Although this is their first year in a Duke uniform, freshmen Imani Dorsey and Schuyler DeBree have been Blue Devils for a long time.
Both rookies have been catalysts for Duke in their initial season, as the two have both logged more than 1,000 game minutes and combined for 10 points thus far. Head coach Robbie Church has been around the game long enough to know a good soccer player when he sees one and, in the case of Dorsey and DeBree, he saw it three years before either of them could even suit up as Blue Devils.
"I committed my sophomore year of high school, so that's super early," Dorsey said. "With Robbie, I could tell he really cared about the team and our individual success, on and off the field. He made sure we were all good people, and that was super important to me."
Although both Dorsey and DeBree both committed less than halfway into their high school careers, there was plenty of work still to be done. They would still have to meet the academic standards Duke has in place for incoming students in addition to maintaining the high level of play on the pitch.
"It's funny how many times I would be studying and people would be like, 'Ah, what are you doing? You don't have to be doing that,'" DeBree said. "Maybe if I committed to some other school, it might not have been to the same extent, but a mix of self-pride and good parenting kept me going."
As both players kept up their studies and pushed themselves in the classroom, the on-field journeys for both players were not quite as smooth during their junior seasons. Dorsey notched only five goals in a season shortened by injury, and DeBree would play the entirety of her junior year, scoring 13 goals, but was forced to take a reduced role with both her high school and club teams due to poor health.
It turned out that DeBree had a natural iron deficiency which, up to that point in her life, had never been diagnosed. In addition to the deficiency, she was also battling mononucleosis throughout the winter, which also went undiagnosed. Despite her reduced roles on the teams, Church was adamant that she would be a Blue Devil.
"For club I wound up playing 15 minutes per half and was playing forward and outside back, but mainly forward," DeBree said. "Robbie consistently was like, 'We still want you here.' He was very reassuring in the sense that he wanted me to get healthy and play here."
The duo bounced back from their respective setbacks to put forth stellar senior campaigns. Dorsey notched 21 goals and was named the NSCAA Girls High School Scholar All-America National Player of the Year and Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014. DeBree finished with 13 goals and 10 assists in her final high school season and was named Asbury Park Press All-Shore Girls Player of the Year.
Even with all the accolades and preseason success, adjusting to the college game was no easy task. In the perennially-talented ACC, the competition has risen to a level previously unseen by either player, a change that DeBree said takes a physical toll.
"Going up against really quick, really big [and] physical players every game definitely takes a toll on your body," DeBree said. "I've never been this sore in my life. I feel like I've finally gotten used to the idea that you don't recover—ever—after preseason.... But learning to play with that constant soreness and heaviness is just about learning how to play smarter, which is pretty cool."
Even with the added aches and pains, the switch to the college game has been a seamless one for both players. DeBree has started all 15 matches for the Blue Devils after moving to outside back, and has helped the defense notch six shutouts.
Dorsey has started 14 contests and registered three goals and two assists, good for eight points on the season. Her first goal was one to remember, as she netted the go-ahead goal on the road against West Virginia.
"We had lost our first two games, and just to have that off my shoulders, it was a big win and I was ready for more," Dorsey said. "I'm proud of the impact I've had on this team. I hope I can score a couple more times later in the season, but I think I've created good chances and brought new energy to the team."
Although Duke has struggled to climb above .500 this season, the Blue Devils point to last year's performance that the regular season does not tell the whole story. In 2013, they finished the regular season 8-7-4 but advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament.
With three games left in the season, DeBree and Dorsey know that if the young squad can do enough to make it to the postseason, their first year could truly be one to remember.
"We definitely look to last year as an example of no matter how bad it gets, as long as you have some confidence in your team, then you can always turn the season around completely," DeBree said. "We all know how talented this team is. I think we've lacked a little luck in some games, but I think everyone still has some confidence that if we do pull out these last few games and we do get into the tournament, we're really going to make an impact."
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