MSU Denver Athletics

2022 RMAC Tournament champions 2018 RMAC Coach of the Year 2012 RMAC Coach of the Year 2012 RMAC regular season champions 2011 NCAA Division II Central Region champions 2011 RMAC Coach of the Year 2011 RMAC regular season champions

One of the top players in the history of the prestigious Tennessee program, Tanya Haave has continued adding to her legacy as MSU Denver's head women's basketball coach.

A three-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference coach of the year, Haave is in her her 14th season as the head coach of the Roadrunners in 2023-24. She surpassed Darryl Smith as the winningest coach in school history on Dec. 1, 2018, and is now 237-138 as the Roadrunners' head coach.

She has coached 10 players to All-RMAC first team honors a total of 12 times (Georgia Ohrdorf and Allie Navarette were two-time first-team selections). In 2020-21, she coached Allie Navarette to RMAC Player of the Year honors and Kendra Parra to RMAC Co-Freshman of the Year recognition.

Haave led MSU Denver to its best three-year stretch in school history in her first three seasons, compiling a record of 78-17, while posting the top two win totals (30 and 27) and winning percentages (.909 and .871) in program history. She was named the RMAC Coach of the Year in both 2011 and 2012. She has a 7-5 record in national tournament games for the program's only NCAA-tournament wins.

She has also had eight different Academic All-RMAC players receive recognition a total of 10 times.

In 2022-23, the Roadrunners worked around key injuries throughout the season while going 16-14 overall and 13-9 for sixth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Then they knocked off third-seeded Black Hills State on the road in the first round of the RMAC Tournament before pushing nationally-ranked Colorado School of Mines to the finish before falling in the semifinals. Parra put together one of the finest all-around seasons in recent program history while earning All-RMAC first team honors, and Jaiden Galloway returned to the program for her senior year and was All-RMAC second team.

Haave led the Roadrunners back to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in 2021-22 after a stirring run to the program's first RMAC Tournament championship since 2005. Despite being the sixth seed for the RMAC Tournament, MSU Denver won at Westminster 75-66, then posted neutral-court wins over nationally-ranked Colorado Mesa in the semifinals and CSU-Pueblo in the final. The Roadrunners were defeated in overtime by Texas Woman's -- they had lost to the same team in triple overtime in the second game of the season -- in the NCAA's first round and finished the season 22-9 overall and 15-7 in RMAC regular-season play. Navarette earned All-RMAC first team honors once again, but she was just part of a balanced team with multiple options. Morgan Griego was the RMAC Tournament most valuable player, and she was joined on the all-tournament team by whirling dervish Tosjanae Bonds, steady and heady point guard Alex Carlton and Navarette.

In the COVID-affected 2020-21 season, Haave guided MSU Denver through multiple obstacles, as the Roadrunners frequently played short-handed due to injury, and yet the team responded by going 12-6 overall and 11-4 for the third-best winning percentage in the RMAC (due to COVID, winning percentage wasn't used to determine seeding for the RMAC Tournament, and MSU Denver was seeded fifth). In addition to winning RMAC Player of the Year, Navarette also earned All-America honorable mention recognition from both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association.

On campus, Haave received the 2021 Inclusive Higher Education Certificate Program's Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award. It is given to an individual who actively leads the program and the Auraria Campus in inclusion, contributing to ongoing and furthered commitment to diversity and inclusive higher education, and to an individual who works tirelessly to improve opportunities for the diverse learners served on the Auraria Campus.

Haave took a young Roadrunners team in 2019-20 and, after overcoming an 0-5 start against one of the toughest non-conference schedules in Division II, guided it to an overall record of 13-16 that included a 12-10 mark in RMAC play and another berth in the RMAC Tournament. Sophomore Galloway earned All-RMAC second team honors, while junior guard Mariah Schroeder made the Academic All-RMAC team for a second straight season.

After a slow start in 2018-19, Haave guided the Roadrunners to an incredible turnaround that allowed them to finish third in the RMAC. MSU Denver was 3-8 overall and 12-3 in RMAC play through December, but then went 13-4 for the rest of the regular season to earn home-court advantage as the third seed for the RMAC Tournament. the Roadrunners were upset by Regis to end their season at 16-13.

Jaelynn Smith and Erin Hartegan both earned All-RMAC first team honors and Jonalyn Wittwer (All-RMAC honorable mention) was the RMAC's Academic Player of the Year, the fourth time in five seasons one of Haave's players earned the RMAC's top academic honor. Smith and Schroeder also earned Academic All-RMAC first team recognition. Smith was the only player in Division II to average at least 15.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.1 steals per game and she also led the RMAC in free throws made and free throws attempted. She had the program's second-ever triple double on Senior Night, March 1 against Chadron State. Wittwer tied a Division II record by making nine consecutive 3-pointers in a single game, and set the RMAC record in the same game by making a total of 11 3s.

Haave led MSU Denver back to the NCAA Division II national tournament in 2017-18, as the Roadrunners went 23-9 overall, placed second in the RMAC at 17-5, and defeated conference rival Colorado State University-Pueblo in the first round of the South Central Regional. She was named the RMAC's coach of the year. Ohrdorf repeated as a first-team All-RMAC selection, while J'Nae Squires-Horton and Jaelynn Smith were both named second team.

Haave's 2016-17 Roadrunners team went 18-12 overall and 14-8 in RMAC play, with  Ohrdorf earning the first of her two first-team All-RMAC awards. Haave guided her young team to an overall record of 13-15 and an RMAC record of 11-11 in 2015-16, when Hannah Stipnovich earned first-team all-conference honors.

During the 2014-15 season, when the Roadrunners were 13-13 overall and 10-12 in the RMAC, Ohrdorf was named RMAC freshman of the year and Deni Jacobs was a first-team All-RMAC selection. Jacobs was also named Capital One first team Academic All-District.

After graduating three four-year starters, Haave's 2013-14 squad was young and inexperienced. However, she led it to a 12-10 record in RMAC play and 13-14 overall. The Roadrunners continued to grow throughout the year, posting a 10-6 mark over the final 16 games. Despite the youth on the floor, Haave's team excelled like veterans in the classroom, posting a 3.40 GPA during the fall semester.

She led her squad in 2012-13 to 21 wins and the third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance after graduating four key seniors from 2012, including All-America point guard Jasmine Cervantes. Haave's team still finished second in the RMAC at 17-5 despite returning just five players, and even advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament after the Roadrunners upset third-seed St. Mary's (Texas) in the first round. They finished the season 21-10.

MSU Denver led the RMAC in scoring defense (51.2) in conference games and held opponents to an RMAC-best .350 field goal percentage. Her team was led by RMAC defensive player of the year Kristin Valencia, who finished her career ranked second in rebounding on the school's all-time list. With only the five returning players eligible for academic all-conference, four Roadrunners earned the honor as Haave's team continued its excellence in the classroom.

In Haave's second season in 2011-12, she led the Roadrunners to a 27-4 overall record, the second-best record in school history, including their second straight RMAC regular season championship with a 20-2 record in the league. MSU Denver also advanced to its second straight NCAA tournament, winning two games to reach the Sweet Sixteen and Central Region championship game where the team fell at top-ranked and top-seed Wayne State (Neb.) in the regional final. The team's success on the floor led to a second consecutive RMAC coach of the year award for Haave.

The Roadrunners ended the season as the top rebounding team in Division II, leading the nation with a +12.8 rebounding margin, more than a rebound per game better than the second-best team. Haave's squad also ranked 10th in scoring defense (54.9) and 27th in lowest opponent field goal percentage (.355). Her team took care of the ball, ranking 18th in fewest turnovers per game (14.3) and 18th in assist/turnover ratio (1.07).

Senior point guard Jasmine Cervantes put together one of the most balanced stat lines in school history and was named honorable mention All-America by the WBCA and Division II Bulletin. She averaged 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.1 blocked shots, and recorded the first triple-double in school history on Dec. 3 against Western New Mexico. Haave also recruited one-year wonder Caley Dow, a transfer from the University of Colorado who had just one season of eligibility remaining. After taking three years off after CU, Dow earned first team All-RMAC honors and led the team in scoring and was second in rebounding. Haave also added Jenessa Burke, a freshman who had originally committed to a Division I school out of high school two years prior, but never attended college. Burke went on to be named RMAC freshman of the year, finishing second on the team in scoring.

In addition to the success on the floor by Haave's team in 2011-12, her team posted a 3.33 grade point average, the second-best among MSU Denver athletics teams. Eight players were named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (3.5 GPA or higher) during the fall semester and six earned that distinction during the spring semester. Six Roadrunners earned Academic All-RMAC recognition. Haave's Roadrunners were also active in the community. They participated in several community service projects, including helping build a Habitat for Humanity home, and hosting a food drive and then delivering the food to a homeless shelter in Denver.

In her first season in 2010-11, Haave led the Roadrunners to their most successful season in school history. MSU Denver went 30-3 overall, including 21-1 in the RMAC to win its first regular-season RMAC title since 1998.  The team set numerous school records, including wins, conference wins, longest winning streak (15), longest home winning streak (26, the streak grew to 34 before ending during the 2011-12 season), scoring defense (51.4), total rebounds (1,353) and games played (33). Haave was named RMAC coach of the year.

MSU Denver had just four previous NCAA tournament appearances before 2011 and had never won an NCAA tournament game. Haave’s squad advanced all the way to the Elite Eight, winning three games to capture the Central Region championship. Her team was one of the most dominant defensive squads in the nation, finishing second in Division II in scoring defense and rebounding margin. During the fall, Haave added Cassondra Bratton to the team and the senior went on to earn all-region and Central Region tournament MVP honors.

Before MSU Denver, Haave spent four years as head coach at the Division I University of San Francisco. Prior to her four years there, Haave coached in the Denver area for seven seasons. She spent her first three seasons coaching at Regis as an assistant from 1998-2001, helping the Rangers to three winning seasons.

From there, she coached four years as an assistant at Colorado under legendary head coach Ceal Barry, helping the Buffaloes to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2002, followed by a Sweet Sixteen showing in 2003. Haave then coached one year at the University of Denver in 2005-06. In her one season at DU, the Pioneers finished second in their division.

Haave played professionally in Europe and Australia for 14 years before her coaching career. She earned 10 all-star selections and also coached one year in Sweden. In her collegiate days, Haave played at the University of Tennessee for Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, starting three years for the Lady Vols and compiling All-America and All-SEC honors while helping her team to three Final Four appearances. She finished her career as the Lady Vols' all-time scoring leader, and she still ranks 10th with 1,771 points. She also played two years of volleyball at Tennessee and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1985.

Haave is a native of Evergreen, Colo., and 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 and was also the 1980 Sportswoman of the Year by the Sportswomen of Colorado. In 2004, she was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Haave's Collegiate Head Coaching Record

Year	School	Overall	Conf.	Postseason/Championships
2006-07	San Francisco	10-21	3-11
2007-08	San Francisco	14-16	5-9
2008-09	San Francisco	7-22	3-11
2009-10	San Francisco	5-27	1-13
2010-11	MSU Denver	30-3	21-1	RMAC regular season champions NCAA tournament Central Region champions
2011-12	MSU Denver	27-4	20-2	RMAC regular season champions NCAA tournament
2012-13	MSU Denver	21-10	17-5	NCAA tournament
2013-14	MSU Denver	13-14	12-10
2014-15	MSU Denver	13-13	10-12
2015-16	MSU Denver	13-15	11-11
2016-17	MSU Denver	18-12	14-8
2017-18	MSU Denver	23-9	17-5	NCAA tournament
2018-19	MSU Denver	16-13	15-7
2019-20	MSU Denver	13-16	12-10
2020-21	MSU Denver	12-6	11-4
2021-22	MSU Denver	22-9	15-7	RMAC Tournament champions NCAA Tournament
2022-23	MSU Denver	16-14	13-9
2023-24	MSU Denver	9-18	8-14
15 years	MSU Denver Record	252-179	201-120
18 years	Overall Record	288-265	213-164