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.
Beyond just Richardson and Jackson, the number of Blue Devils returning this season is remarkable. After the playoff run, every player with eligibility remaining decided to come back for another year with Duke. Lawson and her players have instilled “The Sisterhood” in every aspect of their culture, and it has been a key part of the team’s success. The group’s chemistry was palpable even in the preseason, and it will only grow stronger as the games continue.
That said, there were a few key departures. Both of last season’s centers, Kennedy Brown and Camilla Emsbo, departed after using up all their college eligibility. Lawson, who had previously described Brown as the best defensive player she had ever coached, will certainly feel the loss down low with freshman center Arianna Roberson out for the year with a knee injury. The question remains: How will the Blue Devils adapt?
Even with some of the doubts surrounding Brown’s former position, this team is poised — in the preseason — to be the most successful of Lawson’s career. After several years, things look different now. Duke is no longer the underdog program, as its coach has had the chance to address many of the issues that had lingered in previous seasons. It remains to be seen how well the Blue Devils will tune out the noise and live up to expectations heading into the season.
With all that in mind, our beat writers broke down their predictions for key players, big games and overall performances heading into the season. If you’d like a recap of what the roster looks like heading into this season, then check out the Blue Zone’s player preview series. Most importantly, make sure you’re reading The Chronicle, following @dukechronicle on Instagram and @chroniclesports and @DukeBasketball on X to get live updates and coverage of every single game all season.
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