[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING DEBORAH A. YOW

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 2008

  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate the University 
of Maryland's Deborah A. Yow on her selection as the next President of 
the Division 1A Athletic Directors' Association. Ms. Yow is the first 
woman to fill this national leadership role, responsible for 
coordinating the efforts of collegiate athletic directors at 1,600 
colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.
  The Association's Executive Director, Dutch Baughman, praised Ms. Yow 
as ``an extremely capable and effective leader.'' He added that ``She 
has not only influenced the lives of over 450 athletics administrators 
over the past seven years, but she has been evaluated by those [fellow 
administrators] as the best.''
  After 14 years of success at the University of Maryland, her national 
role is well-earned. Overseeing 27 sports and more than 700 student-
athletes, Debbie Yow has built a reputation as one of America's most 
accomplished athletic leaders. Under her leadership, Maryland teams 
have won 17 national championships, while maintaining balanced budgets 
and a high graduation rate of 85 percent. In fact, last year's 
graduation rate was the highest in the history of Maryland athletics 
and the best of any public institution in the Atlantic Coast 
Conference. Ms. Yow has excelled as an educator, an administrator, and 
a fundraiser, and has repeatedly been ranked among the 20 most 
influential people in collegiate athletics. At the same time, she has 
served in public life as an advocate for women's sports and the 
protection of Title IX.
  Her new position is the capstone on a career dedicated to the highest 
purposes of college athletics: Debbie Yow's work shows that ``student-
athlete'' is far from an empty expression. I thank her for all that she 
has done for our State, its flagship university, and its students. And 
I wish her the best of luck, both in her continuing duties as 
University of Maryland Athletic Director and as a voice for athletic 
directors throughout North America.

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