June 21, 2002

Susan Yow Press Conference Video
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence College Assistant Vice President for Athletics Bob Driscoll today announced the appointment of Susan Yow as head coach of the women's basketball team at the College. Yow, who becomes the seventh women's basketball coach all-time at PC, replaces Jim Jabir who resigned in April to become an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Colorado.

"Susan Yow brings experience, intensity and compassion to this position," Driscoll said. "She has coached at the highest levels and has a strong knowledge of women's basketball. We also were attracted to Susan because she has extensive experience coaching and recruiting in an academic setting. We believe she will be the person that can lead Providence College women's basketball in the highly competitive BIG EAST Conference."

Yow, the sister of longtime North Carolina State Head Coach Kay Yow and University of Maryland Athletic Director Deborah Yow, comes to Providence with 19 years of NCAA Division I head coaching experience (1978-97). She also spent four years as an assistant coach in the WNBA (1997-01). Yow's most recent collegiate coaching stint was at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Yow coached at UNC Wilmington from 1993-97. Prior to UNC Wilmington, she was the head coach at Kansas State (1990-93), Drake University (1986-90) and East Tennessee State (1978-86).

In 1997, Yow began her career in the WNBA as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Rockers. Two years later in 1999, she was hired as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Sting. She served as an assistant with the Sting until 2001. Last season, Yow worked as a color analyst for radio broadcasts of the North Carolina State women's basketball games.

Yow also coached three different USA Basketball teams. In 1981, she was an assistant coach for the USA team which won a gold medal at the Olympic Sports Festival. In 1983, Yow served as a head coach for the US squad that won a gold medal at the Olympic Sports Festival. She helped guide the USA to a third gold medal in 1988 when she was an assistant coach for the US Olympic Team.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to coach at Providence College," Yow said. "The women's basketball program has an excellent tradition at Providence and I want to add to that. I am familiar with the BIG EAST Conference and I am looking forward to rebuilding the Friars into a strong team that will compete for the league title."

Yow, a native of Gibsonville, North Carolina, is a 1976 graduate of Elon College. In her final season at Elon, she captained the team and earned Kodak All-America honors. She played a final season of collegiate basketball at North Carolina State in 1976 as a graduate student. In her one season at NC State, Yow became the first Wolfpack women's basketball player ever to be named to the Kodak All-America Team. She led the team in scoring (19.4 ppg), rebounding (11.9 rpg), field goal percentage (.584) and free throw percentage (.832).