There are many different numbers that describe the volleyball team.
Its record of 25 wins and only two losses is a solid example. Its current 20-game win streak is also impressive. One might even look at the team's No. 20 ranking in the national polls.
The numbers which most people will point to, however, are 1-5. Those numbers represent Duke's all-time record in the NCAA volleyball tournament.
Combine the Blue Devils with the rest of the league, and the Atlantic Coast Conference is a woeful 1-12 in the NCAA tournament. The ACC's only win was a Duke victory over South Carolina in 1984.
Why is it that the ACC can place teams in national tournaments of every other sport yet fare so poorly in volleyball?
There are three ACC football teams in the top 25. The past three NCAA basketball champions are from the league and the dynasties of North Carolina and Virginia in women's and men's soccer continue to pile up national championships.
Where are the volleyball titles? Or even just some advancement in the draw?
Many of the league's coaches would say that national titles depend on money, or lack thereof. While football and other revenue sports receive a large percentage of a school's athletic funds for recruiting and tournament appearances, volleyball gets little use of that money and has little revenue of its own because admission to all regular-season home games is free.
Many coaches argue that if the funding arrived, so would the championships.
"The ACC's athletic directors don't give money to the volleyball teams," Maryland head coach Janice Kruger said. "Without the money it is difficult to give out full scholarships and to travel out of state to major tournaments. We just can't compete without the funding."
Duke had the chance to play in one away tournament in 1993 -- in Athens, Ga. Duke also has yet to reach the scholarship level of other schools. Under NCAA rules, each school is allowed to place 12 volleyball players on full scholarship. Duke most likely will not reach this level for another year or two.
"We are not even at our full competitive level yet," Duke head coach Jon Wilson said. "We're just getting to that level. This year we don't even have nine players on full scholarship. It will take another few years until we reach our [maximum] scholarship level."
At the same time there are many who feel it is experience, and not money, that keeps certain teams on top. Duke has been fortunate enough lately to have the funding to at least improve its scholarship level and travelling schedule.
"We do go to tournaments and travel to play other teams," Duke Athletic Director Tom Butters said. "The problem is not in finance but in catching up. Volleyball has traditionally been a west coast sport. Other areas of the country just need a few more years to keep up to speed."
The ideal situation might be one in which college athletes would just go out and play for the sake of competition. But the impact of money on college sports cannot be ignored. If one coach offers a full scholarship while another only offers an academic reputation and a several thousand dollar tuition bill, the athlete will most likely choose the full scholarship.
The effects of money on a collegiate volleyball program have been witnessed right here at Duke. In the past few years the Blue Devils have received enough funding to almost double their number of scholarships. Coincidentally, Duke has improved from 12-18 in 1988 to its current record of 25-2. The Blue Devils have begun to beat top-20 teams and are even beginning to look like they could be a force in the NCAA tournament this year.
"We are within striking distance now," Wilson said. "When we played Texas at Texas [in 1984, 1985 and 1986], we only had six scholarships. It was like an ant trying to conquer Mount Everest.
"We were a tough ant, but that was a huge mountain. That difference just isn't there anymore."
All that is left now is for Duke to prove that the difference is completely gone. A team doesn't go 25-2 and barely crack the top-20 if there isn't a bias among the pollsters. Until Duke defeats a ranked team in the NCAA tournament, recognition in the polls will be slow in coming around.
"The coaches' poll is based on coaches voting on teams they haven't ever seen," said Florida head coach Mary Weiss. "There is no TV coverage of volleyball, and there is very little cross-regional play, so most coaches have never actually seen most teams.
"Coaches will vote only on tradition. This hurts an improving team like Duke."
Weiss has been lucky enough to coach one of those teams that other coaches often vote for on tradition. Both Duke and Florida State beat Florida this year, yet both are well behind Florida in the polls.
Duke may not have caught the eye of most west coast teams, but some squads in the area are beginning to take notice of Duke and the rest of the ACC.
"From top to bottom, the ACC, as a whole, ranks as one of the best four conferences in the nation," said Texas head coach Mick Haley, whose team has defeated ACC squads five times in the NCAA tournament. "They just have yet to develop a dominant team. I firmly believe that there are 10 to 12 teams which could win it all. I don't include Duke, Florida State or Clemson in that list. However, they are teams which could do some damage."
So, the ACC faces financial inequality, coaches' biases and a history of being an NCAA doormat. Is there even a chance of this year being any different? Perhaps.
"This year, especially, [the ACC teams are] stronger than they have been in the past," Weiss said.
One benefit that has helped the Blue Devils achieve this new level of quality is the improvement of the entire ACC.
"There is a great competitiveness in our conference," said Florida State head coach Cecile Reynaud. "You don't know who will beat who, especially on the road. This competitiveness will definitely help in the NCAAs."
Another change the Blue Devils will benefit from this year is a new tournament format that includes 48 teams instead of 32. The expanded field has created a first-round bye for the top four teams in each of the four regions, and Duke may be among those 16 teams.
When it is time for the NCAA tournament, Duke will find itself competing not only to make a name for itself, but also to earn respect for the rest of the ACC. Many ACC teams are looking for the Blue Devils to lead them into the future.
"They have got to go out and make it for themselves," Kruger said. "If they beat a non-conference or out-of-region team, they'll gain respect for themselves and the conference."
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