Joanne P. McCallie, a former Brunswick High player and University of Maine coach, is keeping her job as Duke’s women’s basketball coach after an investigation into claims that she mistreated players and coaches, the university announced Sunday night.
“Joanne P. McCallie is, and will be, our head women’s basketball coach and we support her,” Athletic Director Kevin White said in a release.
Duke has won four Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championships and three ACC tournament titles during McCallie’s nine years in charge of the program, but the Blue Devils missed the NCAA Tournament this past season for the first time since 1994.
The university announced April 12 that it would investigate the program, after two of its top players transferred.
“The purpose of this evaluation, which Duke Athletics initiated with an outside party, was for Duke women’s basketball to get even better,” White continued. “I have discussed the results at length with coach McCallie and we are indeed in a position to improve Duke women’s basketball for present and future student-athletes, coaches, and staff alike.”
McCallie, 50, has a record of 245-65 at Duke and a career record of 531-213, including eight seasons at Maine.
“The information we received from this process, and the subsequent conversations with Duke athletics leadership, afforded me an opportunity to consider my ongoing efforts to be the best possible basketball coach and leader of young women,” McCallie said in the release.
SOCCER
MLS: Robbie Keane scored two goals, Gyasi Zardes had two assists and the host Los Angeles Galaxy beat New England 4-2, pushing the Revolution’s winless stretch to six games.
Kelyn Rowe and Juan Agudelo scored for New England.
PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester City’s return to the Champions League is in doubt after a 2-2 draw at home with Arsenal, while Tottenham is assured of a top-three finish and thus a spot in Europe’s elite competition despite a 2-1 loss to Southampton.
Also, Liverpool beat Watford 2-0 on goals by Joe Allen and Roberto Firmino.
HIGH SCHOOLS
SOFTBALL: Ashlyn Wintle struck out eight and also had two hits to lead Bonny Eagle (4-3) to an 8-5 win at Gorham (5-2) on Saturday.
Melissa McDonald added two hits and two RBI for the Scots. Noelle DiBiase doubled and drove in two runs for Gorham.
TENNIS
MADRID OPEN: Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the final to win a record 29th career Masters title.
Djokovic saved seven break points in the final game and converted on his third match point to secure the win over the defending champion, moving one victory ahead of Rafael Nadal in Masters tournament victories.
ITALIAN OPEN: Serena and Venus Williams entered the doubles draw to kick off their preparations for the Rio Olympics.
CYCLING
GIRO D’ITALIA: Another superb performance from Marcel Kittel saw the German cyclist claim a second successive sprint victory and replace Dutchman Tom Dumoulin as the overall leader after the 118-mile third stage between Nijmegen and Arnhem, Netherlands.
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