By Sarah Smoak (Director of Marketing/Assistant Director of Basketball Operations)
DUKE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
F
FRENCH CONNECTION
rench bread, French poodles, and French…6’5” basketball players? Allison Vernerey’s journey
from Alsace, France to Durham, NC has been a route blazed unlike any other. Allison is the first
student-athlete from France to compete on the Women’s basketball squad at Duke and she has
already made a home for herself in Cameron Indoor Stadium this season.
Allison knew what she wanted. She didn’t entertain the On Allison’s official visit, she met her future family, her
recruiting process as many prospects do. It was an easy Duke teammates. All enjoyed a family style meal at
decision for her, as Duke provided the best combination Coach’s home and sat around the table comparing their
of athletics and academics that any university could offer. experiences growing up in very diverse cultures. Her
teammates were amused to find out Allison had many
Coach P and her staff were notified of Allison by an email common interests with them. She was familiar with Lil’
received last year. The Duke basketball office receives Wayne, spent time on Facebook, and loved to shop. The
hundreds of emails from prospects and prep coaches ev- miles between them were bridged in one weekend. Al-
ery year, but this one stood out. Coach P liked what she lison headed back home to France with her father, and 12
saw on film from the 6’5” post player. The Duke Head new friends on Facebook.
Coach soon booked a flight to Paris to watch Allison play.
Her fundamentals, left-handed hook and tenacious work
This summer, Allison made the long trip back to Duke
ethic immediately stood out.
with her mother and younger sister, Chloe (9). Amazed
by the size of Duke and all of the excitement around
On the visit, Allison and her family spent time with
move-in day, Chloe’s first trip to the United States was a
Coach P at their home in Alsace. “It was a great time for
memorable one. Her family stocked up on Duke gear at
both of us,” said Vernerey, whose family lives in a
the bookstore, with Chloe eagerly dressed head to toe in
remodeled farmhouse. Allison showed Coach P the barn
behind her house where she spent time working out with
Duke blue.
her father, Jacques, who has trained members of the
French national team. “It was freezing in there,” Coach
Allison met her new roommate, fellow freshman team-
P recalled. Allison practiced daily in that barn, refining
mate Alexis Rogers, and the two became quick friends.
skills with meticulous repetition.
In a week, she was on the track and in the weight room
for her first workouts of the preseason. Everything was a
Duke was where she wanted to go. It just felt right. “It
blur for the 18-year-old as she settled in halfway across
was an easy choice for me,” said Vernerey. She chose
the world from the country where she had lived her
Duke in part because of its academic reputation. There
whole life.
was also a family connection. Her uncle, Laurent, re-
ceived a MBA degree from Duke’s nationally renowned
Most people would be overwhelmed with such a change.
Fuqua school of business. She is considering studying
Allison embraced it. From the first day of stepping on
economics.
Duke’s campus, she has been an eager student on and
46 DUKE BASKETBALL
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