As a former coach of the Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team, Debbie Yow took a personal interest in the success of the woman’s basketball program during her years as Director of Athletics at the University of Maryland (UMD). Fans familiar with women’s collegiate basketball probably know about the remarkable work of Coach Brenda Frese, who helped develop a dynamic group of individuals into conference leaders and national champions. A culmination of this was UMD’s 2006 NCAA National Championship victory over the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils. A key to the past decade’s success has been Frese’s determined and successful recruiting.

1. By Debbie Yow

2. As a former coach of the Kentucky Wildcats women’s
basketball team, Debbie Yow took a personal interest
in the success of the woman’s basketball program
during her years as Director of Athletics at the
University of Maryland (UMD). Fans familiar with
women’s collegiate basketball probably know about
the remarkable work of Coach Brenda Frese, who
helped develop a dynamic group of individuals into
conference leaders and national champions. A
culmination of this was UMD’s 2006 NCAA National
Championship victory over the top-seeded Duke Blue
Devils. A key to the past decade’s success has been
Frese’s determined and successful recruiting.

3. One early Frese recruit was Shay Doron, who earned
distinction within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a
three-time All-ACC selection. Holding several school
records, Doron led Maryland to four straight appearances
in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Tournament, including 2006’s NCAA Championship win. A
native of Israel, Doron also played on Israel's national
team while attending UMD. Leading the 2005 Under-20
Israeli National Team to the Division B European
Championship title, she averaged nearly 25 points
throughout the tournament and was named MVP. Doron
was drafted by the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2007 and
currently competes in the Israeli league.

4. Brenda Frese had numerous other recruiting successes; the class of Jade
Perry, Crystal Langhorne, Ashleigh Newman, and Laura Harper ranked
second nationally, and the recruiting class of Marissa Coleman and Kristi
Toliver ranked fourth. Langhorne achieved distinction for her
outstanding play in 2006, becoming the first Terrapin in 17 years to be
named Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers
Association (USBWA) All-American. She achieved this distinction an
unprecedented 3 times during her years at UMD and stands as the only
men’s or women’s basketball player in Terrapin history to score 2000
points and make 1000 rebounds. Langhorne has played in the WNBA
with the Washington Mystics since 2008. Kristi Toliver was another
exceptional UMD athlete who repeated Langhorne’s All-American
accomplishments, leading the team’s championship victory in 2006 with
clutch three-point and free-throw baskets. She currently plays Guard
with the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. Another All-American UMD
standout, Marissa Coleman, currently plays with Crystal Langhorne on
the Mystics.

5. Having recently accepted a position as
Director of Athletics at North Carolina State
University, Debbie Yow remains close with
Brenda Frese and others who drove UMD
women’s basketball performance these past
nine years.