By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – Green Bay Preble junior Carley Duffney has already accomplished lots in her high school career.
She’s a Division I verbal commit to the University of South Dakota women’s basketball team, a first-team Fox River Classic Conference selection and a state qualifier in track and field.
On Feb. 7, Duffney eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in the Hornets’ 46-42 win over Sheboygan North in front of her home crowd.
“It was an awesome feeling,” said the 5-foot-11 Duffney, who is currently averaging more than 18 points and six rebounds per game. “It was a goal of mine to hit 1,000 points when I started at Preble. I’ll always remember the moment.”
Duffney scored the milestone bucket on a left-handed, fastbreak finish.
“I was guarding someone who didn’t have the ball,” she said. “Another player drove to the basket and tried to kick it out to the girl I was guarding. I tipped the pass and eventually went in for the layup on the other end. I was thinking about it the whole time and hoping I didn’t miss.”
Duffney credits being a three-year varsity starter as one of the main reasons she’s racking up the career points.
“I’ve played with lots of good players who have assisted me on my points,” said Duffney, who is the daughter of Brett and Mary Duffney. “My teammates have helped me score.”
She averaged 8.8 points per game as a freshman and 18.2 an outing her sophomore year.
The Hornets are currently 17-4 and playing their best ball of the season.
After starting the season 1-3, Preble has won 16 of its last 17 games.
“In each of my first two seasons at Preble, we’ve won our first game at regionals, but that’s as far as we got,” Duffney said. “Preble hasn’t won its first two games in the playoffs since 2003. That’s definitely a short-term goal of ours and make it to sectionals. The highest goal is making it to the state tournament [at the Resch Center in Green Bay].”
Duffney also had Division I offers from UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, North Dakota, North Dakota State and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“I liked the coaches at South Dakota – they made me feel at home,” said Duffney, who might study nursing in college. “The players love to play there and love the coaches and atmosphere of the games. The team plays a lot like I do – fast and up and down the court.”
Once the basketball season is completed, Duffney will turn her attention to the track where she runs the hurdles.
She finished seventh in the 300 hurdles at the 2019 WIAA State Track and Field meet in La Crosse.
“I’m excited to get back to practicing the hurdles when the basketball season is over,” Duffney said. “Seventh is one place off the podium, so my goal this season is to get at least one better.”