The women's tennis team has one of the best players in the country on its roster. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, Kelli-Anne Johnston will probably remain a name on the roster, unable to compete this season.
Johnston, a transfer from Southern Methodist in Dallas, Tex., has not been cleared to play by her old school. Under NCAA transfer rules, players for non-revenue sports can compete right away for their new teams, provided their former schools do not object. Otherwise, the player must sit out a year.
Johnston, who finished last season ranked No. 16 in the NCAA, has not been cleared to play by the SMU athletic department.
"[SMU] has not released her as yet," Macdonald said. "It's something that could change at any point during the semester. I'm a little less hopeful now [than at the beginning of the semester]."
In situations such as this one, it is common for schools to release a player to compete immediately.
"It's something that's routinely done in non-revenue sports," Macdonald said. "If a player thinks the grass is greener somewhere else, they are usually allowed to pursue that option. We did that with Lisa Pugliese."
Pugliese was a freshman on last year's Blue Devil squad. She transfered to Florida over the summer, where she will compete this fall.
Johnston, who was number one on both SMU's tennis and cross country teams, believes the problem is simply one of SMU maintaining face when losing a top athlete.
"[SMU] just didn't want to be seen as letting one of their better athletes walk away and go on to another school," Johnston said. "They felt they should penalize me, even though they had said I had the power to leave and go to a better situation."
Macdonald also cited the fact that SMU's tennis program, which has been in the bottom half of the Southwestern Conference, still has hopes of improving and Johnston's transfer set them far back.
"[SMU] thought if they were ever going to be any good, they've got to hold on to their good people," Macdonald said. "There was a little bit of spite about that."
Johnston left SMU because of Duke's stronger tennis program and better academic reputation. At SMU, Johnston felt she was not pushed at all by her teammates and would not be able to improve enough if she remained with the Mustangs.
At the end of the spring semester, she narrowed her choices to Duke and Stanford before deciding to join the Blue Devils.
Johnston believed she would be released to play right away, but is now dealing with the fact that she will probably not play this season.
"I love to play and I love to compete," Johnston said. "I think it's natural to have a little ill feeling [towards SMU], but I also dealt with that over the summer. I've got to be positive."
Johnston will be able to practice with the team, which only has seven other players on the roster. But, unless the SMU athletic department changes its mind -- which it could do at any time -- Johnston will have to watch the matches from the stands.
If she does not play this year, she will still have two years of eligibility remaining, beginning next fall.
"I guess I have to expect to not be released, and then if I am it's a bonus," Johnston said. "I've been lucky enough to get [to Duke]. I've got a lot of things to be positive about. If it's a year away, I'll still be able to play college tennis for a great team and a great coach."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.