Gorecki overcomes adversity to become go-to player for Blue Devils

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- In a lost season for Duke, Haley Gorecki is one of the top scorers in the ACC.

"Being able to be a leader for this team means a lot to me," Gorecki said.

Gorecki is coming off a season-high 26 points against Syracuse, making her one of the Blue Devils go-to players.

Carrying a team is remarkable considering for the last couple of years it was hard for Gorecki to carry herself because of numerous injuries.

"I never doubted myself," Gorecki said. "I think that comes from my teammates and my coaches always having my back and just giving me that confidence every day."

The redshirt junior missed most of her first three years after multiple hip surgeries.

"She worked extremely hard in her rehab to get back," said Coach Joanne P. McCallie. "It's great to see her playing full and being aggressive."

Gorecki's college career was slow out of the gate but now she's on the fast track to the top of the league.

"She's one of a kind. Players like Haley don't come around as often," McCallie said. "They have a confidence that sort of blends with the humble and it's a great blend. She's definitely a performer."