When asked about his trademark unselfishness, Magic Johnson once replied, “Ask not what your teammates can do for you, ask what you can do for your teammates,” a twist on the iconic Kennedy line.
The greatest players in any sport aren’t the just the ones who can light up the scoreboard, but the ones, like Magic, who can also facilitate the game for their teammates.
Duke’s maestro comes in the form of senior center midfielder Elisabeth Redmond, who has conducted the Blue Devils to consecutive Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA tournament.
“We’ve had some special midfielders at Duke, some All-Americans, and Elisabeth is one of the best,” head coach Robbie Church said.
With 26 career goals and 35 assists, Redmond has been making headlines for years. Her best feature, however, has always been her ability to make her teammates shine. From the training ground to the pitch, everything for Duke begins with Redmond.
“She’s elevated everybody’s game upward, from an intensity standpoint and a quality standpoint,” Church said.
Redmond, a New Jersey native, was a prized recruit coming out of high school, though many thought she would decide to play soccer at Virginia with her sister, Jen, who graduated last year. Wanting to have her own college experience at a top-notch institution, Redmond instead decided to join a Blue Devil team on the rise.
Her decision to play at Duke is considered by Church to be a turning point in the recent history of the soccer program.
“At that time, we were a growing program, and she helped turn it into a great program,” Church said.
Since her arrival on campus, Redmond has had an incredible impact on the soccer team. She has received All-ACC accolades each year, and has finished no lower than sixth in total points the past two years.
Redmond attributes her strong early years at Duke to the advice of her older teammates.
“I’ll always remember [midfielder] Lorraine Quinn pulling me aside and reminding me that freshmen don’t typically have great seasons because they are too tentative, and that I needed to let my personality come out on the field,” Redmond said.
Redmond’s fearlessness has allowed her to become a dangerous attacking midfielder. Never shy about taking a shot—she’s third in the ACC with 68—Redmond is always looking to push forward and spark the Blue Devil offense.
“She wants the ball from the kickoff. Win or lose, she wants that responsibility,” Church said.
Redmond’s leadership has been especially important this year, as Church fields one of the youngest teams he’s ever had.
Setting the tone for each practice and game, Redmond has emerged as the on-field leader of the Blue Devils, and the senior captain’s never-say-die attitude is contagious among her teammates.
“One of the things I struggle with is confidence, and she brings so much confidence to this team,” sophomore winger Cody Newman said.
Redmond’s talents have not gone unnoticed by those outside the ACC. This summer, she traveled to Europe with the United States Under-23 National Team, training and playing with the best players in the country.
“It’s a very competitive environment, and it’s great to play in,” Redmond said. “It was also just fun to travel to a different country with that group.”
Redmond will need to translate her experience into production on the field, as Duke hopes to secure its place in the ACC tournament.
With only two ACC contests remaining, the Blue Devils will be relying on Redmond to push them into postseason play.
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