Blue Devils Host Kansas Sunday in NCAA Sweet 16

Sunday, November 23

Durham, N.C.

2 p.m.

Duke University

Kansas

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Photo by: Duke Athletics

Blue Devils Host Kansas Sunday in NCAA Sweet 16

11/22/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

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Match 21
No. 3 Seed Kansas (16-5-3) at No. 2 Seed Duke (15-4-1)
Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 – 2 PM (ET) – ESPN+
Durham, N.C. (Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium)
ESPN+ Talent: Zach Berly (PXP), Matt Stradley (Color)

NEED TO KNOW

In the NCAA Tournament round of 16, the second-seeded and 11th-ranked Duke women's soccer team (15-4-1) will host third-seeded Kansas (16-5-3) Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m., on Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium.
Sunday's match will be aired live on ESPN+ with Zach Berly (PBP) and Matt Stradley (Color) calling the action.
The winner of the Duke/Kansas match advances to the NCAA quarterfinals to take on the winner of the Washington/Virginia contest either Nov. 28 or Nov. 29.
Duke is making its 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and enters as a top-16 national seed for the ninth time out of the last 10 seasons.
Duke features a 54-25-11 overall record in 30 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
After netting a hat trick in the first round, Mia Minestrella was named TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Week. Minestrella has scored Duke's last four goals.
Duke's duo of Kat Rader and Mia Minestrella were named to the Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List. They were two of 35 players selected for the prestigious award.
First year head coach Kieran Hall has kicked off his career with the Blue Devils with a 15-4-1 ledger.

STORYLINES/OTHER BLUE DEVIL NOTES

Duke improved to 9-0 at home in NCAA Tournament second round matches and enter Sunday with a 6-0-1 record in round of 16 contests in Durham.
Both Kansas and Duke feature two players who have scored 10+ goals on the season. Kansas' Caroline Castans (15) ranks tied for second nationally in assists, while Mia Oliaro and Kat Rader are tied for 11th (11).
Kat Rader is the fourth Blue Devil in program history to notch 10 or more goals and assists in a season -- Michelle Cooper (2022), Imani Dorsey (2017) and Laura Weinberg (2012).
In NCAA Tournament matches being played in Durham, N.C., the Blue Devils boast a 34-3-1 record.
Duke has won 23 out of its last 26 home contests.
The Blue Devils feature a 11-1-1 ledger at home this season with Kat Rader and Mia Minestrella scoring 18 of Duke's 37 goals.
Sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Dysart ranks third in the ACC with nine shutouts. Mia Oliaro and Kat Rader ranks tied for second in assists (11).
Kat Rader has moved into eighth and tied for ninth, respectively in Duke career goals (30) and points (79).
The Blue Devils have scored a goal in the first half in seven matches in a row and in a total of 14 contests this season.
Duke ranks second nationally in assists with a 3.50 per game average, third in corner kicks per match (7.90) and fifth in points per game (8.50).
Kat Rader has scored or assisted in 15 of the 19 matches played this year.
Mia Minestrella and Kelly Walbert (1994-95) are the only Duke players in program history to score in three or more straight ACC games in back-to-back seasons. Walbert is a Duke Hall of Fame selection. These came 30 seasons apart.

THE SERIES WITH KANSAS

Duke and Kansas will meet for the second time in program history when the Jayhawks come to town on Sunday for the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Devils and Jayhawks last met on Sept. 10, 2006 in Birmingham, Alabama, with Kansas logging a 4-3 victory. It was part of the UAB Nike Classic.

SCOUTING KANSAS

The third-seeded Jayhawks enter the match with a 16-5-3 record after defeating California Baptist, 3-1, home in the first round and 3-1 versus Louisville in the second round in Durham Thursday.
Kansas has won four out of its last five matches and feature a 6-1-1 ledger in true road games on the season.
Lexi Watts (11) and Jillian Gregorski (10) lead the Jayhawks in goals, while Caroline Castans ranks tied for second nationally with 15 assists.

DUKE VERSUS THE BIG 12

Duke holds a record of 23-8-1 against Big 12 schools. The Blue Devils are 6-1 all-time against Big 12 programs in the NCAA Tournament -- UCF (1-0), Texas Tech (1-0), Arizona State (1-0), Utah (1-0), Baylor (1-0), Oklahoma State (1-1), West Virginia (0-1).
Overall, the Blue Devils have won six matches in a row against Big 12 schools in the NCAA Tournament.

A WIN WOULD...

Improve the Blue Devils to 16-3-1 overall and send Duke into the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. The Blue Devils would face either Virginia or Washington.
Mark the 11th time over the last 15 years Duke has advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament, including five out of the last six years.
Be the 24th win at home over the last 27 contests.
Move Duke to 12-1-1 at home this season. The 12 wins at home would rank tied for third-most in program history.

TOP OFFENSES TAKE THE PITCH

Two of the top offenses take the pitch Sunday as Kansas has scored 51 goals and Duke 50 on the season. The Blue Devils have averaged 2.5 goals a contest, while the Jayhawks have averaged 2.1.
The Blue Devils currently rank 11th nationally in goals (50) and Kansas is 10th (51).

DEFENSE HOLDING STRONG

Duke's defense has been solid down the stretch allowing only two goals over the last four matches, including three shutouts.
Overall, the Blue Devils have collected 10 shutouts on the year.

IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

The Blue Devils are competing in their 30th all-time NCAA Championship and hold a 54-25-11 overall record in 90 tournament matches.
Duke has competed in the NCAA College Cup five times -- 1992, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2024. The Blue Devils feature a 3-4-1 ledger in the College Cup.
Duke has advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship 10 times over the past 14 seasons (since 2011).
The Blue Devils have advanced to the quarterfinals in four out of the last five seasons.
Duke has hosted 37 matches at home in NCAA Tournament play and allowed only 17 goals. Since 2017, the Blue Devils have allowed only four goals in 19 home NCAA Tournament contests.
The Blue Devils have not allowed a goal at home over the last 541:20 minutes dating back the last seven contests.

NCAA QUARTERFINAL APPEARANCES SINCE 2011
Rk           Team     Appearances (last)
1.            Florida State       11 (2023)
2.            Duke                     10 (2024)
3.            Stanford               9 (2024)
                North Carolina   9 (2024)
5.            UCLA                     7 (2022)
                Penn State           7 (2024)
7.            Virginia                 6 (2022)

LOVE BEING AT KOSKI

Over her three seasons at Duke, Kat Rader has enjoyed playing at home inside Koskinen Stadium as the redshirt junior has totaled 22 goals, nine assists and 53 points in 35 matches.
Mia Minestrella has played in 35 matches at home over her career and notched 20 goals, 10 assists and notched 50 points.
Minestrella has 23 points and 10 goals at home in 2025 to rank tied for eighth and tied for second on Duke's season record charts for home contests. Rader's 24 points this season at Koskinen ranks tied for fourth.

MINESTRELLA'S GAME WINNERS

Duke junior Mia Minestrella has totaled six game-winning goals this season to rank tied for third on Duke's single-season record charts.
Casey McCluskey and Kelly Walbert posted the school record of nine in 2004 and 1994, respectively.
Minestrella is tied for third along with Kelly Cobb (2011) and Kaitlyn Kerr (2011).

TRAVERS GETTING BIG MINUTES

Over the last seven matches, freshman Jocelyn Travers has averaged 78.9 minutes a contest, has started six of those matches and registered two assists.
She has helped lead Duke to three shutouts over the last four matches.
Travers has seen action in 1,040 minutes on the season and the Blue Devils have conceded only eight goals when she has been on the pitch.