Riggs, a 5-foot-7 point guard from Lindon, Utah, will attend Duke starting in the fall on full scholarship and have two years of eligibility. Following a two-year stint at Salt Lake Community College, Riggs decided to take her talents to the ACC, much to the excitement of the Blue Devils.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Mercedes into our Duke family,” Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “Mercedes is a gritty point guard and a tireless worker on and off the court. Her work ethic is so impressive in all ways. She aspires to excellence as a person and a player. She is a super addition to our team.”
Riggs posted solid numbers in the 2013-14 season, averaging 8.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals. Her efforts earned her Second Team All-America, a spot on the Midland WNIT All-Tournament Team and Most Valuable Player for Salt Lake Community College.
One thing that will be able to translate to Riggs' new career at Duke is a winning mentality. In her two years as a Bruin, Riggs led her team to an overall record of 45-19.
Riggs was a four-year letterwinner at Timpanogos High School in Orem, Utah, where she was named Utah Valley Player of the Year and 4A State Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2012. As a junior and senior, she averaged 11.6 points per game. Riggs helped lead Timpanogos to the 2012 Utah State Championship.
Riggs will also fit in with the Duke academic culture, as she was named to the Dean’s List in the Spring of 2013 at SLCC.
The Blue Devil class of 2014 now consists of five members, as Riggs will join incoming freshmen Lyneé Belton of Clinton, Md., Sierra Calhoun of Brooklyn, N.Y., Erin Mathias of Pittsburgh and Azurá Stevens of Raleigh, N.C. The addition of Riggs to the class will further the Blue Devils' efforts to fill in the spots they lost in their senior class.
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