Duke’s No. 4 ranking comes with an immediate roster test

Kara Lawson has an experienced Duke core and several new backcourt combinations to sort out before UConn and South Carolina arrive on the schedule. Nine players and three starters return, Emilee Skinner is back from injury, and Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump joins the group.

The Blue Devils enter the season fourth in Tuesday’s AP preseason poll and first in the ACC’s predicted order of finish. Their schedule includes nine preseason Top 25 opponents, five ranked in the top seven, according to Duke.

Kara Lawson’s team returns three starters and nine players from last season’s group, according to Duke. That continuity comes with additional guards who could change the available combinations.

Fournier leads a group with more options

Junior forward Toby Fournier made the preseason All-ACC team. Duke also welcomes Emilee Skinner back from injury and adds Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump, while freshmen Autumn Fleary and Bella Flemings earned places on the ACC’s preseason all-freshman team.

The school’s announcement describes Skinner and Crump as highly rated members of the 2025 recruiting class. Those additions sit alongside the returning players, giving Lawson a different roster to work with despite the familiar core.

Duke’s official media-day post below comes from its October 5 ACC Tipoff appearance, where Lawson and players previewed the season. It provides preseason context rather than game highlights.

The ranking comes with early tests

Duke says its schedule includes nine teams in the preseason AP Top 25, five of them in the top seven. Two prominent games arrive close together: UConn on November 28 in Boston and South Carolina on December 3 in Durham, according to the school’s current schedule listing.

The opener comes first. Green Bay visits Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 3 for a 7 p.m. game on ACCNX. Duke then faces North Texas in San Antonio on November 8 and visits Norfolk State on November 12.

The Blue Devils enter as the reigning ACC regular-season and tournament champions. The conference’s announcement also notes their second consecutive Elite Eight appearance. With established players returning and new guards joining them, the first month gives Duke several chances to test those combinations before the conference race.

Sources

• Duke Women’s Basketball: October 5 ACC media-day post
• Duke: No. 4 in preseason AP poll
• ACC: Preseason favorite and player honors
• Duke: ACC Tipoff appearance
• Associated Press: Women’s preseason Top 25