Duke to Retire Harding's Jersey

WRALSportsFan

Duke to Retire Harding's Jersey

Lindsey Harding, left, drives towards to hoop with under 4 seconds to play in the game. Duke was down by 1 point after Rutgers had scored a layup with 20 seconds remaining. Harding had just stolen the ball at half-court, and was fouled on this play, sending her to the line with 0.1 seconds on the clock.

Jan 7, 2008

comments

POST

Durham, N.C. — Former Duke women’s basketball National Player of the Year Lindsey Harding will become the second Blue Devil to have her jersey retired on Sunday, Jan. 20.

At halftime of the 1 p.m. N.C. State contest, Harding will join Alana Beard as the only two women’s basketball players in Duke history to have their jerseys hung in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Harding wore No. 10.

“When I first got to Duke there were no female jerseys hanging in the rafters, so the thought of ever having my jersey retired wasn’t even something I thought about. It was like a dream," Harding said in a statement. "I know seeing Alana’s jersey hanging in Cameron inspired me and made me want to have my No. 10 beside her. Maybe now with mine up there as well, it will be inspiring to others.”

Harding was the 2007 Naismith National Player of the Year, became the inaugural winner of the WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year, was named ESPN.com National Player of the Year, Kodak All-America, ACC Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Associated Press First Team All-America along with many others.

Harding led Duke to a 29-0 record in the regular season becoming the 14th team in NCAA history to go undefeated.

As a senior, Harding averaged 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 34 games for the Blue Devils. The Blue Devils won the ACC regular season title with a perfect 14-0 mark and posted their NCAA record seventh straight 30-win season as Duke finished with a 32-2 mark.

Over her career at Duke, Harding totaled 1,298 points to rank 12th on the Blue Devil charts, while also ranking tied for eighth in free throws made (295), tied for 10th in free throws attempted (399), tied for second in games played (140), fifth in games started (118) and third in steals (261) and minutes played (4,008). She was a three-time All-ACC Defensive Team selection, a first, second and third team All-ACC honoree, All-ACC Freshman selection and was a two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Harding will join Beard along with 13 Duke men’s basketball players who have had their jerseys retired— Dick Groat (#10), Art Heyman (25), Jeff Mullins (44), Mike Gminski (43), Johnny Dawkins (24), Danny Ferry (35), Christian Laettner (32), Bobby Hurley (11), Grant Hill (33), Shane Battier (31), Jason Williams (22), JJ Redick (4) and Sheldon Williams (31). Beard had her jersey retired on Jan. 24, 2004.