Four years ago Monique Currie tore her ACL and was forced to redshirt her sophomore season. Currie sat on the bench the entire year as her team reached the Final Four, but her father, Michael, continued his role as the Blue Devils' most vocal supporter.
Today, Michael Currie sports a 2003 Final Four ring and is still Duke's No. 1 fan.
"I always felt that I was the sixth man, they just never called me to get in," he said. "I think of myself as a member of the team, and if the team goes somewhere, I go."
Travelling from his home in Washington D.C on a regular basis, Currie, with his towering figure and bellowing voice, has become an icon at Cameron Indoor Stadium as he enthusiastically cheers on the Blue Devils.
"As a player I could only hear my dad's voice, I couldn't hear anybody else's," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "As a coach, I don't hear anybody's voice but Monique's dad."
Also hitting the road to follow Duke and his daughter outside of Durham, Currie has become a father figure to Monique's teammates throughout her five years as a Blue Devil.
Point guard Lindsey Harding said she can always expect Michael Currie to take her aside before games and offer words of support and advice about the team's upcoming matchup.
"He's always been positive, like another dad," Harding said. "He grabs me, pulls me aside, and tells me what I need to do... I always know that he's out there supporting all of us, not just Mo'."
After Duke's loss at North Carolina Feb. 25, Michael Currie was waiting outside Cameron when the team bus arrived. He was the first person to console each of the players after their fifth-consecutive loss to the Tar Heels.
Ever since she has been playing basketball, Monique's father has had an integral role in her development as a player.
"He's always been a part of my basketball career," Monique said. "He's my number one fan, he always supports me, and he always lets me know when I play badly. It's been nice having him around all the time."
Michael Currie's animated courtside antics did not start at Cameron either. As Monique developed into a star player throughout high school, her father was always a visible figure, trying to rile up fans in support of his daughter and teammates.
When she was playing for her AAU squad, the Lady Classics, Monique said her father became a crowd favorite, dancing in front of the stands and leading cheers that spelled out the team's name.
While his daughter is in her fifth and final year at Duke and will almost certainly be playing in the WNBA next season, Currie said he still plans to support the Blue Devils in the future.
"I will be back next season," he said. "I believe in women's basketball and support them, and it's made me comfortable being in a father-figure role and getting to work with these young ladies. It's been a great five years."
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