July 8, 2002

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University women's golf head coach Dan Brooks has been selected the 2002 Division I Coach of the Year by Golfweek magazine. It marks the third time in the last four years Brooks has been selected National Coach of the Year (1999 & 2001 by the National Golf Coaches Association).

Brooks led the Blue Devils to eight victories in 2001-02 and the final seven in a row, including the National Championship in Auburn, Wash. It marked the second National title for Brooks in the last four years as the Blue Devils won the title in 1999 in Tulsa, Okla.

It was a season where Duke had to deal with some obstacles as senior Candy Hannemann missed the entire fall season due to an injury. Hannemann was coming off winning the 2001 NCAA Individual title and finishing as low amateur at the 2001 U.S. Open. The Blue Devils struggled some without the senior leader in the fall, but responded in the spring with Hannemann back in the lineup by winning all seven tournaments. The seven wins in a row was a new school record and the streak included victories at the ACC Championship, NCAA East Regional and NCAA Championship.

Duke trailed the entire NCAA Championship and were down by two shots with three holes to play, but made five birdies in the final stretch to clinch the title. The Blue Devils were consistent as any team in the country and had all five players contribute by winning at least one tournament during the season. Hannemann, Virada Nirapathpongporn, Leigh Anne Hardin, Kristina Engstrom and Niloufar Aazam-Zanganeh each registered at least one individual victory for Duke.

The Blue Devils return five letterwinners and welcome one of the top junior players in the nation for next season.

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