College Sports Established
1922
Location
Durham, North Carolina
College Name
Duke University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1922 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
1953 - Present / ACC Conference
1929 – 1953 / Southern Conference
Nickname
Blue Devils - The Duke Blue Devils are one of America's most iconic college sports teams. With a long history of success and an impressive list of former players, the team has become synonymous with excellence. But where did their nickname come from?
The origin story dates back to 1906 when Trinity College (now Duke University) was looking for a new name after changing it from Trinity Athletic Association. The school’s athletic director, Wallace Wade, created “Blue Devils” as it had strong ties to his alma mater - Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University). According to legend, he drew inspiration from French soldiers known as Les Diables Bleus during World War I due to their blue uniforms and tenacity on the battlefield.
1924 the school officially adopted “Blue Devils” as its official mascot. Since then, it has been used by athletes across all sports at Duke, including basketball which is undoubtedly its most popular sport today due to legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski who led them through 5 national championships between 1991-2015! It's no surprise that this nickname inspires fans worldwide whenever they see those famous royal blue jerseys take center stage in NCAA tournament games or hear Coach K's voice echoing throughout Cameron Indoor Stadium!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 5
2015, 2010, 2001, 1992, 1991
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 1
1986
- 1986
- 2010
- 2011
- 2015
- 2017
- 2019
-
Blue Devils Soccer Champs 1986
The 1986 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament was the 27th organized men’s college soccer tournament by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to determine the top college soccer team in the United States. The Duke Blue Devils won their first national title by defeating the Akron Zips in the championship game, 1–0. The final match was played on December 13, ... -
Duke wins its fourth NCAA championship in men’s basketball
In 2010: Duke wins its fourth NCAA championship in men’s basketball, defeating Butler 61–59 in the finals. The team also wins its ninth ACC tournament title and sets a school record with 35 wins. Kyle Singler is named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. -
Duke wins its 10th ACC tournament title in men’s basketball
In 2011: Duke wins its 10th ACC tournament title in men’s basketball and makes its 15th appearance in the Final Four, losing to Butler 74–71 in the semifinals. The team also sets a school record with 13 straight NCAA tournament wins. -
Duke NCAA Champions at the 2015 Final Four
The 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men’s NCAA Division I college basketball. The 77th edition of the tournament began on March 17, 2015, and concluded with the championship game on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Duke defeated Wisconsin in the championship ... -
Duke wins its 12th ACC tournament title in men’s basketball
In 2017: Duke wins its 12th ACC tournament title in men’s basketball, becoming the first team to win four games in four days. The team also sets a school record with seven wins over top-25 opponents. -
Duke Wins 2019 ACC Basketball Tournament
Duke Wins 2019 ACC Basketball Tournament. The team sets a school record with 12 tournament victories. Zion Williamson is named the National Player of the Year for men’s basketball.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Blue Devils
One primary reason why Duke is so successful is its fan base - some might even call it rabid! Fans from all over flock to Durham each season for games at Cameron Indoor Stadium or Wallace Wade Stadium; they come wearing blue-and-white apparel with “GoDuke” signs proudly displayed everywhere you look on game day. This passionate support helps fuel the team's success both on and off the court/field; not only do fans show up en masse, but they also provide invaluable moral support when things get tough during crunch time moments late in games or tournaments where every point matters more than ever before!
Finally, another factor behind why Duke continues its winning ways can be attributed directly due to its coaching staff's ability to recruit talented athletes who possess both skill sets necessary to win big – physical talent combined with strong mental fortitude, which allows them to keep focus under pressure situations while still having fun playing the sport they love so much! Legendary head coaches like Mike Krzyzewski (men’s basketball), David Cutcliffe (football), and John Danowski (lacrosse) help motivate players to reach heights they would otherwise never thought possible if left alone to figure things out themselves without proper guidance and direction needed to succeed at the highest levels of collegiate athletics today. This success is particularly significant in the context of their fierce rivalry with North Carolina, which adds an extra layer of motivation for the players.
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