Duke Women Preview 2026-27 Season at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke women's basketball took its turn on the ACC preseason stage Monday as head coach Kara Lawson, junior Toby Fournier and senior Delaney Thomas represented the Blue Devils at the conference's annual Tipoff event in Charlotte.

The appearance offered an early look at the central storyline surrounding Duke entering 2026-27: a proven returning core in the frontcourt paired with significant newness in the backcourt. Lawson, entering her seventh season at Duke, said the program's expectations remain centered on competing at a high level, playing with consistent effort and testing itself against elite competition.

Fournier and Thomas give Duke substantial experience around the basket. Fournier averaged 17.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game late last season and was named to the Naismith Women's College Defensive Player of the Year late-season team. Thomas has developed into one of Duke's veteran leaders and spoke at ACC Tipoff about the value of the program's team culture and Lawson's role in her growth.

The Blue Devils enter the new season after winning the 2026 ACC regular-season championship outright, the program's first outright league title since 2013. Duke also hosted NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games for the second consecutive season, giving the returning group meaningful postseason experience to carry into the new campaign.

There are important new pieces as well. Duke returns three starters and nine players from last season's ACC championship team, while also welcoming Texas transfer Aaliyah Crump, the No. 5 recruit in the 2025 class, and a four-player freshman class. Emilee Skinner, the fourth-ranked recruit in the 2025 class, is also returning from injury.

That roster will be tested by an ambitious nonconference schedule. Duke is set to face UConn and UCLA at neutral sites and will host South Carolina on Dec. 3 in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The South Carolina matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN and will be the fourth consecutive season the programs have met.

At Monday's event, Duke's representatives also participated in interviews and programming with SiriusXM, ESPN Features and ACC Network. Fournier recorded a long-form interview with ACC Network's Kelly Gramlich that is scheduled to air during the season.

The Blue Devils officially open the 2026-27 season Nov. 3 against Green Bay at Cameron Indoor Stadium. With Fournier and Thomas anchoring an experienced frontcourt and Lawson integrating new options on the perimeter, the opening month will provide the first indication of how quickly Duke's reworked rotation can develop around a championship-level returning core.