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Duke Football Has a New Captain

Faculty member is honorary employee captain for Sept. 28 game

John Caccavale poses in his office, which is adorned with Duke posters and memorabilia, including a football autographed by members of the 2012 Duke football team. Caccavale is the 2013 honorary employee captain for the Employee Kickoff Celebration game.
John Caccavale poses in his office, which is adorned with Duke posters and memorabilia, including a football autographed by members of the 2012 Duke football team. Caccavale is the 2013 honorary employee captain for the Employee Kickoff Celebration game. Photo by Bryan Roth.

Step into John Caccavale's office in the Social Sciences Building and it's easy to see where his collegiate loyalties lie.

There's a football autographed by last year's bowl-bound Duke football team, a signed picture from basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and posters of all shapes and sizes tacked to the walls. But Caccavale, who graduated from Duke's Trinity College in 1981 and returned to Duke in 2010 to become executive director of the university's Financial Economics Center, isn't just here for the sports.

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"I came back to Duke because of what Duke did for my life," said Caccavale, who met his wife while they were Duke students and also had a son, Adam, graduate from the university in 2011. "It's about the people here and the students. There's nothing like the spirit you find in the people from Duke."

It's because of his commitment to the university and its community that Caccavale has been picked as Duke football's honorary employee captain for the Sept. 28 Employee Kickoff Celebration game against Troy University. Kickoff is at 3 p.m.

He was selected to take on the role after a Working@Duke search garnered him 64 of 95 nominations of faculty and staff who represent aspects of Duke's Guiding Principles. Caccavale was recognized in nominations for his enthusiasm to mentor and coordinate internships for students, an ability to cheer up and enliven department members and going above his everyday responsibilities to make Duke a better place.

Ana Moon Glass, communications specialist with the Department of Economics, said that when she found out about the honorary football captain call on Duke Today, she began contacting members of the department to nominate Caccavale and many replied they already planned to do so.

"As much as he is a Blue Devil fan, he is also a great coworker," Glass said. "You can tell that he loves his job, loves his students and loves the people he works with. He is always willing to lend a hand to his coworkers."

As part of his role as honorary captain, Caccavale will have the opportunity to join the Blue Devils for team activities the week of the football game against Troy, including:

  • Participating with head coach David Cutcliffe during a weekly press luncheon
  • Running onto the field at Wallace Wade Stadium with the football team before kickoff
  • Recording a video with Cutcliffe to broadcast during the home opener
  • Watching the game against Troy University from the sidelines

Duke community members can cheer on Caccavale when he makes his debut as honorary employee captain Sept. 28.

"I've never played football, so this will be as close to the game as I'll ever be," Caccavale said. "We're all part of the big `Duke team,' but I'm stunned I get to actually be part of the football team."