I must say that it is refreshing to see that the same NC State Board of Trustees who embarrassingly chose to retain Lee Fowler for an entire decade has learned a few things in recent years and have figured out how to reward people who actually deserve support. It was announced on Friday that Debbie Yow has received a 2-year contract extension. The following is from the University’s release —
The North Carolina State University Board of Trustees today approved a two-year contract extension for Deborah A. Yow, the university’s director of athletics, which includes an additional $50,000 in supplemental compensation and an enhanced bonus structure for such accomplishments as winning a national championship. Yow’s employment contract now runs through June 2017 and the additional pay ranks her sixth out of the 12 ACC athletics directors in guaranteed compensation.
NC State athletics department salaries and operations are paid from self-generated funds, including ticket and merchandise sales, and not with tuition or state funding.
“Under Debbie’s outstanding leadership, NC State is experiencing a transformation of our athletics program and achieving new levels of success in competition and in the classroom,†said Chancellor Randy Woodson. “NC State is fortunate to have such a passionate leader who is truly dedicated to the athletic success of our teams and academic success of our student athletes.â€
Since Yow began her position at NC State in June 2010, the athletics program has consistently improved, including a jump of 52 spots – from 89th to 37th – in the Directors’ Cup standings, a national competitive ranking that takes into account the success of all athletic teams at each university. Following are a few additional highlights from the last year.
• Men’s basketball finished the season with a top-20 ranking and a Sweet 16 berth.
• Football won its second consecutive bowl game.
• Baseball competed in the NCAA Super Regional.
• Six of NC State’s 23 varsity teams finished last season ranked in the national Top 25: men’s cross country, baseball, gymnastics, men’s basketball and women’s cross country and women’s golf.
• Creation of the NC State Athletics Hall of Fame.
• A record 381 student-athletes were named NC State Scholar Athletes.
• A record 186 student-athletes were NC State Dean’s List honorees.
• A record 10 student-athletes were named Academic All-Americans.
• A record 69 student-athletes were named to conference all-academic teams.
• Three NC State student-athletes were awarded ACC post-graduate scholarships – the highest number of honorees among all ACC schools
Yow’s salary remains at $354,200 and her supplemental compensation increased from $100,000 to $150,000.
The N&O’s Caulton Tudor talked about Yow’s deserving of the in this article.
Debbie Yow is getting exactly what she deserves – the two-year contract extension as N.C. State’s director of athletics that was announced by the school Friday.
In less than three years since Yow left Maryland to succeed Lee Fowler, her impact has been quick, profound, entirely positive and probably long standing.
It starts with the hiring of Mark Gottfried as men’s basketball coach – a decision seen by some as risky, even desperate, when Yow introduced the former television analyst shortly after the end of the 2010-11 season.
Although other targets may have declined Yow’s offer, it took Gottfried, 48, only one season to rejuvenate the once nationally significant Wolfpack. Moreover, he did it at a time when Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and UNC’s Roy Williams are in their 60s. And unless something unforeseen develops, there’s nothing about Gottfried’s personality to suggest he’ll become a job jumper.
Yow’s success goes beyond basketball. Elliott Avent’s baseball team will be a contender for the preseason favorite’s role in the ACC after having gone 42-20 (19-11 league) last season. With sophomore pitcher Carlos Rodon, the baseball team even has a legitimate gate attraction in a fans-challenged sport at most schools.
The Olympic sports have made consistent progress during Yow’s tenure.
The only real area of serious concern for Wolfpack fans is football coach Tom O’Brien, but that’s an issue lots of other schools would like to have to address.
Win or lose Saturday at favored Clemson, O’Brien’s team is bowl eligible for the third straight season and will likely produce another NFL quarterback in Mike Glennon.
It’s worth remembering that O’Brien has kept his program clean and relatively trouble free during a prolonged period of unprecedented upheaval in the ACC.
Yow said upon taking the job that her goal was to upgrade Pack athletics across the board. She’s well on the way.
