Category Archives: Duke
ACC racks up 14 medals during London Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics ended Sunday but not before current and former ACC athletes racked up 14 medals, eight of which were gold.
The ACC Sports Journal did an excellent rundown today of how Atlantic Coast Conference athletes did in the Olympics.
Writer Lewis Woodard notes, “While Florida State had the most Olympians, none of their athletes are leaving London with hardware. North Carolina led the way four medals, all of which were earned in women’s soccer.”
To read the rest of the article, which includes a graph where each athlete’s result is compiled, please click here.
Duke’s McCrory finished ninth, congratulated U.S. teammate Boudia first
Duke’s Nick McCrory finishing ninth overall in the finals of the men’s individual 10-meter platform diving event to wrap up his London experience. But he was first to congratulate gold-medal-winning U.S. teammate David Boudia with a big bear hug.
“I knew he could do it,” McCrory said of Boudia. “He was ending with a solid dive and he hit it. I’m so happy for him. He really earned it.”
In a historic performance, Boudia took the gold with an overall score of 568.65 to become the first American diver to win the men’s 10-meter platform Olympic competition since Greg Louganis did so in 1988. China’s Qui Bo claimed the silver with 566.85 points and Tom Daley of Great Britain totaled 556.95 points to win the bronze.
A product of Chapel Hill, McCrory compiled a total score of 505.40 in the final to secure a top-10 finish among some of the best divers in the world. He heads back to the United States an Olympic medalist after partnering with Boudia to win the bronze in the men’s synchronized 10-meter event earlier in the Games.
McCrory, a rising pre-med junior at Duke, qualified 7th in the semi-finals after hovering around the cut off line at 10th and 11th. The top 12 advanced. “I was on the bubble throughout the entire contest. I knew I needed to do some good dives,” said McCrory, who did make a couple of good dives to secure his place in the finals.
McCrory picked up right where he left off in Saturday morning’s semifinals, earning three 9.0s on his opening dive of the event finals, an inward 3 ½ somersault in the tuck position for a score of 86.40. That score was good for sixth place overall heading into the second round, where he was awarded 75.20 points on his armstand back double somersault with 1 ½ twists to bring his total to 161.60.
A forward 4 ½ somersault for a 3.7 degree of difficulty by McCrory in the third round earned him 83.25 points, moving him up two spots to ninth place. He then averaged scores of 8.0 on his next two dives, including a back 3 ½ somersault in the fifth round that garnered a score of 84.15 from the judges. That put him in ninth overall with just one final dive remaining.
On his 24th and final dive of the 2012 Olympic Games, McCrory received his best score of the three-round individual competition, tallying 97.20 points on a back 2 ½ somersault with 2 ½ twists to conclude the finals with a score of 505.40.
The men’s 10-meter final concluded what has been a very successful Olympic Games for U.S. divers, who garnered one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Kelci Bryant and Duke’s Abby Johnston were the first American divers to medal, winning silver in the women’s synchronized 3-meter competition on July 29.
Duke’s McCrory wins bronze medal in diving event
After going 12 years without winning a medal in a diving event, the United States now has two medals in as many days after Duke’s Nick McCrory paired with David Boudia to take bronze in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform event Monday. McCrory joins fellow Blue Devil Abby Johnston as an Olympic medalist after Johnston and Kelci Bryant claimed silver in the women’s synchronized 3-meter competition on Sunday.
McCrory and Boudia started off their list of six dives Monday with an inward in the pike position for a 2.0 degree of difficulty, scoring 54.60 points, including one 9.5. They then earned five 9.0s from the judges on a back dive, bringing their total score to 108.60 and putting them in third place behind teams from Great Britain and China.
In the third round, McCrory and Boudia moved up to a 3.2 degree of difficulty on an inward 3 ½ somersault, netting 82.56 points. After falling to fourth place after that dive, the American duo scored 92.13 points on a forward 4 ½ somersault for a 3.7 degree of difficulty to move back into third.
McCrory and Boudia’s fifth dive, a reverse 3 ½ somersault, was awarded 85.14 points to bring their total to 368.32 and keep them in third with one dive remaining. Great Britain’s team of Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield trailed the Americans by just six points heading into the final round, with a spot on the podium hanging in the balance. However, McCrory and Boudia responded under pressure, nailing a back 2 ½ somersault with 2 ½ twists for a score of 95.04 points to bring their total score to 463.47, enough to secure the bronze medal.
China’s Yuan Cao and Yanquan Zhang won the gold with a score of 486.78 points, while Mexico’s Ivan Garcia Navarro and German Sanchez Sanchez moved up to take the silver with 468.90 points. Daley and Waterfield of Great Britain finished just off the podium in fourth with a final score of 454.65.
McCrory and Boudia’s bronze represents just the second synchronized diving medal ever won by a United States team, with Johnston and Bryant earning the first Sunday on the 3-meter springboard.
McCrory and Johnston’s Olympic success under the guidance of Duke diving and U.S. national team coach Drew Johansen has also propelled Duke into the international spotlight. McCrory and Johnston join former Blue Devil Nancy Hogshead in capturing an Olympic medal as a member of the Duke Swimming & Diving program.
The men’s synchronized 10-meter competition will be re-aired in primetime Monday evening on NBC.
Meanwhile, McCrory’s Olympic journey continues next week, as he vies for a medal in the men’s individual 10-meter platform event. The competition begins with a preliminary round on Friday, Aug. 10, and will be followed by the semifinals and finals on Saturday, Aug. 11 at the London Aquatics Centre.
ACC represented in Olympics by 91 former or current athletes, coaches
A total of 91 former and current Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes and coaches will represent 26 nations in the upcoming 2012 London Olympics. The group, which includes seven current student-athletes and more than 40 All-Americans, represents all 12 ACC member institutions. Twenty-seven of this year’s ACC Olympians previously competed in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and accounted for seven medals.
“The ACC is proud to have so many athletes and coaches representing their countries on a global stage,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “We look forward to watching their events and celebrating their successes.”
Fans can access the ACC’s Olympic coverage at theACC.com/olympics or on Twitter by following @ACCinLondon12 and using the hashtag #ACCOlympics.
A complete school-by-school list of 2012 ACC Olympians is as follows:
BOSTON COLLEGE,
Laura Georges, Women’s Soccer, France
CLEMSON,
Warren Fraser, Men’s Track & Field, Bahamas, 100m
George Kitchens Jr, Men’s Track & Field, USA, Long Jump
Patricia Mamona, Women’s Track & Field, Portugal, Triple Jump
Marlena Wesh, Women’s Track & Field, Haiti, 400m
DUKE,
Drew Johansen, Diving, USA, Coach
Chris Collins, Men’s Basketball, USA, Advance Scout/Court Coach
Kevin Cullen, Men’s Basketball, USA, Video Coordinator
Luol Deng, Men’s Basketball, Great Britain, Athlete
Mike Krzyzewski, Men’s Basketball, USA, Coach
Martynas Pocius, Men’s Basketball, Lithuania, Athlete
Steve Wojciechowski, Men’s Basketball, USA, Advance Scout/Court Coach
Nick McCrory, Men’s Diving, USA, 10m Syncho, 10m
Abby Johnston, Women’s Diving, USA, 3m Synchro
Rebecca Smith, Women’s Soccer, New Zealand, Athlete
Shannon Rowbury, Women’s Track & Field, USA, 1500m
Jillian Schwartz, Women’s Track & Field, Israel, Pole Vault
Eric Boateng, Men’s Basketball, Great Britain, Athlete
FLORIDA STATE
Mateo DeAngulo, Men’s Swimming, Colombia, 400m Freestyle
Gonzalo Barroilhet, Men’s Track & Field, Chile, Decathlon
Jonathan Borlee, Men’s Track & Field, Belgium, 400m
Kevin Borlee, Men’s Track & Field, Belgium, 400m
Kemar Hyman, Men’s Track & Field, Cayman Islands, 100m
Maurice Mitchell, Men’s Track & Field, USA, 200m
Ciaran O’Lionaird, Men’s Track & Field, Ireland, 1500m
Dorian Scott, Men’s Track & Field, Jamaica, Shot Put
Hannah England, Women’s Track & Field, Great Britain, 1500m
Lacy Janson, Women’s Track & Field, USA, Pole Vault
Barbara Parker, Women’s Track & Field, Great Britain, 5000m OR 3000m Steeplechase
Kimberly Williams, Women’s Track & Field, Jamaica, Triple Jump
GEORGIA TECH
Alade Aminu, Men’s Basketball, Nigeria, Athlete
Andrew Chetcuti, Men’s Swimming, Malta, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle
Angelo Taylor, Men’s Track & Field, USA, 400m hurdles
Chaunte Howard Lowe, Women’s Track & Field, USA, High Jump
MARYLAND
Missy Meharg, Field Hockey, USA, NBC Commentary
Katie O’Donnell, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Keli Smith-Puzo, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Ekene Ibekwe, Men’s Basketball, Nigeria, Athlete
Andrew Valmon, Men’s Track & Field, USA, Coach
Nataly Arias, Women’s Soccer, Colombia, Athlete
MIAMI
Randy Ableman, Diving, USA, Assistant Coach
Reuben Ross, Men’s Diving, Canada, 3m Synchro
Zach Railey, Sailing, USA, Finn Class
Brittany Viola, Women’s Diving, USA, 10m
Murielle Ahoure, Women’s Track & Field, Ivory Coast,
T’Erea Brown, Women’s Track & Field, USA, 400m hurdles
Amy Deem, Women’s Track & Field, USA, Coach
Lauryn Williams, Women’s Track & Field, USA, Member of relay pool
Savannah Leaf, Women’s Volleyball, Great Britain, Athlete
Ciara Michel, Women’s Volleyball, Great Britain, Athlete
NORTH CAROLINA
Illse Davids, Field Hockey, South Africa, Athlete
Rachel Dawson, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Katelyn Falgowski, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Jesse Gey, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Jaclyn Kintzer, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Amy Swensen, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Vikas Gowda, Men’s Track & Field, India, Discus
Robyn Gayle, Women’s Soccer, Canada, Athlete
Tobin Heath, Women’s Soccer, USA, Athlete
Meghan Klingenberg, Women’s Soccer, USA, Athlete, *Alternate
Heather O’Reilly, Women’s Soccer, USA, Athlete
Shalane Flanagan, Women’s Track & Field, USA, Marathon
Alice Schmidt, Women’s Track & Field, USA, 800m
Katie Bowen, Women’s Soccer, New Zealand, Athlete, *Alternate
NC STATE
Bob Alejo, Beach Volleyball, USA, Coach
Cullen Jones, Men’s Swimming, USA, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 4×100 Freestyle Relay
Jamill Kelly, Wrestling, USA, Coach
Jesse Williams, Men’s Track & Field, USA, High Jump
VIRGINIA
Will Coleman, Equestrian, USA, Athlete
Paige Selenski, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Michelle Vittese, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
David Karasek, Men’s Swimming, Switzerland, 200m IM
Matt McLean, Men’s Swimming, USA, 800m Freestyle Relay
Scot Robison, Men’s Swimming, USA, 400m Freestyle Relay, *Alternate
Somdev Devvarman, Men’s Tennis, India, Singles
Inge Janssen, Women’s Rowing, Netherlands, Athlete
Lori Lindsey, Women’s Soccer, USA, Athlete, *Alternate
Becky Sauerbrunn, Women’s Soccer, USA, Athlete
Katya Bachrouche, Women’s Swimming, Lebanon, 800m Freestyle
Lauren Perdue, Women’s Swimming, USA, 800m Freestyle Relay
Yannick Kaser, Men’s Swimming, Switzerland, 200m Breaststroke
VIRGINIA TECH
Marcel Lomnicky, Men’s Track & Field, Slovakia, Hammer throw
Katarina Filova, Women’s Swimming, Slovakia, 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle
WAKE FOREST
Lauren Crandall, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Michelle Kasold, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Claire Laubach, Field Hockey, USA, Athlete
Al-Farouq Aminu, Men’s Basketball, Nigeria, Athlete
Chris Paul, Men’s Basketball, USA, Athlete
Darius Songaila, Men’s Basketball, Lithuania, Athlete
Brent LaRue, Men’s Track & Field, Slovenia, 400m hurdles
Hunter Kemper, Triathlon, USA, Athlete
Area football coaches to hold panel discussion at Pigskin Preview July 19
You can get the inside scoop on the 2012 college football season when you meet local Division I head football coaches at the 10th annual Bill Dooley Triangle/East Chapter Pigskin Preview July 19. Get to know Duke coach David Cutcliffe, ECU coach Ruffin McNeill, NC Central coach Henry Frazier III, NC State coach Tom O’Brien, and UNC coach Larry Fedora as they participate in a panel discussion and a Q&A session and enjoy a fantastic lunch.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to bid on items from each university. Proceeds benefit the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame – Triangle/East Chapter Scholarship Fund for Triangle-area high school athletes.
Registration and networking begins at 11:30 a.m. with the luncheon and program following from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $60.
The event, sponsored by the Greater Raleigh Sports Council, will be held at the Embassy Suites on Harrison Oaks Boulevard in Cary. For more information, call 919-664-7070 or email [email protected].
Plumlee’s stock really did rise as he goes to Hansbrough’s Pacers in the 1st round
It was rumored that Duke 7-footer Mike Plumlee had impressed at the NBA combines and sure enough he was drafted in the first round by the Indiana Pacers. Almost no one saw that coming a week ago. He’ll play alongside former UNC star Tyler Hansbrough.
Already, probably because he is white, Plumlee is being called a Hansbrough type that can’t score. One know-nothing Internet sports writer named Riley Schmitt (who is still in college by the way) even went so far as to write, “Apparently the Indiana Pacers thought Tyler Hansbrough needed someone to hang out with. Taking him at 26 is just comical. Bad move by this team.” I wonder if someone would write that about two black players on the same team in the NHL for instance.
Maybe Larry Bird does have a soft spot for hard-working white players like himself, don’t know, but the Pacers are not going to select someone in the first round that they don’t think can play. He might not become a star but there are few of those in the NBA. While he probably isn’t as talented as either of his younger brothers, he fits a need for the Pacers.
“We think he can play for us right now,” Pacers GM Bird said. “We don’t have a center on the roster…He’s a great fit for what we want to do.”
Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he believes in Plumlee. “Basically, he’ll be a complementary player, like most of the guys in the NBA,” Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski said before the draft. “At 6-11, 255-260, he’s an incredible athlete. I think he’s still growing as a player and he’ll only be asked to do things he does well.
“He can run. He can play defense. He can rebound. He doesn’t have to be a great shooter. He’s an adequate shooter, but he can physically play right away. And he can do the things you would ask a complementary player to do.”
Fellow Duke teammate Austin Rivers was selected No. 10 by New Orleans. “I love New Orleans more than anything in my life right now,” Rivers said after being selected on Thursday. “Coach Monty Williams is a great coach. Anthony’s coming. They have a great city. I’m looking forward to going there and working hard and helping out in the community and doing everything I can to help this organization win.”
Duke golfer Lindy Duncan tops in the ACC and the country
Not only is Duke’s Lindy Duncan the top golfer in the nation in 2011-12, the rising senior was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Monday as Commissioner John Swofford released the All-ACC Academic team.
Duncan along with Laetitia Beck, Alejandra Cangrejo, Courtney Ellenbogen and Stacey Kim helped Duke lead all league schools with five selections to the All-ACC Academic team.
A psychology major, Duncan is a three-time All-ACC Academic and All-ACC team honoree. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., golfer was the consensus National Player of the Year this past season as she received PING NGCA National Player of the Year and Golfweek National Player of the Year honors.
On the year, Duncan won four tournaments, including the ACC individual championship and had 10 top 10 finishes, posted 10 rounds in the 60s, 21 rounds of even or under par and a 71.07 stroke average. Her 71.07 stroke average is the second-best in school history and missed matching the Duke single-season school-record by .07. Amanda Blumenherst holds the Blue Devil mark of 71.00 that she set in 2007-08 and 2006-07.
Duncan was named Golfweek First Team All-America for the third straight year. Duncan finished No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, which she led for most of the 2011-12 campaign. Duncan also won the GolfStat Cup and was a NGCA First Team All-America this season.
Duke led with five individuals while Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest each placed three honorees on the team. Boston College, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia each placed two on the team.
Both Duncan and Kim received All-ACC Academic Team accolades for the third time, while Beck, Cangrejo and Ellenbogen earned honors for the second time.
The ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award was established in September 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the award must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their career as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters.
To be eligible for consideration for the All-ACC Academic team, a student-athlete, regardless of classification, must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.
– News release
Duke to face Kentucky in Georgia Dome; Devils release part of basketball schedule
The Duke men’s basketball team released a portion of its 2012-13 schedule on Tuesday, showcasing a slate that could include up to 13 games against 2012 NCAA Tournament teams and eight games against teams that received a top-16 NCAA seed.
Highlighting the non-conference schedule will be a neutral site showdown against reigning NCAA Champion Kentucky at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., as part of the State Farm Champions Classic. The matchup features two of the winningest programs in college basketball history in a series that has not been played since the 2001-02 season.
Including Kentucky, Duke could potentially face three of the four teams that advanced to last year’s Final Four. Ohio State will visit Cameron Indoor Stadium on Nov. 28, while a possible matchup against Louisville looms on Nov. 22-24 at the eight-team Battle 4 Atlantis in Naussau, Bahamas. Duke could also face 2012 No. 2 seed Missouri, Memphis, VCU, Stanford, Northern Iowa or Minnesota at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The Blue Devils will also face NCAA Tournament participants Temple on Dec. 8 in East Rutherford, N.J., and Davidson on Jan. 2 in Charlotte, in a pair of neutral-site contests.
Duke will release its conference opponents on Thursday with the full scheduled expected to be released by the ACC in late August.
– News release
Duke athletics conducting Father’s Day auction of autographed photos
Looking for the perfect gift for Dad for Father’s Day? Check out GoDuke.com’s 2012 Father’s Day Auction.
The 2012 Father’s Day Auction features 15 autographed photos signed by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and former Blue Devil greats, including Christian Laettner, Jason Williams, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Chris Duhon, Gerald Henderson, Mike Gminski, Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek, Gene Banks, Trajan Langdon and Kenny Dennard.
Items will end daily beginning on Monday, June 11 and the auction will close on Thursday, June 14.
Find the perfect gift for your favorite Blue Devil fan in the 2012 Father’s Day Auction.
2012 Father’s Day Auction
Monday, June 11
Autographed Kenny Dennard Photo – 3:00 PM
Autographed Trajan Langdon Photo – 3:30 PM
Autographed Nolan Smith Roster Card – 4:00 PM
Autographed Nolan Smith Photo – 4:30 PM
Tuesday, June 12
Autographed Mike Gminski Photo – 3:00 PM
Autographed Gene Banks Photo – 3:30 PM
Autographed Brian Zoubek Photo – 4:00 PM
Autographed Kyle Singler Photo – 4:30 PM
Wednesday, June 13
Autographed Jon Scheyer Roster Card – 3:00 PM
Autographed Jason Williams Sports Illustrated – 3:30 PM
Autographed Chris Duhon Photo – 4:00 PM
Autographed Kyrie Irving Photo – 4:30 PM
Thursday, June 14
Autographed Gerald Henderson Photo – 3:00 PM
Autographed Christian Laettner Photo – 3:30 PM
Autographed Coach K 2010 National Champions Photo – 4:00 PM
– News release