This must be a shock to this years' seniors.
When they were freshmen, the Blue Devil volleyball team stumbled into December after having suffered through another tortuous season, and the postseason merely seemed to loom as a distant myth. This year, Duke (22-4) hosts the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament Friday and Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"We're really excited about staying at home," coach Jolene Nagel said. "First, it's great being in the tournament. Sure, we thought we were going to make it, but it still is nice to see your name up on the board. Also, this proves that we have come so far in the last three years-from eighth to first in the ACC and being home for the first rounds of the tournament."
While the NCAA does not fully disclose its reasoning behind choosing hosts, it seemed to account for a variety of factors-some completely unrelated to the game.
"There is a strong push to have teams travel less as opposed to more after the events of September 11th," Nagel said. "There are quite a few teams that qualified on the east coast, and since had such a strong season, the NCAA chose us."
Tournament virgin William and Mary (21-5) awaits the Blue Devils in the first round Friday night at 5:30. Led by seniors Laurel Witt, Stacy Woodson and Tara Tobias, the Tribe received an automatic berth into the NCAAs by winning the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championship.
William and Mary, who split its ACC contests this year in taking Virginia and falling to North Carolina, has enough experience to threaten the heavily favored Blue Devils.
"They are a good team this year, and they've beaten some strong teams," Nagel said. "There is no way that we can underestimate them."
Fourth-ranked Southern Cal (22-3), bucking the decreased travel trend, and Liberty (21-10) will compete in the other first round matchup. Whoever emerges will face the winner of the other contest Saturday night at 7:30.
The Trojans come into Durham as the favorite to advance, and Duke is salivating at the chance to face the west coast powerhouse.
"I'm really excited about the prospect of playing USC," Blue Devil sophomore and southern California native Krista Dill said.
"I've played against five people in club matches, and we all really want to take the whole team on.... This is a step where you want your program to go. You want to be associated with teams like USC."
With a top-five team looming a sole victory away, Duke has the opportunity to build its national reputation with a strong performance this weekend.
Nevertheless, playing host has other, simpler perks associated with it as well.
"I'm just excited that we get to sleep in our own beds," senior Dorrette Burwell said. "We don't have to travel or miss too much class either.
"But we weren't really expecting to play at home, so we weren't telling people to keep their weekends open to watch us play. So, now I'm telling everybody: keep your weekends open!"
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