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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke has retired Elizabeth Williams' No. 1 jersey.
The 15th-ranked Blue Devils held the retirement ceremony Thursday night at halftime of their 69-54 victory over No. 17 Kentucky.
Williams is the third player in the history of the women's program to have her number retired, joining Alana Beard's No. 20 and Lindsey Harding's No. 10 in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"It's really hard to describe" the emotions, Williams said. "It was kind of a combination of excitement, gratitude and humbleness. I was really humbled by this whole thing and to finally see it. It was really incredible."
She's the only player in Atlantic Coast Conference history selected to four AP All-America teams and she's also the league's first player with more than 1,900 points, 1,000 rebounds and 400 blocked shots during her career.
The 6-foot-3 center plays for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream and also for a professional team in Russia. She helped the Blue Devils win one ACC Tournament title and reach two regional finals and another Sweet 16 during her time at Duke from 2011-15.
WNBA President Lisa Borders, a Duke graduate who is on the school's board of trustees, was invited to the ceremony by Williams, whom she called "a quintessential player" who is "particularly special" to her league.
"She is graceful on the court," Borders said. "She doesn't get nervous in a tough situation. She can shoot when she's under pressure. She can block when people are defending her. ... She's also smart off the court. It's not just on the court doing her 'work', off the court she contributes to the community, which makes her a well-rounded person and contributor beyond her work every day. That's what we always look for in Duke students."
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