A school teammate texted me about one of her friends who is going through grad school. One of those options could be Kara Lawson. Following the thorough and objective review process, there was no evidence found to support the claim. We're asking them to do things that they haven't done before, she says. There is no additional information to display. Kara Marie Lawson (born February 14, 1981) is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team. Her first season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Blue Devils posted a 3-1 record in the four games they played before opting to cancel the rest of their season. The Blue Devils and the Seminoles both entered Sunday's game in the top 25 nationally (No. She was a part of two of the most successful seasons in Duke history. So, if Duke was going to be competitive for an ACC title and make an NCAA Tournament run something had to change. There are a thousand different presses you could run. 2022-23 Women's Basketball Roster - Charlotte Athletics Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Charlotte Athletics Main Navigation Menu Schedule Tickets Men's Sports Archive Stories Sport Navigation Menu 2022-23 Women's Basketball Roster Print Roster Layout: Choose A Season: Sort By: Go Footer All Rights Reserved. Duke won its last two games by double digits, cruising to a 79-62 . The coaches were able to evaluate the team to see the pieces they had to solve this puzzle. You have to have player buy-in to play good defense, said Lawson. Once you figure that out, then everything becomes attainable., #6: No Matter Our Age or Gender, We All Must Support the Future Female Leaders, One of the most important things we can do is believe in others, says Lawson. "I wanted to appeal and protest the game. There are times when Duke can not buy a shot from the field including its six-point fourth quarter against Miami and 10-point second quarter against Pittsburgh. A look at the 2021-22 Duke men's basketball coaching staff, assistant coaches, and head coach Mike Krzyzewski. The core of the team guards Shayeann Day-Wilson and Celeste Taylor and wing Elizabeth Balogun remained intact, but the supporting pieces that Lawson brought in have made a great impact this season. According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Lawson is a "prime candidate" to watch in the Celtics' coaching search. The Irish were picked to finish fourth this season in an ACC preseason poll of coaches and media. We all need that. In taking over for the Tigers, Mulkey became the eighth head coach in LSU women's basketball history. ACC women's basketball coaches Niele Ivey, Katie Meier, Felisha Legette-Jack and Kara Lawson talk about the upcoming season at media day. Senior forward Jada Boyd shoots the ball during the game against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Thursday. Meet the Duke coach who reportedly is 'prime candidate' for Celtics job | Sporting News SAN NOP 5:00p -7.5 pts WAS UTA 6:00p -6.5 pts PHI NYK 9:00a -4 pts LAL DAL 11:30a -4.5 pts MIL BOS 2:00p. We've got three coaches that are talented enough to run their own programs -- two of them already have - and have great experience recruiting the type of young woman we want at Duke.". Lawson, a former Tennessee player who spent the past year as an assistant with the NBA's Boston Celtics, was hired by Duke on July 11. Nevertheless, these both ended up as victories, because what has made this team so successful is that even when the offense is struggling, the defense does not skip a beat. South Carolina's last game was a 66-59 victory over No. Signup for our weekly newsletter. Journalism Above the Noise. Lawson primarily played as a shooting guard.She won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in . View Full Bio. She was giving people tips and people's jaws were dropping. She also made the All-Star Game once and was an Olympic champion during her playing days. It can be as simple as once we get through the holiday season to January, stuff's going to settle. He's still a great mentor for meI talk to him weekly, Lawson said in a press conference last summer, per the Duke Chronicle. Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? The senior leads the squad with nearly six rebounds per game and picks up one steal per game to go along with a 10.9 points per game average. No, she walked into practice and she commanded practice right from the jump. What happens is you handle hard better.. Koabel, Kennedy Three of the most important decisions a head coach makes are in hiring assistant coaches, said Lawson. . There's something different about a coach from a great boss or even a teacher, she says. Brown, in her first season at Duke after transferring from Oregon State, is a major disruptor around the basket standing at 6-foot-6. Think about it: At some point, most of us played sports of some kind. Sasha Richie is a Trinity senior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 118th volume. Also on the staff will be Tia Jackson, who previously was an assistant at Duke for Gail Goestenkors and has spent the last five years at Miami, and Winston Gandy, who has been at Rice for three seasons. Kate Barnosky. So, if you look at our numbers from last year, we were a poor defensive team and that was my fault as a coach. That, of course, means that Boston is going to need a new coach. She was previously a news anchor and reporter who covered veterans' issues and breaking news. Duke announced its nonconference schedule for the 2022-23 season via release. I thought she was head coaching material withinfive minutes talking with her. "I think they're going to hire Kara Lawson," Scalabrine said. It is undeniable that the offense will need to improve for the Blue Devils to do some damage in March. (1:15) Facebook The former Notre Dame standout, whose new contract with the Bears runs through the 2026-27 season, has been part of Duke head coach Kara Lawsons staff for the past two seasons and has nine years of previous head coaching experience at VCU. The goal is to get [opponents] taking a contested shot, and one of them. Karen Lange joins Duke's coaching staff after the departure of Beth Cunningham. Share and discuss First half of Duke women's basketball's loss to Florida State played with a men's ball, head coach Kara Lawson says on social media. A defensive standout herself at Iowa she still ranks 13th in Hawkeye history in steals Jackson enjoyed finding the best fit for the Blue Devils. Duke basketball coaching staff could undergo more changes Amid the Nate James news, fellow associate head coach Jon Scheyer is still in the mix for the head coaching vacancy at DePaul, located approximately 30 minutes outside of his hometown of Northbrook, Illinois. She returned to her alma mater in 2012 as an assistant to Muffet McGraw and was a part of the 2018 national championship team among her five Final Four appearances with the Irish. As the Blue Devils hit the court and weight room over the summer and into early fall, it became apparent the depth, skill and athleticism were all there to run the defensive schemes the coaching staff favored. Buy-in acceptance of and willingness to actively support and participate in something, such as a proposed new plan or policy. UNC coach Courtney Banghart had no wins in the ACC Tournament before this season. Lawson uses the example of being out of shape: If jogging a mile leaves you winded and tired, you may think I cant wait to get to two weeks, then it'll be easier. Scheyer bleeds Duke blue through and through, playing four years from 2006-2010, then joining the coaching staff as a special assistant in April 2013, ultimately being promoted to assistant. I will get in these modes where Im like, I just need to get through this, and then everything will be good. We're really working on being disruptive defensively. Balogun, Taya In short, the game had steep implications for both the conference and NCAA tournament seedings, which Lawson mentioned. She still does that for us, but luckily, I dont think she has to do that as much. But unless you continue to play, we lose that unique mentorship. Tickets: (919) 681-BLUE. All rights reserved, The All 22 - An Inside Look at Duke Football, No. Jackson, Winston An instrumental part in helping the Duke women's basketball team boast one of the nation's top defenses throughout the season, Taylor leads the squad in total steals (58) and steals per game (2.0 . Your body can handle the mile better now. If thats not life-stretching wisdom, we dont know what is. And Young said opportunities to talk with Duke's former men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski were always incredibly valuable. I need that. For this reason, Lawson believes that people yearn to have a great coach. I think that her experience will be helpful for me in a lot of ways., I couldnt be more excited about the opportunity to work with Kara at Duke, said Cunningham. "The lack of accountability is striking. Scott Merritt. We want to try and force turnovers, said Lawson at preseason media day. Staff Directory Members By Category/Department; Image Name Title Email Address Phone; Katie Gearlds: Head Coach 494.0605 494.0605: Beth Couture: (Associate head coach) Winston (Gandy) referred to her several times this summer as the ambulance because last year she was going all over the place saving everybody. We wait for life to get easier, Lawson told her Duke team. Monica Holland, The Fayetteville Observer, NC State women's basketball's quest for 4th straight ACC Tournament title ends vs. Notre Dame, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawson announced Friday the hiring of Beth Cunningham, Winston Gandy and Tia Jackson as assistant coaches. Rest well. Kara Lawson huddles with her team during a December 2022 win at N.C. State before Duke cracked the AP Top 25. Something special is brewing in Durham in 2023 and its fun to watch. Lawson added that since Sunday's game, the ACC has instituted a rule change where players have to confirm the correct ball during the captain's meeting prior to tip. She pointed out that this was her first fully recruited freshman class, and the three freshmen added to the talent and depth of this team. LEXINGTON Kentucky women's basketball coach Kyra Elzy is adding a Hall of Famer to her coaching staff. I think you win when you can and so that's what our goal was all along., Our team plays hard and they play together, Lawson said after Dukes Jan. 26 win against Virginia Tech. "She's elite at what she doesI thought she was head coaching material after just five minutes talking with her." The Duke Blue Devils will try to extend their three-game winning streak when they face the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday night. Duke can take away opponents strengths and has proven to do so consistently. Richardson, Shayeann Cunningham and Jackson both are coming to Duke from other ACC schools and have been coaching for the past two decades. With the loss of the two top frontcourt pieces, Onome Akinbode-James and Jade Williams, along with a slew of key pieces, Lawson needed to revamp the roster. Upon arriving at Duke, Lawson knew her most pressing work required people skills to match her deep basketball knowledge. 6 N.C. State LOST IN THE FOREST: Shorthanded Duke men's basketball falls on the road to Wake Forest in return to . "I'm not perfect, but I admit when I'm making a mistake, and the mistake was made here and it's a big one.". But this all still applies to life. Assistant Coach. The lethal combination of depth and aggressive defense is what really wears teams out, and Duke has won multiple games by effectively shutting down opposing offenses in the second half. Now with the Blue Devils in the thick of conference action the numbers have understandably dropped a touch, but Lawson and the Blue Devils are excited to meet the challenge of ACC play night in and night out. "It's very frustrating that [the game] was not treated with the utmost respect that players on both teams deserve," she said. On the court leaders stepped up in a way they didnt last year, bringing the rest of the team along. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. A big emphasis for us in the portal was to fortify the frontcourt and bring in size, said Lawson. Associate Head Coach. Despite her desire for an appeal, Lawson acknowledged and respected the outcome of the game as played. The Chronicle also reached out Thursday night to a Florida State team spokesperson, who directed all media to the ACC's statement Friday morning. Lawson, Tia And you can figure out who the people I'm talking about [are] that failed the sport and our players and both teams," Lawson said, speaking passionately. Exclusive access to LIVE, virtual interviews with Maria and friendsevery month! 7 Seed UNC, Donovan Named 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith HS Girls First Team All-American, Taylor Crowned ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor Tabbed Semifinalist for Naismith Womens Defensive Player of the Year. The Tar Heels cracked their third-year coach's tournament goose egg with a. But I can't say if we'd have played with a women's ball in the first half and the second half that we would have won. If you really know anything about basketball and as youre watching Xs and Os, its all of her coverage and everything that doesnt involve the simple post-up defense. facebook Niele Ivey, Kara Lawson speak at ACC women's basketball media day. Gandy, Karen The senior guard from Valley Stream, N.Y., was tabbed ACC Defensive Player of . Heide, Emma Buoyed by the success theyve had, the players are raising their ability to play fluidly and adapt to any changes being thrown at them by an opponent. On Tuesday night, head coach Jon Scheyer 's first Duke basketball team held on to beat the visiting NC State Wolfpack (22-9, 12-8 ACC), 71-67. That mental shift for me was super helpful., #4: Strength Fuels Your Ability to Handle Hard, Most of what Lawson talks to her team about is analogous to sports and what a team or individual athlete is facing. She's a non-traditional star on a non-traditional team, said Lawson after Dukes Feb. 7 win at Notre Dame. She is a former American professional women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and a basketball television analyst for ESPN and the Washington Wizards. And thats what we have at Duke; we have kids who want to be great students and we have kids who want to be great basketball players. Consistency is where we need to improve: be more consistent defensively, be more consistent offensively, be more consistent on the glass, said Lawson at ACC Tipoff Oct. 11. "She stays in your ear, even though she may not be your personal coach she always keeps asking how I'm doing and if there's anything I need to talk about, so I feel like Duke is going to get a great head coach. There's never been a greater need for female leadership in this world., To best handle hard, you need to best care for yourself. The other piece she provides in the halfcourt defense is her ability to rebound. The official Women's Basketball Coach List for the Duke University Women's Basketball Coaches - Duke University Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Skip To Main Content. Aside from her numbers, it is the little things that make Taylor invaluable to this group. The Sunday Paper Team. Last season, Duke finished the year with a 17-13 overall record and 7-11 mark in conference play. Every game against every team we play we emphasize defense, defense, defense, said Balogun after a Jan. 1 win against Louisville. Stevens made the decision to target Lawson as a member of his staff and was able to lure her out of the Wizards booth to begin her coaching career. A coach is someone that inspires, that encourages, that motivates [] and that challenges you. "This included discussion with all parties involved, including game officials, game administrators, table crew and both schools. However, the team ignored the outside noise, staying focused on its goals and the task at hand. In addition, assistant head coach Beth Cunningham moved on to a head coaching position, and Lawson filled her spot with a well-respected and experienced coach: Karen Lange. Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson said the teams played with a men's basketball for the first half of a loss to Florida State on Sunday. It didnt take long for assistant coach Karen Lange who had just joined the staff in April and works closely with the guards to realize the Blue Devils could be an aggressive man-to-man squad. Ultimately, the goal is to win a national championship and an ACC championship, said Taylor at ACC Tipoff. ", . A best-in-class newsletter that Inspires Hearts and Minds and Moves Mike Schrage. But they can't say that either," Lawson said. Caroline Doty. The Blue Devils ranked 11th in the ACC and 156th in the country in field goal percentage defense. And . The Blue Zone breaks down the loss: She led the score sheet and she . And why did Lawson leave the Celtics? This Expert Has the Secret to Easing Your Mind, Still in the Game: New Campaign Starring Veteran Storytellers Challenges Hollywood to #RethinkAging. This is her first college coaching job, and she had previously said experience would be one of the biggest things she would look for in assistants. The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (26-4, 18-0 Big South) host the UNC Asheville Bulldogs (12-18, 8-11 Big South) after Lauren Bevis scored 30 points in the Runnin' Bulldogs 83-59 victory over . Later that season on International Women's Day (March 8) in 2020, Stevens was asked his opinion of Lawson. Thank goodness she's on our staff. The conference and Florida State is saying that it wasn't.". Notably, she worked with Marcus Smart to help him improve his shooting ability. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. The 16th-ranked Blue Devils lost to the Seminoles . We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. de Jesus, Ashlon NC State lost 77-62. The first half of Duke women's basketball's Sunday loss at Florida State was played with a men's ball, according to a closing statement made by head coach Kara Lawson in her postgame press conference Thursday evening following the Blue Devils' home win against Pittsburgh. Cancel at any time. Duke's Lawson adds Cunningham among 3 hires. Fittingly, a defensive play ended UNC's chances when Reigan Richardson blocked a 3-point shot attempt by Kennedy Todd-Williams with 4 seconds on the clock and the Tar Heels trailing by three points. The independent news organization of Duke University. NC State women's basketball has become accustomed to success in the last few seasons. You'll unlock exclusive content, receive access to her monthly video series called Above the Noise with Maria, and much, much more! So that concept applies to everything., Lawson says that she and her coaching staff challenge their players. She aims to do this for the brilliant young minds she coaches at Duke. I don't really believe in timelines because I think when you set them, you predestine yourself to meet the timeline, and never be ahead of it, she said Feb. 21. You handle hard better. This story originally appeared in the 14.6 Issue of GoDuke the Magazine January 2023. Taylor is a highly skilled elite athlete with an incredibly high basketball IQ. "To have a game that, at the end of the season, could be the difference between a seed, between a title, my players don't deserve that and neither do their players. It is just a perfect fit and I am looking forward to the challenge.. And the student-athletes must have the confidence that their teammates will always have their backs, because defense is a total team effort. The conference continues to prioritize and support our nearly 10,000 student-athletes in a world-class manner and conduct its 27 sponsored sports with the utmost integrity. Full Schedule wbball Sat, Jan 28 Final James Madison 64 at Georgia State 72 wbball Thu, Feb 2 Final James Madison 72 at South Alabama 54 wbball Sat, Feb 4 Final James Madison 61 at Georgia Southern 72 wbball Thu, Feb 9 Final James Madison 65 vs Louisiana 59 wbball Sat, Feb 11 Final James Madison 70 vs Arkansas State 57 wbball Thu, Feb 16 Final I guess this gave her a lift., We all are searching for positivity, encouragement, and inspirationespecially right now, says Lawson. The Tar Heels cracked their third-year coach's tournament goose egg with a second-round win over Clemson on Friday. The North Carolina game Feb. 4 was no exception to that by a six-point margin . The truth is, it doesnt get easier, you get in better shape, she says. Elzy has hired former Duke and Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors as one of . The charge adds to a conversation that has gained steam in the past few years around inequities in resources for women's basketball versus men's. Shortly after she came aboard, Stevens spoke well of her during her first NBA Summer League experience. And will she have a chance to be the NBA's first female coach? All of these characteristics that you would want in a coach, you want your staff to possess as many of those as possible and be experts in a number of them.