Kay Yow's victorious legacy
Legendary coach will be remembered and revered for the way she lived
Jan. 26, 2009
North Carolina State coaching legend Kay Yow, who battled breast cancer off and on since 1987, was called home on Saturday, Jan. 24. An avid supporter and speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Yow was 66 years old and leaves behind an amazing legacy of victory – both on the court and in her personal life.
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Coach Yow Interview with STV Magazine |
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The first full-time women's basketball coach at NC State, Yow commanded the sidelines for 38 years, leading her teams to 20 of 27 NCAA Tournaments, 11 trips to the Sweet 16, and a trip to the Elite Eight and Final Four in 1998. She amassed five ACC regular-season championships, four ACC Tournament titles and 29 winning seasons, including 21 seasons with 20 or more wins.
During the 2005-06 season, Yow became the fifth women's basketball coach in NCAA history and the first in the ACC to coach 900 games at the same school. She was tabbed Coach of the Year eight times and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hall of Champions.
Her success wasn't limited to the collegiate level. She is among a short list of nine individuals who were chosen to serve as head coach for the USA Women's Basketball Team, which brought home two gold medals under her guidance.
In addition to her on-court triumphs, Coach Yow was also victorious in life. She used her influence to partner with the Jimmy V Foundation to start the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Through her efforts, opposing coaches joined together to fight the ultimate opponent, cancer. Since the inception of the fund, more than $700,000 has gone to fund women’s cancer research.
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Kay Yow made a lasting impact on women's college basketball.
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Coach Yow also lived the mission of FCA. At her request, pre-game chapels became a part of North Carolina State's routine, which have been led by various local FCA staff members. In her honor, FCA created the "Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award" in 2008 to honor those coaches who have pursued their profession in a biblical way. The inaugural recipient, Coach Yow herself, was presented with the award during the 2008 NCAA Women's Final Four.
"Coach Yow will be sorely missed by those who knew her," said Donna Noonan, a longtime friend of Yow's and FCA's Vice President of Coaches Ministry. "There were a lot of high 5's in heaven Saturday morning. She was a great basketball coach; her record speaks for itself. But more importantly, she is a coach who loved Christ and loved her players. Her impact for the kingdom of God will be felt for generations because of the legacy she leaves in her players, fellow coaches and friends. Praise God for the life of Kay Yow!"
FCA President Les Steckel said, "Coach Yow has been an inspiration to millions of people through her courageous battle in the last few years as well as through her consistent career as one of the finest women's basketball coaches in the history of the sport. While she led a team of American women to an Olympic gold medal, nothing shines brighter than her bold witness for Christ and the impact she has had on young lives for eternity. She will truly be missed, but her influence will live on."
Coach Yow will forever be remembered as one of the winningest coaches in women's collegiate basketball history, but her biggest impact occurred way beyond the bench. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is honored to have had a front-row seat to her legacy.
