# Duke Blue Devils women's basketball

The Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I.

## Team history

In 1974, Duke hired Emma Jean Howard to teach physical education, and to serve as the head coach of the women's basketball and volleyball teams. Initially, women's basketball was played as a club sport. In the first season, 1974–75, the team played locally, finishing second in the state with a 6–7 record.
The women's athletic department merged with the men's athletics in 1975, and the second year is considered as the first official season of the program as a varsity sport. Howard remained as the head coach for the next two years. In 1977, Howard remained as the volleyball coach, while Duke moved up to Division I and hired Debbie Leonard to be the head coach of the women's basketball program.

## Duke in the WNBA

Many Duke Women's Basketball players have continued their basketball careers professionally through the WNBA and overseas. As of 2016, 10 former Blue Devils were represented on WNBA Teams. Among those Duke alums include, Mistie Bass ('06, Phoenix Mercury), Alana Beard (‘04, Los Angeles Sparks), Karima Christmas-Kelly (‘11, Minnesota Lynx), Monique Currie ('06, Washington Mystics), Chelsea Gray ('14, Los Angeles Sparks), Lindsey Harding (‘07, Phoenix Mercury), Tricia Liston ('14, Minnesota Lynx), Haley Peters ('14, Atlanta Dream), Jasmine Thomas (‘11, Connecticut Sun), Krystal Thomas (‘11, Washington Mystics), and Elizabeth Williams ('15, Atlanta Dream).
The Minnesota Lynx were crowned WNBA champs in 2015 with Tricia Liston on the roster. In 2016, the Los Angeles Sparks won the WNBA championship with Alana Beard and Chelsea Gray on the roster.

## Duke Women's Basketball Overseas

Duke Women's Basketball has 14 former players playing professionally overseas in the 2016–2017 season. The former Blue Devils playing overseas include, Alana Beard (Duke ‘04, Avenida, Spain), Chante Black (Duke '09, Ramat Hasharon, Israel), Karima Christmas (Duke ‘11, Winnus, South Korea), Monique Currie (Duke ‘06, Woori Bank, South Korea), Chelsea Gray (Duke '14, Abdullah Gul, Turkey), Lindsey Harding (Duke ‘07, Besiktas, Turkey), Haley Peters (Duke ‘14, Girona, Spain), Angela Salvadores (Duke '16, Avenida, Spain), Kathleen Scheer (Duke '12, Hobart Chargers, Australia), Shay Selby (Duke '12, Bodrum, Turkey), Jasmine Thomas (Duke ‘11, Ramat Hasharon), Allison Vernerey (Duke '13, A.S.V. Basket, France), Chloe Wells (Duke ‘14, Araski, Spain), and Elizabeth Williams (Duke '15, Nadezhda Orenburg, Russia).

## Year by year

Source:
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll |
| Emma Jean Howard (Independent) (1975–1978) ||||||||
| 1975–76 | Emma Jean Howard | 0–14 | – | | | | |
| 1976–77 | Emma Jean Howard | 2–12 | – | | NCAIAW Tournament | | |
| Emma Jean Howard: | Emma Jean Howard: | 2–26 (.071) | | | | | |
| Debbie Leonard (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1977–1992) ||||||||
| 1977–78 | Debbie Leonard | 1–19 | 0–8 | 7th | NCAIAW Tournament | | |
| 1978–79 | Debbie Leonard | 11–11 | 3–6 | 5th | NCAIAW Tournament | | |
| 1979–80 | Debbie Leonard | 14–13 | 5–5 | T-4th | NCAIAW Tournament | | |
| 1980–81 | Debbie Leonard | 11–14 | 3–6 | 6th | NCAIAW Tournament | | |
| 1981–82 | Debbie Leonard | 14–15 | 3–8 | 6th | AIAW Region II Tournament | | |
| 1982–83 | Debbie Leonard | 15–10 | 6–7 | 4th | | | |
| 1983–84 | Debbie Leonard | 13–14 | 5–9 | 6th | | | |
| 1984–85 | Debbie Leonard | 19–8 | 7–7 | 5th | | | |
| 1985–86 | Debbie Leonard | 21–9 | 9–5 | 3rd | NWIT Fourth Place | | |
| 1986–87 | Debbie Leonard | 19–10 | 7–7 | 4th | NCAA Second Round (Play-In) | | |
| 1987–88 | Debbie Leonard | 17–11 | 5–9 | 5th | | | |
| 1988–89 | Debbie Leonard | 12–16 | 2–12 | 7th | | | |
| 1989–90 | Debbie Leonard | 15–13 | 4–10 | T-6th | | | |
| 1990–91 | Debbie Leonard | 16–12 | 6–8 | 5th | | | |
| 1991–92 | Debbie Leonard | 14–15 | 4–12 | 8th | | | |
| Debbie Leonard: | Debbie Leonard: | 212–190 (.527) | 69–119 (.367) | | | | |
| Gail Goestenkors (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1992–2007) ||||||||
| 1992–93 | Gail Goestenkors | 12–15 | 3–13 | 9th | | | |
| 1993–94 | Gail Goestenkors | 16–11 | 7–9 | 5th | | | |
| 1994–95 | Gail Goestenkors | 22–9 | 10–6 | 4th | NCAA Second Round | 17 | 20 |
| 1995–96 | Gail Goestenkors | 26–7 | 12–4 | 2nd | NCAA Second Round | 19 | 13 |
| 1996–97 | Gail Goestenkors | 19–11 | 9–7 | T-3rd | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 1997–98 | Gail Goestenkors | 24–8 | 13–3 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | 7 | 8 |
| 1998–99 | Gail Goestenkors | 29–7 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up | 10 | 10 |
| 1999–2000 | Gail Goestenkors | 28–6 | 12–4 | 2nd# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 11 | 10 |
| 2000–01 | Gail Goestenkors | 30–4 | 13–3 | 1st# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 8 | 5 |
| 2001–02 | Gail Goestenkors | 31–4 | 16–0 | 1st# | NCAA Final Four | 4 | 3 |
| 2002–03 | Gail Goestenkors | 35–2 | 16–0 | 1st# | NCAA Final Four | 4 | 2 |
| 2003–04 | Gail Goestenkors | 30–4 | 15–1 | 1st# | NCAA Elite Eight | 5 | 1 |
| 2004–05 | Gail Goestenkors | 31–5 | 12–2 | T-1st | NCAA Elite Eight | 8 | 7 |
| 2005–06 | Gail Goestenkors | 31–4 | 12–2 | T-2nd | NCAA Runner-Up | 2 | 4 |
| 2006–07 | Gail Goestenkors | 32–2 | 14–0 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 6 | 1 |
| Gail Goestenkors: | Gail Goestenkors: | 396–99 (.800) | 179–55 (.765) | | | | |
| Joanne P. McCallie (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2007–2020) ||||||||
| 2007–08 | Joanne P. McCallie | 25–10 | 10–4 | T-3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 9 | 9 |
| 2008–09 | Joanne P. McCallie | 27–6 | 11–3 | 3rd | NCAA Second Round | 14 | 6 |
| 2009–10 | Joanne P. McCallie | 30–6 | 12–2 | T-1st# | NCAA Elite Eight | 6 | 6 |
| 2010–11 | Joanne P. McCallie | 32–4 | 12–2 | T-1st# | NCAA Elite Eight | 7 | 6 |
| 2011–12 | Joanne P. McCallie | 27–6 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | 6 | 6 |
| 2012–13 | Joanne P. McCallie | 33–3 | 17–1 | 1st# | NCAA Elite Eight | 5 | 5 |
| 2013–14 | Joanne P. McCallie | 28–7 | 12–4 | T-2nd | NCAA Second Round | 9 | 10 |
| 2014–15 | Joanne P. McCallie | 23–11 | 11–5 | T-4th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 16 | 12 |
| 2015–16 | Joanne P. McCallie | 20–12 | 8–8 | T-7th | | | |
| 2016–17 | Joanne P. McCallie | 28–6 | 13–3 | T-2nd | NCAA Second Round | 9 | 9 |
| 2017–18 | Joanne P. McCallie | 24–9 | 11–5 | T-4th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 20 | 12 |
| 2018–19 | Joanne P. McCallie | 15–15 | 6–10 | T-10th | | | |
| 2019–20 | Joanne P. McCallie | 18–12 | 12–6 | 3rd | Postseason cancelled | RV | RV |
| Joanne P. McCallie: | Joanne P. McCallie: | 330–107 (.755) | 150–56 (.728) | | | | |
| Kara Lawson (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2020–present) ||||||||
| 2020–21 | Kara Lawson | 3–1 | 0–1 | | Opted out due to COVID-19 | | |
| 2021–22 | Kara Lawson | 17–13 | 7–11 | 10th | | | |
| 2022–23 | Kara Lawson | 26–7 | 14–4 | T-2nd | NCAA Second Round | | |
| 2023–24 | Kara Lawson | 22–12 | 11–7 | 7th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | | |
| 2024–25 | Kara Lawson | 26–7 | 14–4 | | | | |
| Kara Lawson: | Kara Lawson: | 94–40 (.701) | 46–27 (.630) | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 1034–462 (.691) | | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||||

## NCAA tournament results

Duke has appeared in 27 NCAA tournaments with a record of 61–26.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1987 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Manhattan #2 Rutgers | W 70-55 L 78-64 |
| 1995 | #5 | First Round Second Round | #12 Oklahoma State #4 Alabama | W 76-64 L 121-120 (4OT) |
| 1996 | #4 | First Round Second Round | #13 James Madison #12 San Francisco | W 85-53 L 64-60 |
| 1997 | #5 | First Round Second Round | #12 DePaul #4 Illinois | W 70-56 L 67-65 |
| 1998 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Middle Tennessee State #10 Louisville #3 Florida #9 Arkansas | W 92-67 W 69-53 W 71-58 L 77-72 |
| 1999 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship | #14 Holy Cross #11 St. Joseph's #2 Old Dominion #1 Tennessee #3 Georgia #1 Purdue | W 79-51 W 66-60 W 76-63 W 69-63 W 81-69 L 62-45 |
| 2000 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #15 Campbell #10 Western Kentucky #3 LSU | W 71-42 W 90-70 L 79-66 |
| 2001 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #16 Milwaukee #9 Arkansas #5 SW Missouri State | W 95-63 W 75-54 L 81-71 |
| 2002 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #16 Norfolk State #8 TCU #4 Texas #3 USC #1 Oklahoma | W 95-48 W 76-66 W 62-46 W 77-68 L 86-71 |
| 2003 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #16 Georgia State #8 Utah #5 Georgia #2 Texas Tech #1 Tennessee | W 66-48 W 65-54 W 66-63 W 80-79 L 56-66 |
| 2004 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #16 Northwestern State #9 Marquette #5 Louisiana Tech #7 Minnesota | W 103-51 W 76-67 W 63-49 L 82-75 |
| 2005 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Canisius #7 Boston College #6 Georgia #1 LSU | W 80-48 W 70-65 W 63-57 L 59-49 |
| 2006 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship | #16 Southern #8 USC #4 Michigan State #2 Connecticut #1 LSU #1 Maryland | W 96-27 W 85-51 W 86-61 W 63-61 (OT) W 64-45 L 78-75 (OT) |
| 2007 | #1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #16 Holy Cross #8 Temple #4 Rutgers | W 81-44 W 62-52 L 53-52 |
| 2008 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #14 Murray State #6 Arizona State #3 Texas A&M | W 78-57 W 67-59 L 77-63 |
| 2009 | #1 | First Round Second Round | #16 Austin Peay #9 Michigan State | W 83-42 L 63-49 |
| 2010 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Hampton #7 LSU #11 San Diego State #4 Baylor | W 72-37 W 60-52 W 66-58 L 51-48 |
| 2011 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Tennessee-Martin #10 Marist #3 DePaul #1 Connecticut | W 90-45 W 71-66 W 70-63 L 75-40 |
| 2012 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Samford #7 Vanderbilt #3 St. John's #1 Stanford | W 82-47 W 96-80 W 74-47 L 81-69 |
| 2013 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Hampton #7 Oklahoma State #6 Nebraska #1 Notre Dame | W 67-51 W 68-59 W 53-45 L 87-76 |
| 2014 | #2 | First Round Second Round | #15 Winthrop #7 DePaul | W 87-45 L 74-65 |
| 2015 | #4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #13 Albany #5 Mississippi State #1 Maryland | W 54-52 W 64-56 L 65-55 |
| 2017 | #2 | First Round Second Round | #15 Hampton #10 Oregon | W 94-31 L 74-65 |
| 2018 | #5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #12 Belmont #4 Georgia #1 Connecticut | W 72-58 W 66-40 L 72-59 |
| 2023 | #3 | First Round Second Round | #14 Iona #6 Colorado | W 89-49 L 61-53 (OT) |
| 2024 | #7 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #10 Richmond #2 Ohio State #3 Connecticut | W 72-61 W 75-63 L 53-45 |
| 2025 | #2 | First Round | #15 Lehigh | TBD |

## Footnotes

* ↑ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NCAA tournament was cancelled entirely.