Winter brings the advent of holidays, end-of-semester finals and — most importantly — a flurry of new Duke athletics to keep track of. The Chronicle is here with a comprehensive season preview on each winter sport, and we will be here to cover the Blue Devils every step of the way:
Men’s basketball
The whole country has been talking about head coach Jon Scheyer’s season three roster for months now. It’s finally time to see it in action.
As always, expectations for the Blue Devils scrape the sky — though this year, there is more hype than in recent memory. Duke retained two essential players from last year’s Elite Eight squad, holding onto backcourt talent in junior Tyrese Proctor and sophomore Caleb Foster, who has grown as a player and leader this summer after a season-ending injury.
The Cameron Crazies, however, have largely turned their attention to one of the best freshman recruiting classes Duke has ever pulled. The only rookie to be named preseason All-American, Cooper Flagg, looks to make a colossal impact on Duke in his freshman campaign. Though some fans want to tab him as “the next Zion Williamson,” Flagg’s talents are unique.
Women’s basketball
After outperforming expectations last year and making an impressive run to the Sweet 16, head coach Kara Lawson is ready to bring her now-veteran squad even further this time around.
It was a busy summer for Lawson, who spent part of her offseason in Paris as an assistant coach with the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. Her additional international experience will certainly prove to be valuable in her development as a coach, just as their experience playing for Team Canada will help guard Emma Koabel and forward Toby Fournier on the court.
Leading the way for the Blue Devils this season will be star guard Reigan Richardson, looking to further establish herself as a household name in her final year with the program. Not to be overlooked, however, is her backcourt partner. Junior Ashlon Jackson and Richardson have formed a tight bond during their two seasons together, and will look to continue building off that chemistry on and off the court.
Swim and dive
After rewriting the record books and recording a program-best finish at the NCAA Championships last year, Duke swim and dive is once again ready to make a splash. Head coach Brian Barnes starts his second year at the helm with high hopes for the Blue Devils, describing this year’s team as one filled with potential and imagination.
The Blue Devils broke ten school and four pool records last season, with the women’s team recording both a program-high 779.5 points at ACC Championships and program-high 16th place finish at NCAA Championships. Margo O’Meara returned to the diving board after a sophomore-year injury without missing a step, while Kaelyn Gridley and Ali Pfaff cemented themselves as Duke’s dominant breaststroker and backstroker after competing at Olympic Trials this summer. Though the men’s team failed to capture similar program accolades, Milo Shue and Kalen Anbar showed significant promise in their freshman seasons.
Wrestling
Duke enters the 2024-2025 wrestling season hoping to turn some heads as the program looks to move on from a difficult stretch last year. It ended the 2023-2024 season on an eight-match losing streak, ultimately finishing 4-13 overall and 0-5 in conference play. Although the record may not seem very promising, the Blue Devils have upside in the fact that they are returning some strong wrestlers from a team that was very young last year. Given the mix of solid veterans paired with exciting newcomers, Duke will aim to build on its performances from last year and take a step forward as a program in the 2024-2025 season.
This will be head coach Glen Lanham’s 13th season leading the Blue Devils. Last season was the first time during his tenure with the program that he did not send a wrestler to the NCAA tournament, a testament to both the challenges of the previous year and the high quality of Lanham’s coaching during his time in the Bull City. This season, it will be up to the wrestlers to show growth from last year and earn a trip to the tournament.
Fencing
Duke fencing entered last season with a string of question marks hanging over its head. After over a decade of top-10 finishes, the program was passed to the hands of new head coach Omar Elgeziry. In combination with a relatively younger roster, there was no guarantee that the team would be able to adjust to the coaching changes and deliver championship-caliber results so quickly. One year later though, the Blue Devils are kicking off their 2024-25 season with a sense of sureness in their talent and tenacity that bodes well for a successful postseason run.
The team ended its 2023-2024 season with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, where senior Allen Marakov also took home a bronze medal in men’s epee. The Blue Devils fared similarly at the ACC Championships, with the women’s team placing second following a heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame. While the team never stopped challenging its opponents throughout its regular and postseason performances, the Blue Devils occasionally struggled to close tight bouts under pressure. With another season under its belt, the team looks ready to execute on its experience and take the last step towards a conference title.
This page will be updated with a track and field season preview.
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