Kay Yow

College coach infobox


Name = Kay Yow
| Caption =
Sport = Basketball
College = North Carolina State University
Title = Head coach
CurrentRecord = 664-313
OverallRecord = 722-333
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID =
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1971-1975
1975-present
CoachTeams = Elon College
NC State

Sandra Kay Yow (born March 14, 1942 in Gibsonville, North Carolina), United States is the head coach of the women's basketball team at North Carolina State University.

Career achievements

Yow received her Bachelor of Science degree in English from East Carolina University in 1964, and her Master's degree in Physical Education from the UNC-Greensboro in 1970. She was selected the "Outstanding Alumnus" by UNC-Greensboro in 1982 for excellence in her professionFact|date=February 2007. On January 11, 2001, she reached the 600-win milestone for her career with a 71-64 win over Temple University. [ [http://espn.go.com/ncw/2001/20010111/recap/tadnat.html Yow fifth women's coach to 600 victories] – [http://espn.go.com/index ESPN] ] . On February 5, 2007, she reached the 700-win milestone for her career with a 68-51 win over Florida State University. She currently ranks as the fifth winningest active NCAA Division I women's basketball coach. In recognition for her dedication and success, Yow was selected for enshrinement into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on June 5, 2002. On February 16, 2007,the basketball court at Reynolds Coliseum was renamed Kay Yow Court at Reynolds Coliseum in her honor. On July 11, 2007, Yow received the inaugural Jimmy V ESPY Award for Perseverance. She received a standing ovation.

Ongoing battle with breast cancer

In 1987, Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer, which went into remission. In 2004, the cancer returned, and she underwent diet changes, oral hormonal therapies and radiation.

However, on November 22, 2006, it was reported that the cancer was progressing and Yow announced that she would take a leave of absence from the team for an indefinite period of time to focus on her health, including chemotherapy. [http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/basketball/article/0,1406,KNS_629_5166129,00.html]

On January 22, 2007, Yow returned as head coach for the Wolfpack.

In 2007, Yow received an ESPY award named after Jim Valvano for her perseverance in being able to continue to coach while battling cancer.

Miscellaneous

Her two sisters are also active in collegiate sports. Deborah Yow is currently the Athletic Director at the University of Maryland, College Park, [ [http://umterps.collegesports.com/school-bio/md-athdir.html Maryland Athletics Director profile] ] and Susan Yow coached women's basketball at University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Kansas State University, Drake University, East Tennessee State University, and Providence College. Susan has also served as an assistant coach to the WNBA teams, the Charlotte Sting and the Cleveland Rockers. [ [http://friars.collegesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/yow_susan00.html Providence College coaching profile] ] In 2006, Susan was named as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx, but resigned with head coach Suzie McConnell Serio on July 23, 2006. [ [http://www.wnba.com/lynx/news/serio_060723.html WNBA.com on resignation] ]

References

* [http://gopack.collegesports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/yow_kay01.html North Carolina State coaching profile]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=2673103 November 22, 2006 ESPN article on Yow's medical leave of absence]
* [http://www.chathamjournal.com/weekly/sports/basketball/yow-takes-leave-of-absence-61123.shtml November 22, 2006 "Chatham Weekly Journal" report on Yow's breast cancer]

External Links

* [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/G-0244/ Oral History Interview with Kay Yow] at [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/ Oral Histories of the American South]