The independent news organization of Duke University
Duke's 27th varsity sport is set to play its first games Thursday in a doubleheader against Florida Atlantic.
With all of the players finally on campus, practicing and growing together, the reality of a 27th varsity team at Duke has nearly arrived.
A crowd of more than 1,300 people packed into the 500-seat stadium and on a hill in right field for the program's debut.
Thanks to the efforts of Blue Devil head coach Marissa Young—a former Big Ten Player of the Year at Michigan—Duke softball's development is already well underway. With six freshman recruits and a sophomore transfer already enrolled, the Blue Devils will add seven more prospects next fall before signing a 2018 recruiting class currently ranked ninth nationally.
Since being hired in July 2015, Young has brought in her first recruiting class, filled out the coaching staff and took part in the groundbreaking of the University’s new softball stadium on East Campus—laying the foundation for what is to come in Spring 2018 when the Blue Devils play their first game.
Duke is less than two years from its 27th varsity sport beginning competition, and Monday morning the University took a major step toward integrating softball into the campus community.
Coming at No. 8 on our list: The end of an era for Duke rowing, the beginning of the program's next chapter and the most critical step toward the launch of Blue Devil softball.
The Chronicle’s Ryan Hoerger spoke with new head coach Marissa Young about adjusting to Duke and her strategy for building the Blue Devil program from scratch.
The top stories of 2013 that didn't make the cut, from Alex Murphy's transfer to the addition of softball.