Duke have built a habit of being among the elite, but the mood around the program appears sharper than simple satisfaction with another strong ranking. Roller’s follow-up was even more direct: “We want to win it all, and we know that we can win it all.”
That matters because the Blue Devils are no longer trying to prove they belong late in the season. Reports suggest they have been knocking on the door often enough that anything short of the very top now feels incomplete. The internal message, Roller said, is “For Each Other” - a phrase tied to standards, work rate and expectation.
The belief is not hard to understand. The latest update says eight starters are back from a 17-5-1 campaign, giving head coach Kieran Hall a strong core to lean on.
Minestrella’s outlook is just as telling. She described the team as “relentless” and said Duke still have “something to prove” after consecutive semi-final exits.
There is also fresh energy to fold in. Reports say four freshmen and two transfers arrived before the season, giving Hall extra options and, crucially, extra time to integrate them. Hall said the newcomers had adjusted “incredibly well,” pointing to a culture that is both demanding and welcoming.
That blend - returning leaders, proven attacking quality and new competition for places - is why Duke enter the season with real noise around them. The next step is showing it on the field, starting at Southern California, before attention quickly turns to the first home date with FIU on 20 August.