With the end of 2015 quickly approaching, The Chronicle's sports department takes a look back at the biggest sports stories of the year. Each day, The Blue Zone will review a major game, event or storyline that helped shape the course of the year in Blue Devil athletics.
Coming at No. 8 on our list: The end of an era for Duke rowing, the beginning of the program's next chapter and the most critical step toward the launch of Blue Devil softball.
Duke last added a varsity sport in 1998 when Robyn Horner was named the head coach of the University's new rowing program. During her time at the helm, the Blue Devils produced 12 top-three finishes at the ACC championship meet and six All-American selections, not to mention the tremendous success the program had in the classroom, where it earned a perfect score of 1,000 in the NCAA's APR data for 2015.
Horner's tenure as the only rowing coach in school history came to a close in May when she announced her retirement. Former Wisconsin assistant Megan Cooke Carcagno was announced as her successor nearly two months later and has since led the team to a strong start, including a top-three finish at the Rivanna Romp.
A day after Duke announced the hire of Cooke Carcagno, vice president and director of athletics Kevin White had another one to announce. Former North Carolina assistant Marissa Young was tabbed to become the first head coach in the history of Blue Devil softball July 29, the next big step on the program's path toward competition starting in 2018.
Softball will become Duke's 27th varsity sport, but the challenges in starting a program from scratch extend well beyond hiring a coach. In the next two years, Young will look to fill her roster, strategically allocating scholarships as the program grows, and deal with the challenges of jumpstarting a brand new program as the athletic department works to finish its new softball facility. She'll also have to trade in her Carolina blue for a darker shade after moving just down Tobacco Road to Durham.
READ MORE on Horner's retirement and the hires of Cooke Carcagno and Young:
Robyn Horner retires as head coach of Duke rowing
Cooke Carcagno poised to lead Duke rowing into new era
Duke readying for start of softball program in 2018
Young introduced as first Duke softball coach
Q&A: Marissa Young settling in as Duke softball's first head coach
Check back tomorrow to see what comes in at No. 7 in our countdown of the top Duke sports stories of 2015.
A look at the rest of our top 10 countdown to date:
10. Rebecca Greenwell extends Elizabeth Williams' last dance against Albany
9. A look at Tommy John at Duke and beyond
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