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Lawson Named to Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List
2/18/2026 3:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawson has been named to the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year Watch List Presented by AXIA Time, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Wednesday afternoon.
Lawson is among 15 Division I coaches recognized and one of two from the Atlantic Coast Conference. In her sixth season as a head coach, she has the third-shortest tenure of any Watch List member. She is also the youngest coach on the list, and her six years of collegiate coaching experience are the fewest.
A winner of 116 games in her time in Durham, Lawson has led the resurgence of Duke women's basketball as one of the nation's top teams. She is the second fastest coach in ACC history to 100 career wins, reaching the benchmark in 143 games.
The Blue Devils, riding a 16-game win streak and sporting a 19-6 overall record, have climbed to No. 9 in the latest Associate Press poll after starting the year with a 3-6 record. Unbeaten at 14-0 in ACC play, Duke's 14 conference victories are tied for the most in a season under Lawson and mark the 10th time Duke has won at least 14 ACC contests - (1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2022-23, 2024-25).
The 16-game win streak is the longest under Lawson, currently ranking tied for fourth among all Division I women's basketball teams and matching Duke's 1998-99, 2004-05 and 2012-13 teams' 16-game win streaks. The next longest win streak in Duke women's basketball history is 20 games, most recently in 2010-11.
This season, Lawson has developed Duke into one of the most balanced teams in the ACC and nationally, sporting the nation's fifth-ranked defense and 20th-ranked offense according to HerHoopStats. The Blue Devils are the lone team in any major conference to have six players averaging double figures in league action.
The Blue Devils return to Cameron Indoor Stadium to host NC State Thursday, Feb. 19. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., on ESPN.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB".
#GoDuke
Lawson is among 15 Division I coaches recognized and one of two from the Atlantic Coast Conference. In her sixth season as a head coach, she has the third-shortest tenure of any Watch List member. She is also the youngest coach on the list, and her six years of collegiate coaching experience are the fewest.
A winner of 116 games in her time in Durham, Lawson has led the resurgence of Duke women's basketball as one of the nation's top teams. She is the second fastest coach in ACC history to 100 career wins, reaching the benchmark in 143 games.
The Blue Devils, riding a 16-game win streak and sporting a 19-6 overall record, have climbed to No. 9 in the latest Associate Press poll after starting the year with a 3-6 record. Unbeaten at 14-0 in ACC play, Duke's 14 conference victories are tied for the most in a season under Lawson and mark the 10th time Duke has won at least 14 ACC contests - (1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2022-23, 2024-25).
The 16-game win streak is the longest under Lawson, currently ranking tied for fourth among all Division I women's basketball teams and matching Duke's 1998-99, 2004-05 and 2012-13 teams' 16-game win streaks. The next longest win streak in Duke women's basketball history is 20 games, most recently in 2010-11.
This season, Lawson has developed Duke into one of the most balanced teams in the ACC and nationally, sporting the nation's fifth-ranked defense and 20th-ranked offense according to HerHoopStats. The Blue Devils are the lone team in any major conference to have six players averaging double figures in league action.
The Blue Devils return to Cameron Indoor Stadium to host NC State Thursday, Feb. 19. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., on ESPN.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB".
#GoDuke
Kara Lawson on Bella Flemings
Monday, November 17
Kara Lawson on Taylor Sofilkanich
Sunday, November 16
Kara Lawson on Sanai Green
Thursday, November 13
Kara Lawson on Autumn Fleary
Wednesday, November 12
