Perhaps the first sign that the women's basketball team has made it to the nation's elite came last spring.
Coach Gail Goestenkors had finished putting together Duke's schedule for the upcoming season, a schedule that she says was competitive, but not ultra-competitive.
Then the first call came in. The Honda Elite 4 Holiday Classic wanted the Blue Devils to play three-time defending national champion Tennessee Dec. 6. At first Goestenkors said no, but then changed her mind.
Next up was a call from the Four in the Fall tournament, who wanted Duke to join a field of Stanford, Connecticut and Arkansas. Goestenkors never hesitated.
"We went from having a tough schedule to having a phenomenal schedule," Goestenkors said at yesterday's season-opening press conference.
It is phenomenal because the Blue Devils have earned the chance to move up next to the country's best teams. Coming off an appearance in the national quarterfinals last year and with its entire playing rotation returning, Duke certainly has reason to be optimistic.
Just not satisfied.
The Blue Devils hover around fifth in preseason national rankings, a mark they are pleased with-for now.
"I think I'd be disappointed if we weren't ranked seven or above," Goestenkors said. "But the only ranking that's going to matter is the one at the end of the season. I feel like we're still trying to earn respect. I don't think we've become a household name."
That driving force was evident at yesterday's gathering. With seven seniors on the roster and freshman Krista Gingrich the only newcomer likely to crack the playing rotation right away, there aren't many surprises on this team.
In fact, Goestenkors stressed that her team will make sure to avoid complacency, considering last year's finish and the fact that the same team is back now. The first step to alleviate complacency was the scheduling. With Tennessee and Connecticut on the docket, it will be hard to start the year off slowly.
Additionally, Goestenkors rotated two of her assistants, Joanne Boyle and Gale Valley, to keep them fresh. They swapped positions, with Boyle now assigned to guards and Valley to the post.
"This year we're not going to sell ourself short," guard Nicole Erickson said. "We're just going to reach for the top. We have nothing to lose."
Indeed, Goestenkors wasn't afraid to say that her goal is to win the national championship. She has built her program to the point where that is a realistic goal, and the only question mark now is how to fit every player into the rotation.
But the Blue Devils said practices have been extremely competitive thus far, and they are not in the least concerned with the high expectations surrounding them.
"We need to assert ourselves this year and really go after our goals," center Michele VanGorp said. "We have to put our noses to the grind and really go out and do it."
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