North Carolina State University Athletics
Coach Yow To Receive Naismith Award
3/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA (March 29, 2007) – College basketball coaching icons Kay Yow of North Carolina State and Bob Knight of Texas Tech have been selected as the 2007 Naismith Women’s and Men’s Outstanding Contribution to Basketball recipients, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Created in 1982, the award pays tribute to the individuals who have made a significant impact on women’s and men’s college basketball.
“These coaching legends have dedicated their lives to improving the sport of college basketball, by molding student-athletes into adults,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “Their success speaks for itself and we are honored to include them in the Naismith family.”
Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Selection Committee, Yow and Knight will be recognized at the annual Naismith Awards Banquet presented by Delta Air Lines on April 5 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Knight achieved his 880th career win on January 1, 2007, passing retired North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the most career NCAA Division I men’s college basketball victories. He led the Red Raiders to a 21-13 record this season and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, marking the 28th time a Knight-coached team has made the prestigious tournament field – the top mark among all coaches. Knight’s Texas Tech record currently stands at 126 - 74, while his overall coaching record is 890 - 363.
Knight left Indiana and accepted the head coaching job at Texas Tech University in 2001. He quickly improved the program, which had not been to an NCAA tournament since 1996. The Red Raiders went from 11th in the Big 12 Conference to a tie for third, and posted a +14 victory margin (9-19 in 2000-2001 to 23-9 in 2001-2002). Texas Tech’s 23 wins in that initial season, the Red Raiders’ most single-season victories since the 1995-1996 season, marked the 25th season that Knight’s teams had won 20 or more games.
The man known as “The General” came to Texas Tech from Indiana University, where he coached for 30 seasons. There, Knight led the Hoosiers to three NCAA titles (1976, 1981, and 1987), one NIT championship (1979) and 11 Big Ten crowns en route to a 662-239 record. He also coached U.S. teams to gold medals in the 1979 Pan American Games and the 1984 Olympics. In 1976, the Hoosiers went a perfect 32-0 and beat conference rival Michigan 86-68 to claim the championship – a feat that no other Division I men’s team has done since. Knight is the only coach to win the NCAA, the NIT, the Olympic Gold, and the Pan-Am Gold. While at Indiana, Knight coached 23 different players to All-American and All-Big Ten honors. For 10-consecutive seasons, at least one of his players made the Academic All-American or Academic All-Big Ten Teams, and a total of 18 players were so honored. His Indiana players won 10 Big Ten Most Valuable Player honors and two of his players won National Player of the Year (Scott May, 1976; Calbert Cheaney, 1993).
Knight broke into the coaching profession at the United States Military Academy at the young age of 24. During his four-year run, in which he went 102-50, he coached future Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. As a reserve on Ohio State’s basketball teams, he won an NCAA championship (1960) and appeared in two additional Final Four appearances (1961, 1962) with the Buckeyes.
Knight, who was named the first Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year in 1987, was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
On February 16th, 2007 the court at tradition filled Reynolds Coliseum was renamed in honor of Kay Yow, the legendary North Carolina State women’s basketball coach. “Kay Yow Court at Reynolds Coliseum” is one of many honors she has received during her illustrious coaching career.
Despite missing much of this season, she managed to lead the current Wolfpack team to a 21-8 overall regular season record and a 10-4 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team had a five-game winning streak snapped in the ACC Championship game against the North Carolina 60-54, but still earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. There, the Wolfpack lost to Connecticut in the regional semi-finals.
Yow began her coaching journey with a successful stint at Elon College, where she compiled a four-year record of 57-19.
A trailblazer for female coaches, Yow took the North Carolina State head post and immediately led the Wolfpack to a 19-7 overall record and a berth in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT). She never looked back.
During her memorable 32-year career in Raleigh, Yow’s teams have averaged 20 wins per season and she has guided her squads to 20 NCAA Tournaments. She led the Wolfpack to 11 Sweet 16 trips, one Elite Eight and a memorable Final Four run in 1998. Yow has led the ‘Pack to five ACC championships and four ACC tournament titles. She has coached two ACC Rookies of the Year and two ACC Players of the Year. Through the 2006-2007 regular season, her record at N.C. State is 651-305 and her overall coaching record is 708-324. She currently ranks fifth on the all-time wins list in NCAA Women’s Division I history.
Her success extends beyond the United States. She was Pat Summit’s assistant coach on the 1984 U.S. Women’s Olympic staff where Team USA took home the gold. In 1998, acting as the head coach, Yow led the squad to another gold medal. For her accomplishments in the game of basketball, Yow was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
Yow, who in 1987 was diagnosed with breast cancer, continues to coach at a high level and has become an inspirational figure leading a crusade to battle the disease. Yow has helped to establish the Jimmy V Women’s Classic, a slate of women’s games designed to help raise money for cancer research.
The Gibsonville, North Carolina native has two sisters involved in sports – Debbie Yow is the Athletic Director at the University of Maryland and Susan Yow was an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and a head coach at the Division I level.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and overall contribution to the game.
“These coaching legends have dedicated their lives to improving the sport of college basketball, by molding student-athletes into adults,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “Their success speaks for itself and we are honored to include them in the Naismith family.”
Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Selection Committee, Yow and Knight will be recognized at the annual Naismith Awards Banquet presented by Delta Air Lines on April 5 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Knight achieved his 880th career win on January 1, 2007, passing retired North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the most career NCAA Division I men’s college basketball victories. He led the Red Raiders to a 21-13 record this season and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, marking the 28th time a Knight-coached team has made the prestigious tournament field – the top mark among all coaches. Knight’s Texas Tech record currently stands at 126 - 74, while his overall coaching record is 890 - 363.
Knight left Indiana and accepted the head coaching job at Texas Tech University in 2001. He quickly improved the program, which had not been to an NCAA tournament since 1996. The Red Raiders went from 11th in the Big 12 Conference to a tie for third, and posted a +14 victory margin (9-19 in 2000-2001 to 23-9 in 2001-2002). Texas Tech’s 23 wins in that initial season, the Red Raiders’ most single-season victories since the 1995-1996 season, marked the 25th season that Knight’s teams had won 20 or more games.
The man known as “The General” came to Texas Tech from Indiana University, where he coached for 30 seasons. There, Knight led the Hoosiers to three NCAA titles (1976, 1981, and 1987), one NIT championship (1979) and 11 Big Ten crowns en route to a 662-239 record. He also coached U.S. teams to gold medals in the 1979 Pan American Games and the 1984 Olympics. In 1976, the Hoosiers went a perfect 32-0 and beat conference rival Michigan 86-68 to claim the championship – a feat that no other Division I men’s team has done since. Knight is the only coach to win the NCAA, the NIT, the Olympic Gold, and the Pan-Am Gold. While at Indiana, Knight coached 23 different players to All-American and All-Big Ten honors. For 10-consecutive seasons, at least one of his players made the Academic All-American or Academic All-Big Ten Teams, and a total of 18 players were so honored. His Indiana players won 10 Big Ten Most Valuable Player honors and two of his players won National Player of the Year (Scott May, 1976; Calbert Cheaney, 1993).
Knight broke into the coaching profession at the United States Military Academy at the young age of 24. During his four-year run, in which he went 102-50, he coached future Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. As a reserve on Ohio State’s basketball teams, he won an NCAA championship (1960) and appeared in two additional Final Four appearances (1961, 1962) with the Buckeyes.
Knight, who was named the first Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year in 1987, was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
On February 16th, 2007 the court at tradition filled Reynolds Coliseum was renamed in honor of Kay Yow, the legendary North Carolina State women’s basketball coach. “Kay Yow Court at Reynolds Coliseum” is one of many honors she has received during her illustrious coaching career.
Despite missing much of this season, she managed to lead the current Wolfpack team to a 21-8 overall regular season record and a 10-4 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team had a five-game winning streak snapped in the ACC Championship game against the North Carolina 60-54, but still earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. There, the Wolfpack lost to Connecticut in the regional semi-finals.
Yow began her coaching journey with a successful stint at Elon College, where she compiled a four-year record of 57-19.
A trailblazer for female coaches, Yow took the North Carolina State head post and immediately led the Wolfpack to a 19-7 overall record and a berth in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT). She never looked back.
During her memorable 32-year career in Raleigh, Yow’s teams have averaged 20 wins per season and she has guided her squads to 20 NCAA Tournaments. She led the Wolfpack to 11 Sweet 16 trips, one Elite Eight and a memorable Final Four run in 1998. Yow has led the ‘Pack to five ACC championships and four ACC tournament titles. She has coached two ACC Rookies of the Year and two ACC Players of the Year. Through the 2006-2007 regular season, her record at N.C. State is 651-305 and her overall coaching record is 708-324. She currently ranks fifth on the all-time wins list in NCAA Women’s Division I history.
Her success extends beyond the United States. She was Pat Summit’s assistant coach on the 1984 U.S. Women’s Olympic staff where Team USA took home the gold. In 1998, acting as the head coach, Yow led the squad to another gold medal. For her accomplishments in the game of basketball, Yow was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
Yow, who in 1987 was diagnosed with breast cancer, continues to coach at a high level and has become an inspirational figure leading a crusade to battle the disease. Yow has helped to establish the Jimmy V Women’s Classic, a slate of women’s games designed to help raise money for cancer research.
The Gibsonville, North Carolina native has two sisters involved in sports – Debbie Yow is the Athletic Director at the University of Maryland and Susan Yow was an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and a head coach at the Division I level.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and overall contribution to the game.
Coach Moore Postgame Presser (Syracuse)
Sunday, February 22
WBB Players Postgame Presser (Syracuse)
Sunday, February 22
Brooks, Coach Moore Postgame at VT
Sunday, February 08
Coach Moore Postgame Presser (Florida State)
Thursday, February 05