Cameron Crazies will be back to see Coach K in his final season

DURHAM, N.C. — The Cameron Crazies will be back in full force for Mike Krzyzewski's final season as Duke's men's basketball coach.

Duke University announced Tuesday that all athletics venues will be at full capacity during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Last season, Cameron Indoor Stadium did not allow fans or media to attend basketball games amid the pandemic. The school did not allow fans at home football games, either.

"Should state, local or campus regulations related to capacity, distancing and masking change prior to or during the season, operational policies at each venue could be altered," the university said in a media release Tuesday.

A trip to a Duke home basketball game is a bucket-list item for college basketball fans. The venue capacity is only 9,314, but the Cameron Crazies, who hug the sideline during games, are known as one of the top student sections in the country.

OPINION:  No one will ever do it better than Coach K, writes Dan Wolken

ANALYSIS:  Major changing of guard coming to college basketball

COACH K:  Former player wants to honor Mike Krzyzewski with a statue

It was announced last week that after 42 seasons as Duke's basketball coach, Krzyzewski will retire after the 2021-2022 season.

"The reason we're doing this is because Mickie and I have decided the journey is gonna be over in a year," Krzyzewski said at a news conference last Thursday. "And we're going to go after it as hard as we possibly can."

Since 1980, Coach K has guided Duke to over 1,000 wins, 12 Final Fours, five national championships, 35 NCAA tournament berths and 15 ACC championships. He's had 67 players selected in the NBA draft, a number that will increase in July. And he has been a part of five Olympic gold medal-winning teams in 1984, 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2016.

"A message to our students: Come back in August," Coach K said Thursday. "We're going to be ready, you be ready, and we'll see what happens. We'll see what the hell happens."

Associate head coach Jon Scheyer will succeed Krzyzewski in April 2022. Scheyer, 33, is the same age Coach K when he was hired at Duke in 1980.

"I do not expect this to be easy. I don't expect to be given anything," Scheyer said Friday during his introductory news conference. "But I'm always going to show up, and do whatever it takes to succeed at the highest level here."

Follow David Thompson on Twitter @daveth89 and email him at dthompson1@gannett.com.