As promised, here are my choices for the top five stories of the 2007 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. To review, in the #5 spot is Ole Miss’ run to the Elite Eight. Carol Ross’ running Rebels may have finished their regular season as the fifth best team in the SEC, but this talented team also finished as one of the top eight teams in the country. Evidence yet again that the SEC is the most talent-filled and toughest conference in the nation. Ole Miss All American Armintie Price made a big splash in the NCAAs and will surely be making big waves this summer in the WNBA. Coming in at #4 is the Cinderella story of Marist. This little upstart team from upstate New York came to the Big Dance and had a ball, knocking off Ohio State and MTSU enroute to their first ever trip to the Sweet Sixteen. They captured the hearts of all of Poughkeepsie and much of basketball-loving America. Now that they’ve had a taste of NCAA tourney success, look for them to return next year with an even larger appetite. Here’s my picks for the top three stories of the NCAAs:

#3: LSU’s fourth straight trip to the Final Four.

After head coach Pokey Chatman abruptly resigned on March 7, LSU’s basketball program was thrown into a state of turmoil. Most observers expected this talented team to fold under the duress. But in stepped assistant coach Bob Starkey. Tapped by the LSU athletic administration to take over as interim head coach, Starkey was a familiar face and a calming influence -- the two things these young women needed the most. Led by junior All-American Sylvia Fowles, LSU ripped off four straight wins to advance to their fourth straight Final Four. This accomplishment put them in elite company; the only other teams to make four straight Final Fours are LA Tech, UConn, and of course, UT. It looked like Starkey was on his way to becoming the next Steve Fisher (who took over as interim head coach of the Michigan men’s basketball program at the end of the 1989 regular season and guided them through six straight wins to a National Championship), but he and the talented LSU squad came up 2 games short of that remarkable run. Starkey has already turned down the offer to become the new head coach at LSU, but whoever gets the job would be well-served to retain his services. This humble unassuming man is a consummate assistant who would serve as a wonderful liason between this young team and the new coaching staff. Are you listening, Van Chancellor?

#2. Tennessee’s 7th National Championship.

2007 marked the 20th anniversary of UT’s first National Championship, so it was only fitting that the trophy again resides on Rocky Top. This tremendously talented group, led by sophomore All-American Candace Parker, became UT’s seventh National Championship team, joining previous champions from 1987, 1989, 1991, and 1996-1998. With four of five starters returning and another top recruiting class coming in, look for UT to be another serious threat to bring it home again next year. Hall of Fame Coach Pat Summitt, the all-time winningest coach in the history of college basketball, is already making plans to do just that. Nothing would make the Orange Nation happier.

#1. The inspiring story of Kay Yow.

If you don’t know much about this Hall of Fame coach, do yourself a favor and research this legendary lady. In her 32nd year as the head coach at NC State, Coach Yow’s accomplishments are too numerous to mention -- it would take all day to list. Here’s just a few: member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; 5th among the all-time winningest coaches with over 700 career wins; 1984 and 1988 gold medal-winning Olympic coach, inspiration to all who know and admire her. As a basketball coach, Coach Yow has fought and won many battles, but none as serious as the one she is fighting right now against breast cancer. First diagnosed in 1987, Coach Yow suffered a recurrence of the dread disease in the Fall of 2006 and had to take a two month leave of absence to pursue treatment. Despite weekly chemotherapy that leaves her weak and sick, she returned to coach her team in February 2007. The Wolfpack proceeded to win 12 of their next 14 games, including huge wins over North Carolina and the previously undefeated Duke Blue Devils.

This year marked NC State’s 20th trip to the NCAA Tournament, all under the leadership of Yow. Battling stage 4 cancer, everyone wondered how she would be able to do it. Coach Yow said it best: “Rest is not going to cure cancer. If rest were just the answer, that's what I would do. But if someone can be involved with something that is a passion for them, then I don't think there's anything wrong in trying to do that. Coaching lifts me up. Once the ball is tossed up, I forget pretty much about everything and just focus on the game. If I just do nothing, I feel like I'm giving in to the disease." So with her oncologist in the stands, Coach Yow led her inspired team all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, where they suffered a heartbreaking loss to UConn. Despite the defeat, Coach Yow served as inspiration to her team and to all of us who are fortunate enough to have seen their story unfold. It has served as a reminder that there are some things more important than this sport we love. Kay Yow has taught her team not only how to win at basketball, but she has taught each of us how to be winners in the game of life.  

Congratulations to the 64 teams who made it to the 2007 NCAAs and to the 5 teams and their coaches who are my picks for the top stories of this year’s tournament. Here’s hoping the 2007-2008 season is another banner year for women’s college basketball. And as always, GO SEC!