Former Duke standout and fan favorite Abby Waner will be joining the staff of new University of Denver head coach Kerry Cremeans for the 2012-13 season. Cremeans joins the Pioneers from an Associate Head Coaching role at Auburn, though Duke fans may remember her as an assistant to Carolyn Peck's 1999 Purdue Boilermakers who defeated Duke in that year's national championship game. Waner's hiring is the second this week in the Sun Belt Conference with ACC ties -- former Wake Forest head coach Mike Petersen accepted the same position at the University of North Texas on Monday.

Waner is a native of Highlands Ranch, Colorado and was a prep star in the Denver area at Thunder Ridge High School (as was her sister Emily). In 2007 Duke and the Waners played their season opener at Denver, so in honor of Abby's hiring there I've dug deep into the DWHoops photo archives. Below is a gallery featuring 12 never before published photos of Abby in that 57-37 comeback win. Congrats and best of luck, Abby!

Duke 57, Denver, 37 - Magness Arena, Denver, CO - November 11, 2007

Game Recap by Orin Day and Rob Clough.

Duke overcame a lethargic and error-filled first half with an energetic second half effort, cruising down the stretch to a 20 point victory over the Pioneers. Denver was fired up from the start by a record crowd of 6,635 (many in Duke garb to cheer on the Waner sisters) -- a gate that surpassed their cumulative 2006-07 home attendance by 588. The Pioneers held a 27-25 lead at halftime but Duke turned the tables in the second. A steal and layup by freshman Jasmine Thomas sparked Duke's comeback, kicking off a 19-0 Blue Devil run featuring 4 straight threes. Duke's second half defense denied the Pioneers open looks as DU scored just 10 second-half points, 0-9 from 3 and the Devils rolled to victory in Joanne P. McCallie's first game at the helm.