Katy Steding (born December 11, 1967) is likely the Oregon native with the longest career in women’s basketball, over 40 years from high school standout to the coaching ranks.
It started as a student at Lake Oswego High School. Katy earned All-State and All-American honors, as well as Academic All-American recognition. She was also named All-Tournament three times at the OSAA large-school championships. Her senior year, LO went 25-2 and finished 3rd in the state.
Always an excellent student, Steding was a natural for Tara VanDerveer’s powerhouse team at Stanford. She then played four years for the Cardinal, culminating with the 1990 NCAA championship team. Katy was named to the Pacific-10 Conference all-star team four times (1987-90). Her well-rounded game on offense and defense led to spots on Stanford’s all-time lists; scoring, rebounding three-point percentage and steals. Katy holds the school record for steals with 10 in one game.
With no professional options in the States at the time, Steding took her talents to pro leagues in Japan and Spain. She then benefitted from the spotlight that shone on the 1996 Team USA that went 60-0 and won gold at the Atlanta Olympics. That gave rise to two professional leagues, the ABL and WNBA. Katy came home to play with a very talented Portland Power team. When the ABL founded, too-soon, in 1998, she joined the W, playing for Sacramento and Seattle before retiring in 2001.
Up next: a coaching career that has passed the 20-year mark. First, she launched the varsity program at Warner Pacific and took the Knights to two NAIA Division II tournaments, winning the title in 2006.
That was followed by assistant coaching positions with Atlanta, in the WNBA, Columbia University, University of San Francisco and Cal. Once again, she made things better wherever she picked up a whistle, Cal advanced to the 2013 Final 4.
Then it was time for another head coaching position. In 4 years at Boston University, the Terriers escaped the basement of the Patriot League, enjoying their best season in 2017.
Always in touch and coaching with her fellow Stanford alums, Katy returned to the Bay Area, first at San Francisco, then back at her alma mater, Stanford. Working with post players, Steding receives much credit for developing the game of All-American Cameron Brink.