The former Elon women’s basketball standout with a distinguished career in collegiate and professional coaching will join eight other North Carolina sports figures to be formally enshrined during a May induction banquet.
A native of Gibsonville, North Carolina, Yow came to Elon to play for older sister and head coach Kay Yow. She was a two-sport athlete, earning letters in both women’s basketball (1972-75) and volleyball (1972-74) as a member of each inaugural team.
Before her senior season, Yow transferred to North Carolina State University, completing her collegiate career. She was the first Wolfpack women’s basketball player to be named an All-American, earning second team honors for the season year in a row. During that season, she led the Wolfpack in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and free throw percentage while serving as team captain.
The transfer to NC State from Elon occurred due to a coaching change when her sister left Elon to become the head coach there. Both universities worked hand-in-hand to accommodate the transfer for the one-year period. Yow returned to Elon the following summer and graduated in 1976 with a degree in physical education before beginning her coaching career that has spanned nearly 40 years.
During her time at Elon, Susan Yow was a two-time all-state selection and was named a Kodak All-American. She still ranks second on Elon’s individual season-high records list for free throw percentage (.851) and fifth in career rebounds per game (8.5 rbg). In 1993, she was inducted into the Elon Sports Hall of Fame.
Susan Yow is the third Yow sister – Deborah Yow (2006) and the late Kay Yow (1989) – to be honored by the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
Susan Yow today serves as head coach of the women’s basketball program at Queens University of Charlotte. Her accomplished career includes head coaching positions at Belmont Abbey College, Providence College, UNC Wilmington, Kansas State University, Drake University and East Tennessee State University.
Her professional coaching experience includes roles with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, Charlotte Sting and Cleveland Rockers organizations.
Inductees will be enshrined May 6 during the 53rd annual induction banquet at the Raleigh Convention Center. Ticket information for the banquet is available at ncsportshalloffame.org or by calling (919) 845-3455.
“The achievements of this year’s class of inductees enrich North Carolina’s remarkable sports heritage, and they certainly earned the honor of joining the 319 men and women who have been previously enshrined,” said Fredrick Reese, president of the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame. “This is our 53rd class, and we look forward to celebrating this special time in our state’s sports history.”
The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1963. Its permanent exhibit is on the third floor of the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh and features significant artifacts and memorabilia donated by inductees.
The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12-5 p.m. Admission is free.
Yow is joined in this year’s class with:
- Rod Brind’Amour, who captained the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team to a national championship;
- Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, a high school standout at Gastonia’s Hunter Huss High School and retired NBA star;
- David Fox, a Raleigh native who became a swimming star at N.C. State and Olympic gold medalist;
- James “Rabbit” Fulghum, one of the most successful high school coaches in the state;
- Antawn Jamison, a unanimous College Player of the Year as a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill and a retired NBA star;
- Haywood Jeffires, a retired three-time NFL Pro Bowler for the Houston Oilers and a two-sport star at Page High School in Greensboro;
- Freddy Johnson, who has turned Greensboro Day School into a state and national basketball powerhouse while starting an AAU basketball program for kids in Greensboro;
- The late Ray Price, a prominent figure in motorcycle drag racing for over 50 years.