Another one of Dick Vitale’s grandchildren plans to play tennis for Duke Blue Devils

Having long held an appreciation for Duke’s basketball program, longtime college basketball personality Dick Vitale’s interest in the school’s tennis program is growing for family reasons.

Vitale’s granddaughter, Ava Krug of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, committed to play tennis for the Blue Devils earlier this month. Currently a high school junior, Krug will follow her twin older brothers, Connor and Jake, who play tennis for the Blue Devils.

Connor and Jake Krug are in their sophomore years at Duke.

Dick Vitale’s daughter, Sherri Vitale Krug, is their mother. She played tennis at Notre Dame from 1992-96 and her husband, Thomas Krug, played quarterback for the Fighting Irish from 1993-97.

Ava Krug is a five-star recruit in the Class of 2024 and rated as the No. 3 player in Florida and No. 10 nationally, according to the Tennis Recruiting Network.

This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 6:40 AM.

Steve Wiseman

The News & Observer

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Steve Wiseman was named Raleigh News & Observer and Durham Herald-Sun sports editor in May 2025. He covered Duke athletics, beginning in 2010, prior to his current assignment. In the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest, he placed in the top 10 in beat writing in 2019, 2021 and 2022, breaking news in 2019, event coverage in 2025 and explanatory writing in 2018. Before coming to Durham in 2010, Steve worked for The State (Columbia, SC), Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, S.C.), The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.), Charlotte Observer and Hickory (NC) Daily Record covering beats including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, University of South Carolina athletics and the S.C. General Assembly. He’s won numerous state-level press association awards. Steve graduated from Illinois State University in 1989.