CBS News to Air Piece on Debbie Ryan Tonight

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Feb. 11, 2006

CBS News Profile on Debbie Ryan

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan will be featured on the CBS Evening News on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

In her 29th season at Virginia, Ryan stands 625-260 overall. Last season, she became the 11th women’s coach all-time to achieve 600 wins in her coaching career. Ryan is also the fifth coach in NCAA Division I history to reach the mark with all the wins coming at the same school.

During her tenure with the Cavaliers, Ryan has led Virginia to 21 NCAA Tournament berths, three consecutive Final Four appearances, 11 ACC regular-season titles, and three ACC Tournament titles.

This year, Ryan has achieved yet another milestone- a clean bill of health. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2000, Ryan underwent subsequent surgery and radiation treatments prior to the 2000-01 season. This season, Ryan celebrates her fifth anniversary of being cancer-free. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Approximately 33,000 people will die from pancreatic cancer this year. Since her diagnosis, Ryan has helped raise money for the UVa Cancer Center and has chaired the Relay for Life three times. Ryan is a candidate for the ACC’s Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award.

Virginia (13-9, 2-8 ACC) hosts No. 1 North Carolina (22-1, 9-1 ACC) on Sunday, Feb. 12. espn2 will televise the game live nationally from University Hall, beginning at 5:15 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m.

As part of “Smithfield Family Fun Days” for the game against the Tar Heels, Virginia fans will receive 4 tickets, 4 hotdogs, 4 Pepsi, and 4 popcorns for only $20! Also, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a “Last Ball in U-Hall” trading card, the seventh in a series of eight collectors’ items.