Debbie Yow papers

Abstract

The Debbie Yow papers (dated 1976-1983, 1994, 2023, undated; 0.23 cubic feet; 1 slim document box) primarily comprise newspaper clippings, game schedules and calendars, game program and season fact book, and promotion and program flyers documenting the University of Kentucky (UK) Lady Kats women's basketball team and Debbie Yow's career as the Lady Kat head coach, 1976-1980.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Debbie Yow papers
Date
1976-1983 (inclusive)
1994 February 11-14 (inclusive)
2023 February 12
Creator
Yow, Deborah A.
Extent
.23 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Basketball for women -- Kentucky
Parsons, Dick, 1938-
Yow, Deborah A.
Yow, Kay, 1942-2009
Yow, Susan Lee, 1954-
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format and subject.
Finding Aid Author
Ruth E. Bryan
Preferred Citation
2023ua008 : [identification of item], Debbie Yow papers, 1976-1983, 1994, 2023, undated, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Yow was born on September 1, 1950, in Gibsonville, North Carolina. She graduated with a degree in English in 1974 from Elon University, where she also played basketball. She earned a master's degree in counseling from Liberty University in 1987. Yow was hired by Sue Feamster as head coach of the University of Kentucky Lady Kats women's basketball team in 1976. Yow was at UK until 1980, then coached women's basketball at Oral Roberts University (1981-1983) and the University of Florida (1983-1985). "She took these three previously unranked teams into the top 20 national rankings" ("Debbie Yow," Wikipedia, accessed 3/2/2023). In 1985, Yow accepted a promotion and began her second career as an athletics administrator at the University of Florida and went on to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro as associate athletic director. From 1990 to 2019, Yow served as Athletic Director at Saint Louis University (1990-1994), University of Maryland (1994-2010, the first woman athletic director in any Atlantic Coast Conference school), and North Carolina State University (2010-2019). Yow received the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics James J. Corbett Memorial Award in 2019 and was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Yow was married to Lynn Nance, 1980, and is currently married to William Bowden, 1983- . Yow's two sisters Kay Yow (1942-2009) and Susan Yow (1954- ) were/are also basketball players and coaches. Kay Yow coached the North Carolina State University women's basketball team from 1975-2009.
Sources: 1. "Debbie Yow," Wikipedia, accessed 3/2/2023. 2. "Susan Yow," Wikipedia, accessed 3/2/2023. 3. ancestry.com, accessed 3/2/2023.
Scope and Content
The Debbie Yow papers (dated 1976-1983, 1994, 2023, undated; 0.23 cubic feet; 1 slim document box) primarily comprise newspaper clippings, game schedules and calendars, game program and season fact book, and promotion and program flyers documenting the University of Kentucky (UK) Lady Kats women's basketball team and Debbie Yow's career as the Lady Kat head coach, 1976-1980. Also includes newspaper clippings about Yow's sisters Kay Yow and Susan Yow (also women's college basketball coaches); a congratulatory letter from Dick Parsons, UK men's basketball assistant coach from 1970-1980, dated February 14, 1994, in response to a laudatory clipping about Yow as Saint Louis University athletic director; and written recollections by Yow about her UK coaching career, dated February 12, 2023.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

UK Lady Kats vs Indiana University Hoosiers, 1976 December 6

  • Box 1, folder 1
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"Lady Kats" Basketball fact book, 1978-1979

  • Box 1, folder 1
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WBLG radio flyer announcing broadcast of Lady Kats basketball games, 1977 or 1978

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Lady Kat basketball game calendar, sponsored by Ashland Oil and Flav-O-Rich Dairies, 1979-1980

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Debbie Yow Lady Kats head basketball coach business card, undated

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Lady Kats basketball pocket game schedule, 1976-1977

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Lady Kats basketball pocket schedule with photograph of Debbie Yow on reverse, 1979-1980

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Joe B. Hall Wildcat Basketball Clinic brochure (3rd annual), featuring Debbie Yow as a special guest, undated

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Newspaper clippings primarily about the Lady Kats basketball team, 1976-1983

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Newspaper clippings primarily about Debbie Yow and sisters Kay Yow and Susan Yow, 1976-1980

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Letter and clipping sent to Debbie Yow from Dick Parsons, 1994 February 11-14

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Debbie Yow written recollections to Ruth Bryan regarding UK coaching career and items in the collection, 2023 February 12

  • Box 1, folder 9
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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Requests

No items have been requested.



You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.