Completed Event: Softball versus Georgia on May 18, 2025 , Loss , 2, to, 5 , (F/8)
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Recapping Duke’s Historical 2021 Campaign
6/28/2021 11:00:00 AM | Softball
DURHAM – In just its fourth year as a program, the Duke softball team put together a historic campaign in 2021 with a 44-12 record, winning its first ACC Championship title and making its first NCAA postseason appearance.
The Blue Devils broke 41 records this year, including 17 team and three team single-game records, while 18 individual season and three single-game records were shattered. Duke received its first All-American honor and three All-Region selections as well as four All-ACC First Team honors. The Blue Devils were ranked every week of the 2021 campaign.
44 WINS
Duke ranked 17th in the nation in win-loss percentage (.786) with its 44-12 record, including a 26-10 mark in ACC action. The Blue Devils were 20-4 when playing at the Duke Softball Stadium, 13-6 on the road and 11-2 at neutral sites. With a 7-3 victory against Syracuse on March 20, Duke hit the 100-win milestone and finished the season at 121-74 all-time.
BROKEN RECORDS
Team Season Records: Duke set numerous offensive program records, including runs scored (298), doubles (79), home runs (47), runs batted in (258), total bases (646), walks (150), hit-by-pitch (47), sac flies (14) and stolen bases (79). Duke's defense turned a season-high 23 double plays in 2021. The Blue Devils' pitching staff topped the Duke charts in wins (44), saves (9), opponent batting average (.196), strikeouts (360), strikeouts per seven innings (6.68), complete games (22) and shutouts (15).
Team Single-Game Records: Showing its power at the plate, Duke blasted a program-record four home runs on three occasions during the 2021 season to break the previous mark of three. Five Blue Devils were hit in a single game, passing the record of four. Senior Peyton St. George and Claire Davidson combined for 16 strikeouts to surpass the record of 14.
Individual Season Records: Six Blue Devils shattered 18 records during the 2021 season.
WEEKLY RANKINGS
Head coach Marissa Young's squad earned the No. 25 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll, marking the first time the program started the season ranked. Duke climbed to No. 11 in Week 6 of the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll for the highest ranking in program history. The Blue Devils finished the year at No. 18 in the final ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll.
REELING IN AWARDS
Duke saw its first All-American in school history as junior Deja Davis was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team. She was an All-Region First Team selection, along with junior Shelby Walters and senior Peyton St. George who earned second and third team honors, respectively. Davis, Walters, St. George and senior Jameson Kavel all represented Duke on the All-ACC First Team. Duke's six All-ACC Academic honorees tied for the most in the league as Davis, junior Kristina Foreman, Kavel, St. George, sophomore Gisele Tapia and Walters all received the honor. Young and her staff were named Coaching Staff of the Year for the Southeast region. During the season, St. George racked up three ACC weekly pitching awards while Walters added one.
BLUE DEVILS vs. TOP-25 OPPONENTS
Prior to the 2021 campaign, the Blue Devils were 1-16 against ranked opponents. Duke finished the year at 7-8 versus top-25 programs, including an 8-4 victory at No. 5 LSU. The Blue Devils picked up wins against South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State.
#GoDuke
The Blue Devils broke 41 records this year, including 17 team and three team single-game records, while 18 individual season and three single-game records were shattered. Duke received its first All-American honor and three All-Region selections as well as four All-ACC First Team honors. The Blue Devils were ranked every week of the 2021 campaign.
44 WINS
Duke ranked 17th in the nation in win-loss percentage (.786) with its 44-12 record, including a 26-10 mark in ACC action. The Blue Devils were 20-4 when playing at the Duke Softball Stadium, 13-6 on the road and 11-2 at neutral sites. With a 7-3 victory against Syracuse on March 20, Duke hit the 100-win milestone and finished the season at 121-74 all-time.
BROKEN RECORDS
Team Season Records: Duke set numerous offensive program records, including runs scored (298), doubles (79), home runs (47), runs batted in (258), total bases (646), walks (150), hit-by-pitch (47), sac flies (14) and stolen bases (79). Duke's defense turned a season-high 23 double plays in 2021. The Blue Devils' pitching staff topped the Duke charts in wins (44), saves (9), opponent batting average (.196), strikeouts (360), strikeouts per seven innings (6.68), complete games (22) and shutouts (15).
Team Single-Game Records: Showing its power at the plate, Duke blasted a program-record four home runs on three occasions during the 2021 season to break the previous mark of three. Five Blue Devils were hit in a single game, passing the record of four. Senior Peyton St. George and Claire Davidson combined for 16 strikeouts to surpass the record of 14.
Individual Season Records: Six Blue Devils shattered 18 records during the 2021 season.
- Batting average (min. 75 AB) – Deja Davis, .389
- Runs scored –Kristina Foreman, 44
- Hits – Deja Davis, 65
- Triples – Deja Davis, 7
- Home runs – Kristina Foreman, 12
- RBIs – Kristina Foreman, 42
- Walks – Caroline Jacobsen, 22
- Total bases – Deja Davis, 109
- Hit-by-pitch – Rachel Crabtree, 9
- Wins – Shelby Walters, 19
- Saves – Peyton St. George, 5
- Games started – Shelby Walters, 24
- Innings pitched – Peyton St. George, 158.2
- Complete games – Peyton St. George, 13
- Shutouts – Peyton St. George, 4
- Strikeouts – Peyton St. George, 199
- Strikeouts looking – Peyton St. George, 35
- Double plays turned – Rachel Crabtree, 16
- At-bats – Jameson Kavel, 6 (vs. Western Kentucky, 5/22/21)
- Innings pitched – Shelby Walters, 12 (vs. Western Kentucky, 5/22/21)
- Assists – Kristina Foreman, 9 (vs. Western Kentucky, 5/22/21)
WEEKLY RANKINGS
Head coach Marissa Young's squad earned the No. 25 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Coaches Poll, marking the first time the program started the season ranked. Duke climbed to No. 11 in Week 6 of the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll for the highest ranking in program history. The Blue Devils finished the year at No. 18 in the final ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll.
REELING IN AWARDS
Duke saw its first All-American in school history as junior Deja Davis was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team. She was an All-Region First Team selection, along with junior Shelby Walters and senior Peyton St. George who earned second and third team honors, respectively. Davis, Walters, St. George and senior Jameson Kavel all represented Duke on the All-ACC First Team. Duke's six All-ACC Academic honorees tied for the most in the league as Davis, junior Kristina Foreman, Kavel, St. George, sophomore Gisele Tapia and Walters all received the honor. Young and her staff were named Coaching Staff of the Year for the Southeast region. During the season, St. George racked up three ACC weekly pitching awards while Walters added one.
BLUE DEVILS vs. TOP-25 OPPONENTS
Prior to the 2021 campaign, the Blue Devils were 1-16 against ranked opponents. Duke finished the year at 7-8 versus top-25 programs, including an 8-4 victory at No. 5 LSU. The Blue Devils picked up wins against South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State.
#GoDuke
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