At the annual preseason Blue-White game, students eagerly anticipate the upcoming year by watching an intrasquad scrimmage to kick off the year. But at last year’s event, fans looked further to the future, catching a glimpse of the 2011-12 season when they saw a top recruit making her official visit that day.
“Elizabeth Williams, come-to-Duke!” they chanted.
The Cameron Crazies helped their cause that day and soon after got their wish when the 6-foot-3 center signed a letter of intent to play at Duke in November, choosing the Blue Devils over Pat Summitt’s Tennessee program. The Virginia Beach, Va. native, who is ranked No. 2 in her class by ESPN.com’s HoopGurlz, was immediately attracted to the atmosphere in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“There’s no school like Duke when it comes to that [atmosphere],” Williams said. “The fans there are amazing and I’m looking forward to having them in the stands.”
For the Blue Devils, Williams will be asked to step in immediately and fill the void left by graduated center Krystal Thomas, who was one of the two players on last year’s team to start all 35 games. Thomas leaves a lasting legacy with the program as a strong rebounder and defender, but Williams will be expected to build on that with her offensive skills that have her rated as the No. 1 post player in the class.
“Every year, you’re looking for powerful players who dominate the paint,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “You can’t find special players every year because they don’t come out that often.”
McCallie set her eyes on Williams a long time ago, so her recruitment has been a three-and-a-half year process. For the coach entering her fifth season coaching Duke—and first year coaching a team comprised of completely her own recruits—Williams’ recruitment wasn’t just a matter of skill-set.
Although Williams certainly fills a void in the post, she also fits the profile of what McCallie looks for in recruits with the potential to be successful both on the court and in the classroom. Williams has always been interested in medicine and plans on exploring the College Athlete Pre-medical Experience (CAPE) program run by Dr. Henry Friedman and Dr. Allan Friedman.
“We believed she was an incredible match with Duke,” McCallie said. “She has carried herself remarkably academically as well as athletically.”
On the court, Williams seemingly thrives when surrounded with other top talent, something she has shown off throughout her career. She represented the United States in the FIBA U16 and U17 World Championships in 2009 and 2010, earning MVP in the ’09 tournament. At this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, a showcase of the top high school talents in the country, Williams was MVP of the game with a record-setting 23 point, 11 rebound performance that led the East to a 78-66 victory.
She is looking forward to the opportunity to continue that trend, joining Duke’s top-rated recruiting class of a year ago that, although stocked with elite guards and wing players, lacks a true post presence. Last year’s group was headlined by guard Chelsea Gray and forward Haley Peters, both of whom played significant roles in their freshman seasons.
“I’ve played with them before at a camp and they’re just great solid players,” Williams said of Gray and Peters. “They’re easy to play with and great people, so I think we’ll have a good time on and off the court. I’m really excited.”
While the hype around Williams’s talent is apparent, both she and McCallie acknowledge that there are necessary adjustments for the increased competitiveness between high school and college. One thing they both emphasized was the need for improved conditioning and physical strength, with McCallie adding that upper body strength is a specific focus.
This summer, she has been trying to improve all aspects of her game, from hitting the gym to working at a basketball camp. But she can’t work off her anticipation for starting school in the fall.
“It’s great to finally go to college and this is just another big step in my career,” Williams said. “I think Coach P and this team can lead us to a national championship.”
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