Few college basketball programs can match the run the Duke Blue Devils have been on for the last 45 years.
Since legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski took over the program ahead of the 1980-81 season, the Blue Devils have won five national championships, reached 13 Final Fours, and cut down the nets 16 different times at the ACC Tournament. Coach K’s program produced a half-dozen National Player of the Year award winners, including names like Christian Laettner, Shane Battier, Jason Williams, and Zion Williamson. He can also lay claim to All-NBA talents like Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, and Jayson Tatum.
How exactly did each season go for the Blue Devils, however? Few programs have appeared in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll as frequently as the team in Durham. Even in the two years since Coach K’s retirement, the Blue Devils spent all of 2022-23 within the top 25 and hovered around the top 10 this past season.
Here’s a year-by-year look back at Duke’s preseason and postseason ranking on the list for every season since 2000.
Preseason: 10th
Postseason: 4th
Record: 29-5
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 2nd
Postseason: 1st
Record: 35-4
NCAA Tournament Result: National Champions
Preseason: 1st
Postseason: 5th
Record: 31-4
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 6th
Postseason: 9th
Record: 26-7
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 2nd
Postseason: 2nd
Record: 31-6
NCAA Tournament Result: Final Four
Preseason: 12th
Postseason: 7th
Record: 27-6
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 1st
Postseason: 7th
Record: 32-4
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 11th
Postseason: N/R
Record: 22-11
NCAA Tournament Result: First Round
Preseason: 11th
Postseason: 16th
Record: 28-6
NCAA Tournament Result: Second Round
Preseason: 5th
Postseason: 11th
Record: 30-7
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 8th
Postseason: 1st
Record: 35-5
NCAA Tournament Result: National Champions
Preseason: 1st
Postseason: 7th
Record: 32-5
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 6th
Postseason: 14th
Record: 27-7
NCAA Tournament Result: First Round
Preseason: 8th
Postseason: 5th
Record: 30-6
NCAA Tournament Result: Elite Eight
Preseason: 4th
Postseason: 16th
Record: 26-9
NCAA Tournament Result: First Round
Preseason: 3rd
Postseason: 1st
Record: 35-4
NCAA Tournament Result: National Champions
Preseason: 4th
Postseason: 18th
Record: 25-11
NCAA Tournament Result: Sweet 16
Preseason: 1st
Postseason: 13th
Record: 28-9
NCAA Tournament Result: Second Round
Preseason: 1st
Postseason: 4th
Record: 29-8
NCAA Tournament Result: Elite Eight
Preseason: 3rd
Postseason: 4th
Record: 32-6
NCAA Tournament Result: Elite Eight
Preseason: 4th
Postseason: 8th
Record: 25-6
NCAA Tournament Result: N/A
Preseason: No. 8
Postseason: N/A
Record: 13-11
NCAA Tournament Result: Not Selected
Preseason: No. 9
Postseason: No. 3
Record: 32-7
NCAA Tournament Result: Final Four
Preseason: No. 8
Postseason: No. 18
Record: 27-9
NCAA Tournament Result: Second Round
Preseason: 3rd
Postseason: 9th
Record: 27-9
NCAA Tournament Result: Elite Eight