After eight seasons of proving herself one of the top courtside coaches in the game, Gail Goestenkors is showing she does a fairly good job on the roadside as well.
The three-time ACC coach of the year yesterday announced the verbal commitment of San Jose, Calif., guard/forward Rometra Craig, the daughter of NFL legend Roger Craig. Craig is he third commitment Goestenkors has received this season, just one year after landing a six-player class regarded as the best in program history.
And fittingly enough for the coach that has spent much of her offseason on the recruiting trail, the call came on her car phone.
"I met her at dinner," Craig said. "And I felt comfortable at dinner, comfortable with my decision, so I called her on her car phone. We were [both] really excited."
Although Craig informed Goestenkors of her decision nearly three weeks ago, the Portola, Calif., native had kept the news of her announcement limited to her family and friends in order to speak with the other coaches that had recruited her personally.
"[The other coaches] had invested a lot of time in me, so I wanted to let them know in person that I had decided," she said.
The 5-foot-11 senior, who in the offseason doubles as a standout 100 and 200 meter sprinter, is rated as the 34th best player in the nation by Fastbreak Recruiting Service. Last season, Craig led Archbishop Mitty High to the Division I State Championship in basketball and was named the California athlete of the year.
And the scary thing is, basketball and track might not be Craig's strength. At age 14, she was ranked No. 3 in the world in the18-year old girls tae kwon do division.
Although Craig has since given up tae kwon do to pursue her basketball career, it is that athleticism which lies at the heart of her game.
"I like to drive, it's my best asset," said Craig, who played every position but center on her high school team last year. "And that's something that fits great at Duke, with a very athletic group."
Craig cited her relationship with Goestenkors as the major reason she decided to pick the Blue Devils over UCLA, Stanford and Nebraska. The two met this summer when Craig attended Goestenkors' basektball camp, and, as all storybook tales go, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
"I loved the camp [at Duke]," said Craig, Goestenkors' first recruit from California. "I got to spend time with players, coaches, and I fell in love with them. They were all really supportive and friendly.
"...And [Gostenkors]'s great, like a mother figure to me. I felt really comfortable with her, she felt really real and that was important."
The Blue Devils led from that summer camp on, and after assistant coach Gale Valley and Goestenkors found their way courtside to more of Craig's tournaments and games than any other program, Craig was decided.
But in the mind of at least one member of the Craig household, Duke was always the top choice. Father Roger, the former Pro Bowl running back with the hometown 49ers, had the Blue Devils picked out for his daughter long ago.
"He's so excited now that I've committed," said Rometra, who accepts with a laugh the high-stepping shadow she's grown up in. "He always wanted me to go to Duke, it was his number one throughout, and it was the same with my mom."
Although she has already committed, Craig said she still plans to visit the campus on Nov. 4. Meanwhile, Goestenkors will have her hands full with four other potential targets visiting this weekend, including Iciss Tillis, regarded by some recruiting services as the nation's top player.
With Craig's commitment, the Blue Devils now have three scholarships remaining for next year's incoming class.
Victor Zhao contributed to this story.
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