July 9, 2004

DURHAM, N.C. - They arrived at Duke at the same time, from the same state, but familiar with each other in name only. They graduated together last month after four-year basketball tenures that carried them to similar heights -- a pair of Final Fours, multiple ACC titles, household recognition -- and placed them on the doorstep of professional careers.

Now, Alana Beard and Chris Duhon are immersed in those careers, one as a rookie starter in the WNBA, the other as a second-round draft pick in the NBA. They are no longer following parallel paths, but they share one last honor from their Duke days -- their selection as Blue Devil Weekly's annual Blue Devils of the Year for 2003-04.

The announcement appears in the summer edition of BDW, published June 29. Also in the summer edition: BDW's picks for the top Duke games (all sports) of the 2003-04 year as well as the toughest defeats; a special report on former Duke athletes who are now involved in pursuing acting careers; a tribute to recently-deceased football player Micah Harris; historical looks at football legend George Clark and the three former Duke golfers who combined for 33 career wins on the PGA Tour; and a rundown of potential Duke Olympians for the upcoming Summer Games in Athens. The cover feature is on former Blue Devil pole vaulter Jillian Schwartz as she takes aim at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July.

Beard, the all-everything guard from Shreveport, La., is the first repeat Blue Devil of the Year since BDW created the honor in 2000. Duhon, who grew up across the state from Beard in Slidell, La., is the third men's basketball player to earn the top male Blue Devil honor in five years.

For Beard and Duhon, their time at Duke was marked by incredible team success on the hardwood < a true measure of their impact.

The women won at least 30 games and the ACC Tournament during all four Beard years, while playing in two Final Fours and spending several weeks ranked No. 1 her junior and senior seasons. The Duke men went to the Final Four during Duhon's first and last seasons, won three ACC tourneys, were ranked No. 1 for portions of all four years and posted three 30-win seasons. The Devils won the NCAA title in 2001 with Duhon as a starting freshman point guard.

Duke's overall women's basketball record during Beard's career was 126-14, while the men were 123-21 with Duhon. That means Blue Devil hoop fans saw their teams win a combined 88 percent of their games over the last four seasons. The women had a 51-game ACC winning streak during that time, while the men had a 41-game homecourt winning streak.

While their results were similar, Beard and Duhon certainly weren't identical players. Beard ranks as the best women's player in school history and arguably the best in ACC history. She set the school scoring record, was named ACC player of the year three times and earned All-America honors her last three years. In fact, she was just the second three-time selection to the Associated Press All-America first team in history.

Beard was a threat to take over any game, on either the offensive or defensive end of the floor -- or both; in addition to leading the ACC in scoring, she led Duke in blocks and steals. She made the ACC's list of top 10 female athletes in conference history and claimed the distinction of being the first Duke woman to have her jersey retired. She capped her career this spring by taking home nearly every national player of the year award.

No doubt there are plenty of coaches around the ACC who will be happy to finally face Duke without No. 20 in the lineup. The Blue Devils had a 60-4 regular-season league record during the Beard era. Florida State, Clemson and N.C. State were the only ACC schools to enjoy a victory over Beard; UNC lost all 11 of its meetings with Beard's Devils, including the last three ACC finals.

Beard saw every defensive tactic known to man, yet still averaged almost 20 points per game and shot over 50 percent from the floor for her career.

Duhon's numbers weren't as gaudy but his story was equally compelling. He never led his team in scoring for a season, but clearly he LED his team, particularly as a senior. Burying the disappointment and frustration of a junior year during which he was frequently criticized, Duhon rose to the occasion as a senior in guiding Duke back to the Final Four.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted his point guard on the floor as much as possible and played him over 35 minutes per game. Even during the NCAA Tournament run, when he grimaced in pain with every extended movement due to a painful rib injury, Duhon was usually the most valuable player on the floor. He finished with a double-figures scoring average (10.0), over 200 assists and the team lead in steals.

Though his critical role in Duke's drive to the ACC regular season title did not influence the media to vote him player of the year, opposing coaches were not shy in voicing their praise.

"I love that kid as a player," Clemson's Oliver Purnell said. "To me, he could be player of the year candidate in college basketball. The intangibles that he brings, it's awesome."

"He always seems to find himself in the middle of the key play that swings the game," said Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt, whose team joined Duke in San Antonio at season's end. "At winning time, he finds himself in the middle of the action."

Duhon and Beard shared that characteristic. In Duke's highest-profile sports, they stood out as the Blue Devils of the year for 2003-04.

Past BDW Blue Devils of the Year