GREENSBORO, N.C. –  For the fourth straight year, Duke University senior Elizabeth Williams has been named ACC Defensive Player of the Year Wednesday, following a vote by the league's 15 head coaches.

Williams is the first player in ACC history to receive the honor four times and a Duke student-athlete has now been awarded the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in seven out of 11 years.  

The 6-3 center has helped Duke rank seventh nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.5%) and third in the ACC in scoring defense (59.0%).  A native of Virginia Beach, Va., Williams ranks tied first and 17th nationally in blocks per game (2.9).  

Williams, a four-time First Team All-ACC selection, is averaging 14.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals for the Blue Devils.  She currently leads all centers nationally with a 2.4 assist per game average.  Williams has nine double-doubles on the year, including five in ACC action.

Over her career, Williams has blocked 408 shots to ranked 10th on the NCAA all-time charts and is only 27 swats away from breaking the ACC career blocks record of 434 held by Duke's Alison Bales.

Williams became just the second player in league history Tuesday to be named First Team All-ACC each of her four years.  She joined Duke two-time National Player of the Year Alana Beard as the only other selection.

Other Duke standouts that have been selected ACC Defensive Player of the Year include Lindsey Harding (2006 & 2007) and Chante Black (2009).

Duke will open the ACC Tournament Friday, March 6 as the No. 4 seed in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m.  The Blue Devils will play either fifth-seeded Syracuse, 12th-seeded Boston College or 13th-seeded Wake Forest in the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.

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