Entering her third season at Duke with Monday's season opener against NC A&T (11 a.m. She is a winner in every sense of the word. (1:15) Facebook I think they hire Kara Lawson. This is especially so for first-year students. When we step on the court, we know defense comes first.. Per NCAA playing rules, there is no appeal or protest process. Monica Holland, The Fayetteville Observer, NC State women's basketball's quest for 4th straight ACC Tournament title ends vs. Notre Dame, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Tenacious defense and the full-court press has given opposing offenses nightmares, and Lawson has set out a clear philosophy that her team has embraced. She can drop down low and guard a big or pop out to defend a guard or an athletic four. With these challenges comes the huge responsibility of letting the players know that they are capable of doing huge and hard things. To say the defense has improved is an understatement. They're superwomen. Full Schedule wbball Sat, Jan 28 Final James Madison 64 at Georgia State 72 wbball Thu, Feb 2 Final James Madison 72 at South Alabama 54 wbball Sat, Feb 4 Final James Madison 61 at Georgia Southern 72 wbball Thu, Feb 9 Final James Madison 65 vs Louisiana 59 wbball Sat, Feb 11 Final James Madison 70 vs Arkansas State 57 wbball Thu, Feb 16 Final Women's Basketball Coaching Staff. From the moment head coach Kara Lawson joined Duke, she has surrounded herself with high-quality assistants. My job is to equip themin every wayoutside of basketball and school, to be able to change the worldand to change the world as a woman, you must have an incredible amount of toughness, an incredible amount of competitiveness, and an incredible amount of resilience. A huge piece (to a good defense) is to have the necessary bodies to do so, said Jackson. The North Carolina game Feb. 4 was no exception to that by a six-point margin . Duke assistant coach Beth Cunningham departs the program after two seasons. Cunningham, who also spent the eight years directly preceding her Duke tenure as an associate head coach at Notre Dame, fills the vacancy left by previous head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, who led the Bears to NCAA tournament appearances in two of her three years with the program, with the lone exclusion a result of the events COVID-19 cancelation. Volleyball Wrestling Duke University Athletics Department Mailing Address:PO Box 90555, Durham, NC 27708 Department Shipping Address:Scott Family Athletics Performance Center, Room 364, 110. When you make a mistake, you own it, and you own it right away. Jackson, Elizabeth I think thats really really key, being connected and trusting each other. 13 Duke wound up on top with a 44-40 win over No. twitter. Gandy arrives from the Rice coaching staff, where he spent the last three seasons. All rights reserved, The All 22 - An Inside Look at Duke Football, No. The story of Celeste for us is that if we need something done that's going to change the game from losing to winning, you put Celeste Taylor on the job. Duke's Tyrese Proctor (5) and Notre Dame's Cormac Ryan (5) go after the ball during the second half of Duke's 68-64 victory over Notre Dame at Cameron Indoor Stadium in . Thats our next challenge because they have slipped a little bit in league play.. When she went down to Duke to coach the women's team there I mean, I'm just putting A + B = C to me. Day-Wilson, Bo When Kara Lawson met with the media after being hired as Dukes womens basketball head coach, she said that the most important factor in choosing a staff would be experience.. For those who havent made their way to Cameron Indoor Stadium to watch a game, its time to buy-in to what Lawson and the Blue Devils have built. You could always kind of see that when she was playing and you could hear it when she was calling games, but to get a chance to live it every day, shes as good as there is. The whole program has to be invested in it and we were, and we made great strides (from last season) and we continue to make great strides.. The numbers were not favorable to finding wins, especially in the highly competitive ACC. 15 in the AP Poll before a sharp decline that caused them to miss the NCAA tournament. MORE:What Stevens'promotion, Ainge's departure meanfor Celtics. You'll unlock exclusive content, receive access to her monthly video series called Above the Noise with Maria, and much, much more! twitter. Duke assistant coach Beth Cunningham will be introduced as Missouri States next head coach Thursday morning, per release. In November 2022, all eyes turned to women's college basketball once again when nine Division I teams arrived at the high-profile Las Vegas Invitational to find they were set to play on a court haphazardly added to a hotel ballroom. A men's ball is 29.5 inches in circumference and approximately 22 ounces, while a women's ball is 28.5 inches in diameter and approximately 20 ounces. "She stays in your ear, even though she may not be your personal coach she always keeps asking how I'm doing and if there's anything I need to talk about, so I feel like Duke is going to get a great head coach. Once again, with the help of the loud-as-ever Cameron . Mulkey, who became the fastest coach in Division I history to reach 600 wins (needing only . Fittingly, a defensive play ended UNC's chances when Reigan Richardson blocked a 3-point shot attempt by Kennedy Todd-Williams with 4 seconds on the clock and the Tar Heels trailing by three points. The star for this team has unquestionably been Taylor, who leads the team in scoring but provides so much value outside of shooting that helps Duke win. Share and discuss 'We can get there': Inside Duke womens basketballs swift rise to ACC contention on social media. "This included discussion with all parties involved, including game officials, game administrators, table crew and both schools. Tickets: (919) 681-BLUE. There's something different about a coach from a great boss or even a teacher, she says. The senior guard from Valley Stream, N.Y., was tabbed ACC Defensive Player of . Duke's Lawson adds Cunningham among 3 hires. And . Its about teaching them to understand that they can and encouraging them to do that. While it was obvious to the staff there needed to be a focus on improving defensive schemes, it was not a plug-and-play situation. All those things are part of the handle-hard equation, she says. The truth is, it doesnt get easier, you get in better shape, she says. Two years after her retirement from the WNBA in 2015, she became the lead analyst on the Wizards broadcast and remained in that role before she got into coaching. She pointed out that this was her first fully recruited freshman class, and the three freshmen added to the talent and depth of this team. This doesnt change the mile. According to Her Hoop Stats, Taylor records a defensive win share of 3.7, meaning that Taylor has produced roughly that many wins for the Blue Devils solely based on her defensive performances. However, that number has decreased to 0.66, now good for the 99th percentile. Lawson got her start with the Celtics and served as an assistant during the 2019-20 season. She returned to her alma mater in 2012 as an assistant to Muffet McGraw and was a part of the 2018 national championship team among her five Final Four appearances with the Irish. She's a non-traditional star on a non-traditional team, said Lawson after Dukes Feb. 7 win at Notre Dame. Sophomore guard Reigan Richardson, one of the impact transfers that Lawson nabbed at the beginning of the season, coincidentally also came from Georgia and had a special relationship with Lange. They each bring their own elite skills to the table, both basketball and non-basketball. Hearing the consistency and the ownership in games has been a huge change for us. Its all the small details she takes care of that go unnoticed by the average fan. (Associate head coach) Winston (Gandy) referred to her several times this summer as the ambulance because last year she was going all over the place saving everybody. It truly is remarkable that the team has come this far, so what are the key factors that have contributed to this turnaround? Its not always exactly right, but they give us tremendous effort, so I think the credit really goes to them for doing that and being willing to do that because its very hard.. "This would never happen in a men's game, this would never happen. Honestly, I think people miss being coached, she tells us over Zoom. Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawson announced Friday the hiring of Beth Cunningham, Winston Gandy and Tia Jackson as assistant coaches. Balogun was Duke's top scorer with 11 points. If that was the recipe for success, the Blue Devils cooked it to perfection. The lethal combination of depth and aggressive defense is what really wears teams out, and Duke has won multiple games by effectively shutting down opposing offenses in the second half. Assistant Coach. In short, the game had steep implications for both the conference and NCAA tournament seedings, which Lawson mentioned. Were only as strong as that weakest person. So, if I am the weak link, its up to (a teammate) to talk me through it, get me right and make sure I know what Im supposed to be doing.. Irish move past Wolfpack as Miles still sidelined, Minnesota coach Whalen resigns at alma mater, White out as Pitt hoops coach after 42-99 mark, Sheldon gives Buckeyes lift vs. Michigan in return, LSU-Georgia game delayed by weather, leaky roof, NC State star Johnson to miss ACC tournament, 8 ejected after UK-Florida scuffle at SEC tourney, All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. The other piece she provides in the halfcourt defense is her ability to rebound. They don't get affected on the defensive end when they're struggling offensively and that's something that happens to a lot of players, said Lawson after defeating Pittsburgh Feb. 2. I don't know of a higher compliment you can give a player than that.. Once you figure that out, then everything becomes attainable., #6: No Matter Our Age or Gender, We All Must Support the Future Female Leaders, One of the most important things we can do is believe in others, says Lawson. The first half of Duke women's basketball's Sunday loss at Florida State was played with a men's ball, according to a closing statement made by head coach Kara Lawson in her postgame press conference Thursday evening following the Blue Devils' home win against Pittsburgh. The Celtics are starting a new era ahead of the 2021 NBA offseason. Lawson specified that she was not a part of that talk as she is not usually in the locker room at halftime. de Jesus, Ashlon When McGraw retired in April, Cunningham was not retained by new coach Niele Ivey, who also had been on McGraw's staff from 2007 to 2019. The official 2022-23 Women's Basketball Roster for the Duke University . "I know the organization thinks she's unbelievable. This is something that people have said to me: That its cool to get coached again., #3: Life Wont Get Easierand Thats Okay, I don't want to be a hypocrite. According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Lawson is a "prime candidate" to watch in the Celtics' coaching search. The presence of it often leads to success. Jonathan Levitan is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 118th volume. She aims to do this for the brilliant young minds she coaches at Duke. Although that goal may have seemed unreasonable at the time, it is certainly attainable now ahead of Fridays quarterfinal at the ACC tournament. This story originally appeared in the 14.6 Issue of GoDuke the Magazine January 2023. Offensively, the numbers are similar from a year ago, and there is a legitimate argument to be made that Duke had a more potent offensive team last year. Richardson, who was at the top of the press, sprinted all the way back down the court and stole Miles pass, clinching the Duke victory. As such, the team should be able to attract some of the best and brightest available coaches. View Full Bio. Head Coach. In taking over for the Tigers, Mulkey became the eighth head coach in LSU women's basketball history. By Steve Wiseman. 2 Seed Duke to Open 2023 Ally ACC Tournament Against No. "Kara is always known for putting a smile on players' faces," center Robert Williams saidafter Lawson joined Duke, per Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston. Shes a special coach. But she has to be on the floor defensively for us to be really good.. Man, can [the staff] coach defense; they could play it as players and they can really coach it, said Lawson in a Jan. 17 availability. Duke has forced 536 opposing turnovers in 29 games this season, 101 more than last season's 30-game total. It doesn't get shorter. As mentioned, Lawson was beloved by the players and helped a lot of them to improve. They give us tremendous effort. Hopefully, you had a coach who motivated you along the way, says Lawson. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. I think we talk to them a lot about being connected, Lange said. Women's Basketball He's still a great mentor for meI talk to him weekly, Lawson said in a press conference last summer, per the Duke Chronicle. ACC presents a bigger challenge I think for us over the long haul defensively, Lawson said. So, he understands the type of kids we want to recruit -- kids that have big dreams; kids that want to impact the world in a lot of ways and hes got a great feel for that. Understandably, there was skepticism on whether the Blue Devils could perform at a high level during the conference slate, especially with the depth of the league this season. Take Dukes win at Notre Dame. 2023 Duke Athletics. That's what will ultimately matter during the hiring process. The bells rang out across Duke's campus at 5 p.m., chiming as if in celebration of Blue Devil senior Celeste Taylor. By the Numbers. She is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, but its not her post-up defense the Blue Devils rely on. Gandy helped the Owls to a 72-22 overall record and a 42-8 mark in Conference USA the past three seasons. I need that. For this reason, Lawson believes that people yearn to have a great coach. Assistant Coach. Beyond her work with Smart, Lawson left a lasting impression on Celtics players with her ability to connect with players. Her performance, familiarity with Boston and well-regarded status among the team's players are part of why former Celtic-turned-broadcast-analyst Brian Scalabrine thinks that Lawson may be the right woman for the job. 24, respectively), with Duke tied for the ACC's top spot with Notre Dame and Florida State one place behind. Jackson has 24 years of coaching experience, including four as coach of Washington. Another goal achieved. Last season, Duke finished the year with a 17-13 overall record and 7-11 mark in conference play. 1:51. "To have a game that, at the end of the season, could be the difference between a seed, between a title, my players don't deserve that and neither do their players. DURHAM, N.C. - Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawsonannounced Friday the hiring of Beth Cunningham, Winston Gandyand Tia Jacksonas assistant coaches. Powerful Stories. To subscribe, join the Iron Dukes or call 336-831-0767. Head Coach. So that concept applies to everything., Lawson says that she and her coaching staff challenge their players. Schmidt, Kara View Full Bio, Celeste Fast forward one year, and Duke is the No. As the Blue Devils hit the court and weight room over the summer and into early fall, it became apparent the depth, skill and athleticism were all there to run the defensive schemes the coaching staff favored. Also on the staff will be Tia Jackson, who previously was an assistant at Duke for Gail Goestenkors and has spent the last five years at Miami, and Winston Gandy, who has been at Rice for three seasons. Duke's vaunted defense held UNC to just 24% shooting and kept the Tar Heels scoreless over the game's last four minutes, allowing only four points in the fourth quarter. View Full Bio. Theyre starting to come into the huddle, and theyll offer suggestions which is awesome. The Irish were picked to finish fourth this season in an ACC preseason poll of coaches and media. It can be as simple as once we get through the holiday season to January, stuff's going to settle. Im not very patient I don't think there's a timeline here. View Full Bio. Duke Women's Basketball Coach Kara Lawson. Take time away when you need a break. The conference office considers this matter to be closed and will have no further comment.". The official Women's Basketball Coach List for the Duke University Women's Basketball Coaches - Duke University Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Skip To Main Content. Jackson also went to the Women's Final Four as a player, with Iowa in 1993. 2 seed. Shaffer, Jiselle For Duke womens basketball head coach Kara Lawson, if she and the rest of the coaching staff were going to implement a new defensive scheme for the 2022-23 season, they needed the buy-in from the players first and foremost. Cunningham has nine years of experience as head coach at VCU. Editor's note: This story was updated the morning of Feb. 3 to include the statement from the ACC. Lawson and current assistant Jay Larranaga would representthe best options if Stevens wants some continuity and chemistry at the head coach spot. While defense is a complete team effort and the Blue Devils have shown that the trio of Celeste Taylor, Kennedy Brown and Elizabeth Balogun is the engine to the well-oiled machine. Caroline Doty. Something special is brewing in Durham in 2023 and its fun to watch. It just wouldn't happen," she added. I've gotten so many messages of people just telling their story and how this has helped them, she says. New Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson announced the hiring of three assistants Friday, including longtime former Notre Dame assistant Beth Cunningham. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. In Duke's recent 77-62 victory over N.C. State, Taylor made numerous defensive plays, including a chase-down block on Wolfpack forward Mimi Collins and multiple deflections in the final two. "You have to feed them," Gamecocks coach and former Virginia Final Four guard Dawn Staley said earlier this season about the . The independent news organization of Duke University. A self-proclaimed crazy dreamer of a person, Lawson offers a needed dose of positivity and motivation. She came into the WNBA during the 2003 WNBA Draft after a four-year college career at Tennessee. While the numbers emphasize the improvement on the defensive end, there are some things that they can not explain. Amy Yakola, ACC deputy commissioner and chief of external affairs, provided The Chronicle with a statement from the ACC Friday morning: "Upon completion of the game, the conference office was made aware of the allegation and immediately conducted a comprehensive review," the statement read. The Sunday Paper Team. She still does that for us, but luckily, I dont think she has to do that as much. I did think athletically, especially on the perimeter, we could be a pretty good, aggressive man-to-man team.. The independent news organization of Duke University. Beths experience having been a head coach for many years, having been at a top program at Notre Dame, having learned and coached with Muffet McGraw, a Hall of Fame coach, having been at Final Fours, having won a national championship; there is so much she brings to the table for Duke. There is an urgency for helping the young women in our country become more powerful. It never settles. Understanding that we can handle it is a way to free ourselves, she believes. Women's Power Rankings: Pac-12 teams, Maryland show their teeth. The official Facebook page of Duke University Women's Basketball. Season Statistics; Season Statistics (PDF) Big Ten Statistics (PDF . Lawson uses the example of being out of shape: If jogging a mile leaves you winded and tired, you may think I cant wait to get to two weeks, then it'll be easier. Seen, Supported, and most importantly not alone on your journey to The Open Field. Signup for our weekly newsletter. All five on the court at the same time. Humanity Forward. "Three of the most important decisions a headContinue Reading Meet the Duke coach who reportedly is 'prime candidate' for Celtics job, What Stevens'promotion, Ainge's departure meanfor Celtics, Eight best Celtics coaching candidates to replace Brad Stevens, Stephen A. Smith rips Celtics' promotion of Brad Stevens. Cancel at any time. With one former Duke basketball team captain moving to his first head coaching job, another is moving into a larger role on coach Mike Krzyzewski's staff. But I can't say if we'd have played with a women's ball in the first half and the second half that we would have won. We're really working on being disruptive defensively. Kara Lawson is all-in as Duke's women's basketball coach: 'I understand the stakes' Why the hiring of the former WNBA star and Celtics assistant is significant Kara Lawson on leaving the Celtics to become Duke's women's basketball coach | Golic and Wingo Watch on By Sean Hurd July 22, 2020 A nine-hour drive can be an opportunity to reflect. . . Contact the Coaches; Recruit Info; Recruiting Questionnaire; Stats. With the three-headed monster of Taylor, Brown and Balogun leading the charge, the Blue Devils have given opposing offenses fits all season and its never in the same way. It's an amazing life lesson and feeling when you do something you didn't think initially you could do. There are times when Duke can not buy a shot from the field including its six-point fourth quarter against Miami and 10-point second quarter against Pittsburgh. She is a former American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and a basketball television analyst for ESPN and the Washington Wizards. Richardson, Shayeann I struggle with this too, admits Lawson about facing lifes tough sides. She also made the All-Star Game once and was an Olympic champion during her playing days. The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (26-4, 18-0 Big South) host the UNC Asheville Bulldogs (12-18, 8-11 Big South) after Lauren Bevis scored 30 points in the Runnin' Bulldogs 83-59 victory over . ", . Aside from her numbers, it is the little things that make Taylor invaluable to this group. TAYLOR'S VERSION: Taylor, Balogun lead Duke women's basketball to upset win at No. A look at the 2021-22 Duke men's basketball coaching staff, assistant coaches, and head coach Mike Krzyzewski. A best-in-class newsletter that Inspires Hearts and Minds and Moves Duke moves on to Saturday's semifinals where it will face the winner of Friday's late Miami-Virginia Tech game. Lewis, Reigan 18 UNC in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals at Greensboro Coliseum on Friday. And will she have a chance to be the NBA's first female coach? And even though Lawson left the team after the 2020 season, the two still keep in touch. "I think the world of Kara, Stevens said. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. All of these characteristics that you would want in a coach, you want your staff to possess as many of those as possible and be experts in a number of them. You don't just want size, you want talent coupled with it.. We may have played some teams in the nonconference that challenged us defensively in many ways and stretched us. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Lawson has not been shy in praising her staff for the improvement of this team, especially during the offseason. ", You cannot sit here, no matter what you believe, what your politics are, and not recognize that this is urgent. McCallie has coached at Duke since. I don't think you can watch our team and not like how they play and not get behind them, because they play so gosh darn hard, said Lawson after a victory against Virginia Tech Jan. 26. . During our Sunday Paper editorial meeting this past week, we were all talking about Kara Lawson. When the Blue Devils traveled to Florida Gulf Coast earlier this season the Eagles led the nation in 3-pointers made per game (11.7) and attempts per game (35.3). Duke women's basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie reveals that she is stepping away from the program due to uncertainty as she entered the final year of her contract. I think we achieved that. She's elite at what she does. You have to have player buy-in to play good defense, said Lawson. And why did Lawson leave the Celtics? 7/24/2020 10:30:00 AM. We're going to miss her. "I'm not perfect, but I admit when I'm making a mistake, and the mistake was made here and it's a big one.". The Blue Devils and the Seminoles both entered Sunday's game in the top 25 nationally (No. Women's basketball vs. Duke. 39,788 peoplelike this 44,674 people follow this http://dukekaraera.com/ Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? Chris Carrawell. "It's very frustrating that [the game] was not treated with the utmost respect that players on both teams deserve," she said. Jacob Camenker is a senior content producer at The Sporting News. Then gosh darn January comes, and it doesn't settle. Cancel at any time.