Kay Yow (1942-2009)

RALEIGH (AP) | N.C. State’s Kay Yow, the Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach who won more than 700 games while earning fans with her decades-long fight against breast cancer, died on Saturday. She was 66. | ESPN.com

Yow coached the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team to a gold medal in 1988, won four ACC tournament championships, earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached the Final Four in 1998.

But for many fans, Yow was best defined by her unwavering resolve while fighting cancer, from raising awareness and money for research to staying with her team through the debilitating effects of the disease and chemotherapy treatments. In her final months, Yow was on hormonal therapy as the cancer spread to her liver and bones.

She never flinched or complained, relying on her faith as the disease progressed. She commonly noted there were other patients with “harder battles than I’m fighting” and said it was inspiring for her to stay with her team.

“Almost everybody is dealing with something,” Yow said in a 2006 interview.

Yow’s story touched players, fans | The News & Observer

Yow’s considerable efforts will live on | ESPN.com

ESPN videos: Remembering Yow | Yow’s Legacy

WRAL video: Yow: 38 years of coaching, inspiration

Halls of Fame: Basketball | N.C. Sports

Thoughts with Yow

Goes without saying, but our thoughts and prayers are with N.C. State women's basketball coach Kay Yow as she is in a local hospital battling stage 4 cancer as her Wolfpack prepares to take on Miami.

"Yow's longtime oncologist, Dr. Mark Graham, recommended that she enter the hospital," said the N&O. "Graham said that the overall complexity of Yow's care prompted him to make that decision. ...

"Yow, who has coached with metastatic breast cancer since 2004, is said to have not felt well while resting at her Cary home. She had not been hospitalized during the four games she missed earlier in the season.

"Yow, in her 34th season with the Wolfpack, missed her first game this season on Dec. 22 and would miss four before taking a leave of absence. Graham advised that it was best for Yow to 'focus on her disease and its treatment, which she will need to do for the foreseeable future.'

"Graham said Wednesday that Yow's status for in-home care or hospital care would be determined 'day to day.' He would not disclose the name of the hospital or speak directly about Yow's care."

I had the pleasure of interviewing Coach Yow as a student reporter years ago, and she went above and beyond giving me the time and attention I deserved for a piece on which I was working. Keep fighting, Coach Yow. We're all with ya.