MBA degree. And in the Spring of 2003, she graduated from Stanford Law School
with a Juris Doctor
and the Stanford Graduate School of Business
with a Masters in Business Administration.
. But she left the following year to embark upon her playing career in the ABL.
After her playing career ended, Paye returned to coaching when she was hired as an assistant women's basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Pepperdine University
for the 2004-2005 season.
In May 2005, Paye returned as an assistant coach for the San Diego State University Aztecs
. Her duties included coaching the point guard
s and perimeter
players, as well as scouting opposing teams and being involved with the Aztecs' recruitment efforts.
In June 2007, Paye returned to Stanford as an assistant coach.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. She is currently an assistant coach for the women's basketball team at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Early life and college career
Paye was born at the medical center of Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's hospital, and was raised in Woodside, California
Woodside, California
Woodside is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It uses a council-manager system of government. The U.S. Census estimated the population of the town to be 5,287 in 2010....
in a family of Stanford student-athletes. Both of her parents, her sister and brother all went to the school. Her father was a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for Stanford's football team while her brother John
John Paye
John Paye is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League and a high school basketball coach.-Early life:...
was a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the team in the mid-1980s, and later was her basketball coach at Menlo School
Menlo School
Menlo School, also referred to simply as Menlo, is an independent college preparatory school in Atherton, California, near the heart of Silicon Valley. Menlo comprises a middle school that includes grades 6–8 and a high school that includes grades 9–12...
. At Menlo, Kate led the team to three consecutive California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
Division V state basketball championships from 1989 to 1991.
After high school, she was recruited by (and turned down) Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
. Stanford never recruited her, so Paye attended its women's basketball team training camp as a walk-on and tried out. She was accepted and won a spot as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
on the team.
In her freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year in 1992, she played on Stanford's 1992 championship
1992 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West Regional - Seattle, WA:-Midwest Regional - Boulder, CO:-Mideast Regional - West Lafayette, IN:-Final Four - Los Angeles, CA:-References:...
team and earned a scholarship for the following year.
She graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
ABL and WNBA
In 1996, Paye began her professional basketball career, playing for the Seattle ReignSeattle Reign
The Seattle Reign was the first women's professional basketball franchise in Seattle, Washington. The Reign was a charter member of the American Basketball League . The team played from 1996 through 1998...
in the American Basketball League (ABL) for three seasons until the league folded.
She later joined the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA) in 2000, and played for the Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
for two seasons. After she was waived by Lynx in May 2002, she signed a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract with the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
and played for them in the 2002 season.
During her WNBA career, she spent the offseason pursuing a JD/MBA degree. And in the Spring of 2003, she graduated from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
with a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
and the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
with a Masters in Business Administration.
Coaching career
She started her coaching career in 1995, after graduating from Stanford, to briefly serve as an assistant coach at San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. But she left the following year to embark upon her playing career in the ABL.
After her playing career ended, Paye returned to coaching when she was hired as an assistant women's basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
for the 2004-2005 season.
In May 2005, Paye returned as an assistant coach for the San Diego State University Aztecs
SDSU Aztecs
The San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University .San Diego State has organized programs for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, gymnastics, rowing , softball, tennis, track, swimming, diving, women's volleyball, and water polo.The...
. Her duties included coaching the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
s and perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
players, as well as scouting opposing teams and being involved with the Aztecs' recruitment efforts.
In June 2007, Paye returned to Stanford as an assistant coach.