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Yow to Return to Coaching Thursday

Jan 22, 2007

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University women's basketball coach Kay Yow said Monday that she would return to the bench this week after a two-month battle with cancer.

Yow, 64, stepped away from the court two months ago after a recurrence of breast cancer. She was originally diagnosed with the disease in 1987.

"It's exciting for me to have this opportunity to return to the team," Yow said at a news conference. "I'm not returning at full speed. ... It's a process, and I'll have to sort of work my way in."

She underwent chemotherapy and newer targeted biologic therapies in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, she released a letter on N.C. State's athletic Web site, GoPack.com, in which she said blood tests showed her health was improving.

Oncologist Dr. Mark Graham said in a teleconference Monday morning that Yow was well enough to coach in N.C. State's home game Thursday against Virginia.

"Coach Yow has had a clear shrinkage of the disease at each of the sites where we could measure it," Graham said. "So, I think she's had a good to excellent response at this point."

Yow's cancer remains and isn't curable, he said, but the targeted treatments she is receiving are life-extending treatments.

The danger of germs attacking her comprised immune system make traveling to away games and participating in some events questionable. But her players and coaches said Monday they're better with her around.

"Just her attitude toward the whole thing, it's very motivational," Wolfpack player Khadijah Whittington said.

"She's just such a presence," said associate head coach Stephanie Glance, who has served as interim coach during Yow's absence. "When she walks in, everyone lights up."

Yow, who ranks fifth among NCAA women's basketball coaches for career wins, thanked her staff for carrying on in her absence and said she was thrilled that they all expanded their duties and grew as coaches.

"I'm grateful to them for allowing me to come back in the middle of things," she said. "I want to help in some way to make our team a better team."

N.C. State's game against Boston College on Sunday will also be the second annual Hoops for Hope game. The game at Reynolds Coliseum is designed to raise awareness about breast cancer and to raise funds for cancer research. A portion of the price of each ticket will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

"I just hope people become more aware of the disease," Yow said. "Just never think that you don't have to pay attention to your body."

• Reporter: Kelcey Carlson
• Photographer: Richard Adkins
• Web Editor: Matthew Burns