It’s a very sad day in the world of women’s basketball as North Carolina State Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach Kay Yow has lost her long battle with cancer at the age of 66.
Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 1987 and her battle with cancer came into the spotlight during the 2006-07 season when she had to leave the team to focus on her treatments. When she returned, NC State won 12 of it’s final 15 games including big wins over rivals North Carolina and Duke.
When her cancer returned this season, Yow once again had to step away from the team and just recently announced that she would not return to the bench this season to focus on her battle.
Yow was very outspoken on the subject wanting to help others out in their fight with cancer. In 2007, she started the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in partnership with The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
“I am honored to have a Fund established in partnership with The V Foundation that bears the name of Kay Yow,” V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano said. “Her courage, faith and legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of those she helped to inspire throughout her coaching career and battle with cancer.”
Yow won 737 games in her career, coached US Olympic Women’s Basketball team to a gold medal in 1988, she won 4 ACC Championships, went to the NCAA Tournament 20 times and made it to the Final Four in 1998.
During the 2007 season, NC State dedicated “Kay Yow Court” at Reynolds Coliseum. She was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame back in 2002.
My condolences go out to Yow’s family and friends and the NC State women’s basketball program and all of it’s fans. She will be missed.
