By Ryan Neu, Duke Sports Information
DURHAM, N.C. — The Blue Devils opened Cameron Indoor Stadium to the media Thursday afternoon as they continue to prepare for the start of the 2015-16 season. The team's third practice of the year was aired online on Blue Devil Network Plus (BDN+).
Youthful energy permeated the court as Duke welcomes the nation's number one recruiting class to campus this season. Freshmen guards Haley Gorecki, Angela Salvadores, Crystal Primm, Faith Suggs and Kyra Lambert will help reload the backcourt after a season that featured dominating post play from the Blue Devil forwards, particularly Elizabeth Williams who was drafted fourth overall in the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun.
“They're getting better every day,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “It's only been three days of practice, but I've been impressed. They're fun to coach and they're working on their listening skills. I can't say we're a great listening team yet but we're working on that.”
With so many fresh faces on the court, it helps that Duke returns three starters from last season's NCAA Sweet 16 squad. Sophomore Azurá Stevens, redshirt sophomore Rebecca Greenwell and graduate student Amber Henson will all be back playing for the Blue Devils. Greenwell and Stevens ranked in the top three in points scored, rebounds and minutes for Duke during the 2014-15 campaign.
Stevens brings a new type of experience to the team this season after spending the summer starting for the United States U19 World Championship team. Stevens helped lead the team to an 8-0 record and a gold medal in Chekhov, Russia.
After having a chance to watch the freshmen take the court during the past week, Stevens is excited to see them in real action soon.
“They're quick, they're fast, they're athletic, they hustle,” Stevens said. “They're really smart. Their IQ is really, really high and that just says a lot about their class collectively.
All five of them, whenever their numbers are called, they're all ready to go and get out there and do what they need to do.”
The Blue Devils also welcome the experienced Lexie Brown to the team. Brown, an All-America guard who transferred to Duke from Maryland this offseason, will not be able to suit up for the Blue Devils during the 2015-16 season, but she has already begun to show her value as a leader on and off the court.
Brown was a part of two Final Four teams in her two seasons at Maryland, led her team in assists last year and brings a level of experience and perspective that the Blue Devils are excited to see help guide the younger players as the season progresses.
“It's always interesting to see how new teams gel and just the chemistry and the leadership and the standards that we're trying to uphold and build off of,” McCallie said. “Rebecca has to be more vocal, Amber is stepping up with her leadership and Lexie has done a fabulous job. Those three are going to be very key even though Lexie is not playing.”
Duke will continue to practice through the coming weeks as the team prepares for the season opener at Penn, November 13. In the interim, the Blue Devils will hold their annual Blue/White scrimmage Saturday, October 24 and will host two exhibition matches. The first will be played Thursday, November 5 against Pfeiffer and the second Sunday, November 8. All of these contests will be held at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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