DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball alumna Lindsey Harding helped lead Belarus to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Harding contributed a game-high 17 points in a 56-39 victory over Korea that earned her team entry into the Games on Sunday.
She becomes the first Duke women’s basketball player in school history to compete in the Olympic Games.
“I’m so excited to be able to play in the Olympics,” commented Harding.
“This was a lifelong goal of mine and to be able to achieve it is a wonderful feeling. We worked so hard to get here and it has paid off. Rio here we come!”
A 2007 graduate, she averaged 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 34 games for the Blue Devils.
Throughout her career at Duke, she earned numerous awards – Naismith National Player of the Year, WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year, ESPN.com National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, John R. Wooden All-America, USBWA All-America, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Nancy Lieberman Award, Frances Pomeory Award – received the Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship, and was a finalist for numerous National Player of the Year accolades.
Harding guided Belarus to a 1-1 record in group play before dropping an 84-70 decision to China in the quarterfinals.
Belarus had to win its next two games in back-to-back days and did so with an 84-44 win over Argentina on Saturday, before beating Korea.
Other teams advancing through qualifying were France, Turkey, China and Spain.
The Olympic Games take place Aug. 5-21.