Havas, Mia Karen kind of runs our defense and she deserves a ton of credit for how our defense has changed.. Lawson, 39, had been an assistant with the Boston Celtics before taking . Lawson, a former Tennessee player who spent the past year as an assistant with the NBA's Boston Celtics, was hired by Duke on July 11. And Young said opportunities to talk with Duke's former men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski were always incredibly valuable. The Duke women's basketball coaching staff, then led by head coach Joanne P. McCallie, helped her learn how things functioned within the Duke Athletics. 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. Bollin, Imani I think we talk to them a lot about being connected, Lange said. Lawson specified that she was not a part of that talk as she is not usually in the locker room at halftime. The trio boasts a combined. "I think they're going to hire Kara Lawson," Scalabrine said. facebook He's still a great mentor for meI talk to him weekly, Lawson said in a press conference last summer, per the Duke Chronicle. While NC State just recently began racking up ACC Tournament championships, the program had consistently been knocking at the door for years prior to its three-peat, finishing the regular season in the top-four of the conference each year since 2017. Without it, a plan is just that an idea on paper. Now in the ACC its really hard and weve got to find a way to get our defensive numbers to hold steady versus great competition. Lawson announced her assistants on Friday, and the three coaches have combined for 46 years of collegiate coaching experience including one NCAA Championship, 17 NCAA Tournament selections and six NCAA Final Four appearances. Entering her third season at Duke with Monday's season opener against NC A&T (11 a.m. 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. Duke is still holding opponents under 51 points per game and has allowed only one ACC squad to score more than 58 points in a game. The senior guard from Valley Stream, N.Y., was tabbed ACC Defensive Player of . Following the thorough and objective review process, there was no evidence found to support the claim. We See You: Inspiring Women. It is undeniable that the offense will need to improve for the Blue Devils to do some damage in March. For UNC, Deja Kelly led the way with 11 points. R.A. LESLIE, By You're invited to join Maria Shriver's new membership program! You have to have player buy-in to play good defense, said Lawson. The women's athletic department . "She's elite at what she doesI thought she was head coaching material after just five minutes talking with her." A lot of people needed to be coached that day.. Signup for our weekly newsletter. 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. 8 Maryland. The independent news organization of Duke University. 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 didn't coach in The Bubble, as she had already left for Duke, but her footprint was clearly on that squad. View Full Bio. Lawson said that, throughout the first half, Duke players were "complaining about the ball." By The Celtics are starting a new era ahead of the 2021 NBA offseason. And you can figure out who the people I'm talking about [are] that failed the sport and our players and both teams," Lawson said, speaking passionately. She spent the last eight years as an assistant at Notre Dame. The players must trust the coaching staffs belief they can execute the plan. She's really excited to get going. Duke basketball coaching staff could undergo more changes Amid the Nate James news, fellow associate head coach Jon Scheyer is still in the mix for the head coaching vacancy at DePaul, located approximately 30 minutes outside of his hometown of Northbrook, Illinois. 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. From that standpoint, there is continual growth, and our kids are seeing it on their own. Last season, Duke allowed 0.76 points per play, which was in the 65th percentile nationally, per Her Hoop Stats. She was in Australia coaching with USA Basketball during those months and credits the assistants for working closely with the players. It didnt take long for assistant coach Karen Lange who had just joined the staff in April and works closely with the guards to realize the Blue Devils could be an aggressive man-to-man squad. It was seeing all of that and then going to Coach (Lawson) saying this is what we can do.". Now with the Blue Devils in the thick of conference action the numbers have understandably dropped a touch, but Lawson and the Blue Devils are excited to meet the challenge of ACC play night in and night out. 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. A key member of the Blue Devils coaching staff is headed elsewhere. 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. Its you. facebook I've gotten so many messages of people just telling their story and how this has helped them, she says. Finding the one that suited us best was a fun project in the preseason. 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). When you have teammates that want to win just as badly as you do, it makes things a lot easier, said Taylor after the game. Im not very patient I don't think there's a timeline here. (1:15) Facebook THIRD TIME'S A CHARM: Duke women's basketball downs North Carolina to reach ACC tournament semifinals, Brinker's top-10 finish not enough as Duke women's golf underwhelms at Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, Isaiah Hamilton elected DSG president, Ashley Bae to be EVP, Chagall at the Chapel: Beautiful and powerful, 'We can get there': Inside Duke womens basketballs swift rise to ACC contention, Column: Powered by the Roach-Proctor backcourt, Duke men's basketball is growing offensively, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to deliver Class of 2023 commencement address, DukeAfrica endorses Isaiah Hamilton for DSG president, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers endorses Isaiah Hamilton for DSG president, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. In the first season, 1974-75, the team played locally, finishing second in the state with a 6-7 record. The truth is, it doesnt get easier, you get in better shape, she says. And she'd never lost to Duke. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. In 2021, the severe lack of equipment afforded to women in their NCAA tournament bubble was exposed, ultimately leading to positive change, including extending March Madness branding to the women's tournament. Kara has proven that with everything that she has done. Who is Kara Lawson? Hopefully, you had a coach who motivated you along the way, says Lawson. Kate Barnosky. Cancel at any time. Learn more at: www.staceyannlindsay.com. More:Status remains uncertain for Notre Dame's Olivia Miles heading into ACC Tournament ND went 10 . 2022-23 All-ACC Women's Basketball Team. Nevertheless, these both ended up as victories, because what has made this team so successful is that even when the offense is struggling, the defense does not skip a beat. Virginia Tech . After taking the reins of the Vanderbilt women's basketball program earlier this month, head coach Shea Ralph has announced her inaugural coaching staff with the additions of Tom Garrick, Ashley Earley and Kevin DeMille. For Duke women's 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. I think you win when you can and so that's what our goal was all along., Our team plays hard and they play together, Lawson said after Dukes Jan. 26 win against Virginia Tech. Assistant Coach. 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. Lawsons staff will include Beth Cunningham, Winston Gandy and Tia Jackson. Brown, Shay On Tuesday night, head coach Jon Scheyer 's first Duke basketball team held on to beat the visiting NC State Wolfpack (22-9, 12-8 ACC), 71-67. 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. And Duke coach Kara Lawson earned her first win over UNC a day later. UNC coach Courtney Banghart had no wins in the ACC Tournament before this season. 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. Agugua-Hamilton recently accepted the head coaching job at Virginia, leaving Cunningham to take over the job at Missouri State. Nolan Smith, the 2011 ACC. There has been a complete transformation that has turned the Blue Devil defense into a nationally terrifying unit. Gandy helped the Owls to a 72-22 overall record and a 42-8 mark in Conference USA the past three seasons. Corosdale, Jordyn She came into the WNBA during the 2003 WNBA Draft after a four-year college career at Tennessee. I think it just speaks to her and to our team of really wanting to put everything they can into these games.. 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. Follow us on Twitter: DukeWBB & Instagram: dukewbb Follow one of the top Division I women's basketball teams in the nation at the official Facebook page of Duke women's basketball. Cunningham departs Dukes program on the heels of a once-promising season that saw the Blue Devils ranked as high as No. Karen Lange joins Duke's coaching staff after the departure of Beth Cunningham. I am beyond enthusiastic about coming back to Duke. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. / Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS. Staff Directory Members By Category/Department; Image Name Title Email Address Phone; Katie Gearlds: Head Coach 494.0605 494.0605: Beth Couture: Because when you have those two things defensively, whatever theyre being taught, whatever were playing, whatever were doing it, only works from a defensive Xs and Os standpoint if were connected and were trusting each other.. 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. Brown, in her first season at Duke after transferring from Oregon State, is a major disruptor around the basket standing at 6-foot-6. GREENSBORO In a defensive grudge match that seemed like players ended up on the floor on almost every possession, No. However, the situation in December was eerily similar to last year, as the Blue Devils entered ACC play with a 10-1 record, the sole blemish again to a very talented UConn team. She was previously a news anchor and reporter who covered veterans' issues and breaking news. Duke can take away opponents strengths and has proven to do so consistently. She is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, but its not her post-up defense the Blue Devils rely on. Richardson, Shayeann Head coach Wes Moore and the Wolfpack huddle up during a timeout during the game against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/uOqYb7tnFQ. Your body can handle the mile better now. Since Lawson and her team started posting the videos of her team talks, the response has been positiveand huge. The other piece she provides in the halfcourt defense is her ability to rebound. The bells rang out across Duke's campus at 5 p.m., chiming as if in celebration of Blue Devil senior Celeste Taylor. 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 . Earlier in the fourth, Reigan Richardson's jumper off a Tar Heel turnover gave Duke the fourth tie of the period and then Elizabeth Balogun made a pair of free throws to give the Blue Devils a 42-40 lead with 1:58 remaining. de Jesus, Ashlon 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. 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. She played 13 WNBA seasons and averaged 9.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while playing for the Monarchs, Sun and Mystics. Kara Marie Lawson (born February 14, 1981) is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team. No, she walked into practice and she commanded practice right from the jump. Hes also really, really good at building relationships and really, really good in terms of Xs and Os.. We're asking them to do things that they haven't done before, she says. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. We wanted to learn more about facing the difficult stuff, so we reached out to Lawson. Niele Ivey, Kara Lawson speak at ACC women's basketball media day. From the moment head coach Kara Lawson joined Duke, she has surrounded herself with high-quality assistants. We may have played some teams in the nonconference that challenged us defensively in many ways and stretched us. But for the first time since retiring at the end of last season, the former FSU head coach will be back at . Another goal achieved. MORE: Stephen A. Smith rips Celtics' promotion of Brad Stevens. ACC women's basketball coaches Niele Ivey, Katie Meier, Felisha Legette-Jack and Kara Lawson talk about the upcoming season at media day. Women's basketball vs. Duke. 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. @Scalabrine explains why he thinks Kara Lawson is the best candidate for the Celtics' new head coach: The North Carolina game Feb. 4 was no exception to that by a six-point margin . She aims to do this for the brilliant young minds she coaches at Duke. Becoming arguably the most disruptive defense in the ACC and ranking ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense started with hours in the film room and in practice. If Reigan gives anything less than 100% on that sprint, it's a layup for them, said Lawson following the win. Assistant Coach. 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. When we step on the court, we know defense comes first.. Lawson added that since Sunday's game, the ACC has instituted a rule change where players have to confirm the correct ball during the captain's meeting prior to tip. New Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson announced the hiring of three assistants Friday, including longtime former Notre Dame assistant Beth Cunningham. That came during aWizards vs. Hornets game on Jan. 12, 2007. I think she'll do a great, great job for us.". The independent news organization of Duke University. "I wanted to appeal and protest the game. Drink water. It is just a perfect fit and I am looking forward to the challenge.. The presence of it often leads to success. Despite her desire for an appeal, Lawson acknowledged and respected the outcome of the game as played. Terms of Service She can drop down low and guard a big or pop out to defend a guard or an athletic four. So, if you look at our numbers from last year, we were a poor defensive team and that was my fault as a coach. "We have concluded through our investigation that it was a men's ball," Lawson later added." Its really nice to say were going to play great defense. And then the types of personnel we need inside of it. The way to do that is to compete hard with one another.. 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. Lewis, Reigan Shes really, really good.. Cancel at any time. Amile Jefferson will be Duke's newest addition to the coaching staff. By Steve Wiseman. 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.. I thought she was head coaching material withinfive minutes talking with her. LEXINGTON Kentucky women's basketball coach Kyra Elzy is adding a Hall of Famer to her coaching staff. After playing professionally, she began as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth in 2001 before becoming head coach two years later and staying in that role until 2012. Pitt women's basketball head coach Lance White in the second quarter of the Virginia Tech-Pitt women's basketball game in Blacksburg Va. Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. The Duke Blue Devils will try to extend their three-game winning streak when they face the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday night. Every game against every team we play we emphasize defense, defense, defense, said Balogun after a Jan. 1 win against Louisville. Duke's staff looks a lot different than it did just a month ago, when the Blue Devils bowed out of the Final Four and Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski's career came to an end. All those things are part of the handle-hard equation, she says. Gandy, Karen It's an amazing life lesson and feeling when you do something you didn't think initially you could do. If you look at our numbers from last year, we were a poor defensive team and that was my fault as a coach, said Lawson Jan. 10. But unless you continue to play, we lose that unique mentorship. But how did Lawson get to this point so quickly after her playing career came to an end? Marisa Moseley. I'm really looking for improving defensive points per possession.. Latson owns an ACC-leading 18 20-point games as well as seven 30-point games this year. However, the team ignored the outside noise, staying focused on its goals and the task at hand. "She is as sharp as they come," Stevens said, per KnoxNews.com. When you make a mistake, you own it, and you own it right away. The next project was a fun one for associate head coach Tia Jackson, who is in her third year on Lawsons staff at Duke. The core of the team guards Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor and wing Elizabeth Balogun remained intact, but the supporting pieces that Lawson brought in have made a great impact this season. We need to be equipped to have the energy levels to handle hard., Senior editor Stacey Lindsay is a multimedia journalist. Per NCAA playing rules, there is no appeal or protest process. McCallie has coached at Duke since. Notably, she worked with Marcus Smart to help him improve his shooting ability. View Full Bio. Rest well. I am ecstatic., Three assistants combine for 46 years experience, Duke Women's Basketball Coach Kara Lawson Introductory Press Conference. We want to try and force turnovers, said Lawson at preseason media day. 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. 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. 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 . The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Shes in her forties and is a mom and trying to navigate it all. We have more people who are doing what theyre supposed to be doing and holding their own.