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The two brightest smiles on Duke's campus Page 12

The independent news organization at Duke University SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2025

ONLINE DAILY AT DUKECHRONICLE.COM

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIRST YEAR, ISSUE 1

MEET THE 2024-25 CHRON15

This was a historic year for Duke in many ways. We celebrated a centennial, cheered on a record-breaking basketball team, and witnessed a consequential election cycle. In the more recent months, we’ve seen Duke prepare for federal policies that could change the very fabric of higher education and withstand criticisms of its joint venture with Wuhan University, or as we know it, DKU. But it’s also been a year of community. When I look back on the previous year, what sticks out to me is the support and resilience our Duke community has shown. I’m consistently amazed by the ability of my peers to embrace diversity in all its forms, and I think that inclusivity in an era of such division has defined this year. At the end of each academic year, The Chronicle names five icons, five leaders and five pioneers. Nominated by our readers and selected by a committee of Chronicle staff, this year’s Chron15 members are both individuals and groups who have built community and rallied around a cause. They’re people who have dedicated themselves to making the Duke community a more welcoming place to be. They’re people

ICONS

who have inspired us all, and they’re people who make Duke, Duke. This year's icons, leaders and pioneers represent a wide array of viewpoints and talents. We’ve included star basketball players who took our team to victory, pediatric cardiac surgeons performing life-saving operations around the globe, and students who are leaving a lasting impact on the culture of the campus. But they’re also people who archive Duke’s history, drive you from West to East Campus, or serve as the president of your frat. They’re Blue Devils, just like you and me, and serve as a reminder of what we can accomplish when we are in community with one another. As you read the mini-profiles of these 15 people and organizations, I hope you will take the time to reflect not only on their contributions to Duke, but also on the people and groups who are not named on the list. The Chronicle can name only 15 winners — our readers can thank countless more for all they do to make our University a home. Claire Cranford chaired the Chron15 2024-2025 committee. She is a Trinity junior and news editor of The Chronicle’s 121st volume.

Cooper Flagg

Amy Zhang

What can you say about Cooper Flagg that hasn’t already been said? Entering his freshman season at Duke, Flagg was hyped up as one of the greatest basketball prospects of his generation. Before he even logged a minute on the court in Durham, Flagg became the first NCAA men’s basketball player to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade. It goes without saying that the Newport, Me., native lived up to the hype and then some. He became the ninth player in Blue Devil history to win multiple national player of the year honors. His play was nothing short of a tour de force, featuring powerful dunks, outstanding playmaking and lockdown defense. Flagg set the Duke and ACC freshman record for points in a game and led Duke in every major statistical category — points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He led the No. 1-seed Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four, where the season met its end against Houston despite a brilliant performance by Flagg. “The thing about [Flagg] that you love is he’s unselfish, so he’s always trying to make the right play,” head coach Jon Scheyer said. “I just trust his competitiveness and his spirit and his intuition during a game to know what it takes to win.” On April 21, Flagg declared for the NBA draft, where he is widely expected to be selected first overall. While the Blue Devils didn’t reach championship glory, Flagg’s one and only season in Durham will be remembered as one of the greatest in school history. He’ll be reminisced for years to come by the Blue Devils that witnessed his transcendent talent.

Manny Diaz

Alex Long

When news broke of Mike Elko’s midnight flight to College Station, it would’ve been easy to imagine him taking the magic out of Wallace Wade, but that’s exactly what Nina King didn’t do. Enter Manny Diaz. Diaz arrived with a chip on his shoulder after unceremonious departures from Texas in 2013 and Miami in 2021, eager to prove that he was capable of leading a Power 4 team to success. The task wasn't easy, as Diaz faced a depleted roster due to transfers and graduations. Yet, in the biggest portal haul in school history, Diaz showed his recruiting wizardry bringing in 22 players, including star Texas QB Maalik Murphy, who would go on to break Duke records. He instilled a sense of determination and grit into the team that produced some of the most iconic moments of the year. But perhaps the most iconic moment came against UNC, when Coach Diaz gave the team a rallying half-time speech that gave them the confidence to pull off one of the most stunning comebacks of the college football season, coming back from down 20-0 in just under 20 minutes — Duke’s first win against the Tar Heels since 2018. What made the win so much sweeter was Diaz finally defeating Mack Brown, the man who fired him all those years ago at Texas. Diaz continued this momentum, leading Duke to its biggest bowl game in over a decade and capping an incredible season. Beyond the field, Diaz immersed himself in Duke’s community, attending more Duke sporting events than even the most dedicated students. His shouts resonated from Cameron Indoor to San Antonio and the Final Four. Long gone are the days of an empty Wallace Wade Stadium — Manny Diaz truly bleeds blue. -Arya Korrapati, Trinity '27

He began working for a construction company, but then transitioned to Duke housekeeping and eventually to bus driving after obtaining his commercial drivers license. Juárez plays a range of music genres on the bus to connect him to his passengers, and he says that he alternates between playing genres he thinks they’ll enjoy and songs that may be more unfamiliar during his daily rides between East and West Campus. For Juárez, driving the C1 offers an outlet for creativity. He has made it his mission to create a fun environment for students, putting music on because, in his own words, “students enjoy themselves, and they’re young, and they like the music.” With long shifts being a regular part of the job, the music also helps Juárez keep his energy up on the road. Kevin Li He said his favorite genres are “all Luis Alonso Juárez is the beloved of them,” calling out bachata and medriver of the C1 “party bus” — students rengue in particular but emphasizing across campus know of the loud pop his affinity for “a little bit of everymelodies that deliver them from West thing.” to East and back. Juárez has driven the Now, he is pursuing his GED C1 for six years, becoming a familiar through evening classes offered at face on campus through his moodDuke and teaching English to other boosting bus rides. However, his life in English language-learners — but he’s the United States began 30 years ago, still brightening all of our days on the when he immigrated from Honduras. -Tyler Walley, v. 120 associate sports editor party bus. -Chronicle Staff Reports Serving the University since 1905 | @dukechronicle @dukebasketball | @thedukechronicle

Luis Alonso Juárez

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