The volleyball team may be competitive, confident and clutch, but there is one "C" word that they are not--cliquey.
For players who spend so much time together from the beginning of August through the NCAA tournament in December, this sense of camaraderie is essential to the team's success.
"I think what's unique with this team is that, compared to many teams, we don't have cliques," head coach Jolene Nagel said. "That's a very positive thing because it's all inclusive and not exclusive."
This season, 11 veterans have returned for the Blue Devils (5-1). The group has the shared experience of last season's trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Through their time together, the teammates have grown close to one another off the court.
A majority of the upperclassman room with-or at least live next door to-fellow teammates. Six of the 11 veterans are also members of the same sorority.
"Every year that I've been here, we've all been really good friends, on and off the court," junior Ali Hausfeld said. "And I think that's been really key to our success-that we hang out off the court as well as on the court."
Senior Pixie Levanas is one of the main forces driving this positive team chemistry. Hausfeld described the senior as a vocal leader who is serious when needs she needs to be but who keeps the team together and relaxed.
Levanas, however, is just one part of this close-knit team.
"You end up just sticking with your team," junior Jenny Shull said. "You don't get sick of each other.... I don't really know anyone on our team who's [too] serious. So, if we're off the court, it's a lot of laughing, a lot of joking, a lot of quoting movies."
Coming into a team as tight as Duke's can be very intimidating for a newcomer. The upperclassmen, therefore, made assimilating the freshmen a top priority.
"We had a really strong core to begin with spring season, so we... wanted to make sure when our freshmen came in, they felt like a part of us and didn't feel like it was a cliquey team," Shull said.
The four freshmen began their careers as Blue Devils on their first day of practice, Aug. 10--about two weeks before the rest of the freshman class arrived.
Without the normal orientation distractions--making friends, class, the bus system--the freshmen focused on bonding with the team and getting acclimated to campus during the preseason.
"Having people integrate you socially into the University, it's definitely an advantage," freshman Rachael Moss said. "In preseason, we would all go out to dinner after practicing and stuff, and we went to a movie. And it just got us into the whole team chemistry.... They include us in everything so you don't really feel like a freshman."
The freshmen have quickly blended with the easy-going personalities of the team, something that will work to Duke's advantage this early in the season.
"They understand the importance of the team," Nagel said. "The team is the priority--and our ultimate goal is to be successful as a team. It's not individual goals that are the priority.... And I think that everyone seems to support that and understand that and practice that."
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