North Carolina State Director of Athletics Lee Fowler and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Kay Yow announced jointly that Yow will be taking a leave of absence from her coaching duties for an indefinite period of time.

Associate head coach Stephanie Glance will serve as interim coach, Yow and athletic director Lee Fowler said in a news release.

Yow is battling breast cancer and doctors recently found it was progressing. That means she’ll have to undergo chemotherapy and targeted biologic therapies.

The 64-year-old Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987. The cancer returned two years ago. Following two years of treatment with dietary modification, oral hormonal therapies and radiation, Coach Yow’s doctors have recently detected progression of the disease. Treatment of the breast cancer at this time will require a combination of chemotherapy and newer targeted biologic therapies, which have begun this week.

“I have every confidence in my coaching staff to continue the development of this outstanding group of young women,” Yow said in a statement.

Yow is in her 32nd season as head coach of the Wolfpack women and has posted 696 wins during her storied career – the sixth-most in the history of NCAA women’s basketball. She was the coach of the women’s gold medal team at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul Korea, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 with a group including Larry Brown and Ervin “Magic” Johnson.

“Our biggest concern is for Coach Yow’s health and well-being,” Fowler said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her as she goes through this difficult time.”