Duke senior Lindsey Harding was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season Tuesday.
Harding averaged 1.4 steals per game, and head coach Gail Goestenkors has credited the fifth-year senior's pressure 'D' throughout the season with slowing Duke's opponents in their attempts to initiate their offenses.
Harding's shut-down defense was apparent in the Blue Devils' two matchups against North Carolina, in which she held preseason All-American Ivory Latta to 9-for-37 shooting from the field.
Fellow Duke senior Alison Bales joined Harding on the conference's All-Defensive Team. Bales, the ACC's all-time blocks leader, led the nation with 4.5 blocks per game.
Duke freshmen Bridgette Mitchell and Joy Cheek were both named honorable mentions for the All-ACC Freshman team.
O'Brien leaves Duke for the Patriots
Bill O'Brien, Duke's offensive coordinator for the past two years, left the program to accept a position on the New England Patriots' coaching staff. Head coach Ted Roof said O'Brien had offers from three NFL teams as well as several other colleges.
"Since I have known him, Billy has indicated that coaching in the NFL was a dream of his," Roof said. "This is certainly a great opportunity for Billy to fulfill a dream and work with one of the top organizations in professional football.... I think it says a great deal about his belief in what we are doing here in that he didn't leave for another school."
O'Brien came to Duke from Maryland, where he served as the running backs coach. At Duke, he helped develop two Freshman All-America quarterbacks-Zack Asack and Thaddeus Lewis.
Next year, the Blue Devils will look to improve upon a meager offensive output in 2006. Duke ranked 105th in total offense, averaging just 283 yards per game, and 112th in scoring offense, with 14.9 points per contest.
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