Becoming one of the most influential voices in women’s basketball, leading NC State women’s basketball to a sweep of the ACC regular season and tournament titles, raising over $1 million for the Special Olympics shooting free throws — Debbie Antonelli believes none of this would have been possible if her parents hadn’t taken her to Reynolds Coliseum when she was 13 years old.

It was as she sat along a railing inside the legendary arena and watched coach Kay Yow’s team that she discovered women could play college basketball while on scholarship. From that point on, Antonelli watched every NC State women’s basketball game and trained as hard as possible in hopes of becoming good enough for Coach Yow to recruit her. Antonelli’s hard work paid off — she eventually became team captain and a three-year starter on Yow’s squads. When NC State hosts Pittsburgh on Thursday night, Antonelli will watch her name be raised into the rafters, and she will be thinking about that 13-year-old girl who had no idea the impact NC State would have on her.

“It is a struggle for me to share exactly the emotions that I’m filled with,” Antonelli said. “Like Coach Yow used to say, ‘My cup is not half full or half empty, it’s overrunning.’ I’m so blessed and grateful and humbled that NC State would select me for such an esteemed honor to join those that are already in the rafters.”

Antonelli won the Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award and two Emmys. She was also inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, but joining the NC State Women’s Basketball Ring of Honor holds special significance because it’s at NC State, where she grew into the person she is today.

Antonelli is a mother. A pioneer in women’s basketball. A philanthropist. A leader. A person who makes time for everyone no matter how busy she might be. Someone who embodies NC State’s motto of “Think and Do.”

“She’s somebody that we could really be proud of and that we can point to,” said Jenny Palmateer, a former NC State women’s basketball player and CEO of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. “Look who we are, what we’re doing. Debbie is that representation for all of us.”

While NC State is certainly grateful for how Antonelli represents the University, she knows none of it would’ve been possible without having been a member of the Wolfpack.

“I just can’t believe all the things that I have been able to do, and how much NC State has helped me and how much I’ve used NC State to help me,” Antonelli said. “I feel so fortunate. It’s still rooted in good people, and that’s what makes a place successful.”

When Antonelli looks back at her time with the Wolfpack, one person always comes up more than anyone else: Coach Yow. It’s the person after whom Antonelli has tried to model her life.

“She’s got an influence in every aspect of my life, in any role that I’m playing, whether it’s mom or wife or teammate,” Antonelli said. “She’s helped me in all of those roles while she was here. I think there are certain fundamentals in being a good teammate that we learned from her: treating people the way you want to be treated, doing things the right way and then serving others.”

When talking to Palmateer and her former teammate Trena Trice-Hill, it becomes clear that Antonelli is leading a life that her former coach would be proud of. As a lifetime board member of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, Antonelli has used her platform to raise awareness for cancer. Palmateer said she’s been a mentor to her since she became the CEO of the fund in 2023.

What reminds Palmateer most of Yow is Antonelli’s way of making time for everyone and being present in the moment no matter what is going on in her life.

“[Yow] carved out time for everybody and was such a busy person that it would have been easy to say, ‘I don’t have time for that,’” Palmateer said. “But she put people first and she made time. I see that in Debbie a lot.”

Trice-Hill says it’s common to lose contact with a teammate after their time playing together is over, but Antonelli has stayed connected with Trice-Hill for the last 40 years. Whenever Trice-Hill calls, Antonelli always responds. Trice-Hill recalled a time when her daughter was looking for a job and Antonelli “did everything she could to help her.”

For Trice-Hill, it’s Antonelli’s attitude that reminds her the most of their former coach.

“Your attitude will determine your altitude,” Trice-Hill said.” Debbie has had a positive attitude throughout her career, and look where she is now. Her positive attitude has given her the ability to have a successful career.”

Because of how much Antonelli has accomplished since she left NC State, there’s a chance you may not know how much of a hooper she was. As a three-year starter and team captain, Antonelli helped lead the Wolfpack to four NCAA Tournaments and a sweep of the ACC regular season and tournament titles in 1984-85, the last team to accomplish that feat.

While Antonelli credits the talent the team had like Trice-Hill and Linda Page, who both have their names in the rafters, Trice-Hill says Antonelli was the glue of their team and a “pure shooter.” Antonelli took the underclassmen under her wing and led by example.

“She was just that blue-collar worker, that hustler, that one that would just go after balls,” Trice-Hill said. “She was a true leader, but she was also a true competitor.”

Trice-Hill would call her “Debbie Live at Five” and mimic putting a mic to her. The nickname was a nod to Antonelli’s knack for breaking down scouting reports and knowing every detail about the opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Antonelli would always share her insights with the team, and Trice-Hill would hold up her imaginary microphone.

That’s when Trice-Hill knew Antonelli would be successful in anything she chose to do after basketball. Trice-Hill isn’t surprised about all that Antonelli has accomplished because of how prepared she always was.

“She showed that leadership on the court, and I knew that that transition off the court even after she graduated and went on into her career, that she would carry those characteristics and become successful like she is today,” Trice-Hill said.

When Antonelli looks back at her time at NC State, she appreciates what was accomplished on the court, but it pales in comparison to what she’s done off. When she got the Reynolds Coliseum court named after Yow, she thought that was her greatest accomplishment. But then, she raised over $1 million for Special Olympics and thought that was the best thing she’d ever done. And then she delivered a commencement speech at NC State, believing that to be her greatest achievement.

But for her, nothing compares, and nothing probably ever will to what she just helped make happen at her alma mater. After three years of meeting with stakeholders, the Board of Trustees, deans and Chancellor Randy Woodson, Antonelli convinced NC State to create the Elevate program.

Elevate is an inclusive post-secondary education program that provides a person-centered campus experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn skills while advancing personally and professionally.

It was an idea inspired by ClemsonLIFE, a program Antonelli’s son Frankie, who has Down syndrome, attended. With the help of ClemsonLIFE, Frankie has two jobs and is “living his best life, independently.” Antonelli then wondered why NC State didn’t have a program like this.

“NC State and Clemson have identical land grant missions,” Antonelli said. “Their missions are to serve the population of their state, and NC State wasn’t doing that. I just kept selling, selling, selling, ‘Here’s why we need it. This is the mission of the University. This is going to benefit everyone on campus.’”

In May of last year, the General Assembly of North Carolina appropriated $3 million to start Elevate. When Antonelli heard that number, she said almost passed out because she knew it would be a great help.

The inaugural cohort of Elevate students started classes last week. They will be able to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, with access to resources on campus and in the community.

“I don’t think there’s any other way to leave an indelible legacy or imprint on this community of people that so desperately need opportunity,” Antonelli said. “I think that’s where I feel the most like Kay Yow.”

Antonelli’s legacy is one of purpose, persistence and profound impact. Through elevating women’s basketball, raising cancer awareness and changing the lives of people with disabilities, Antonelli has lived out Yow’s teachings of serving others and doing things the right way. As her name ascends to the rafters alongside the legends who shaped her, Antonelli’s journey comes full circle. A story of a determined young girl who became a pioneer, philanthropist and inspiration.

Her life proves that legacies aren’t just etched in banners, but in the opportunities created for others to thrive.