There was a major shakeup today at Team UB.com, as World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Annie Dukehas parted ways with the USA-friendly site. Also departing was Phil Hellmuth. Duke wrote in part on Thursday on her own website, “It’s bittersweet, but I’ve decided to leave UB. I have nothing but positive things to say about UB and my experiences with the brand, management team, and dedicated employees who work hard every day to deliver a terrific online poker experience for players like you. I’ve sincerely enjoyed wearing the UB patch, but it’s time for me to move on.”

Duke cited “personal growth” as her primary reason for leaving the brand and told PocketFives.com, “It’s about exploring business opportunities and delving deeply into things that are helping me grow.” She added that she does not expect to sign with a competing online poker site down the road: “My intention is not to put on a different logo. I have other stuff going on that I am really interested in and am exploring other business avenues.”

Duke had been a member of Team UB.com since 2001, the year the CEREUS Network site launched under the brand name Ultimate Bet. In 2008, the player bases of UB.com and Absolute Poker merged to form the CEREUS Network. Meanwhile, Duke’s former UB.com colleague Hellmuth (pictured), an 11-time bracelet winner, turned out to the PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Los Angeles Bounty Shootout and NBC’s “Poker After Dark” without a patch for UB.com. The absence of UB.com logos led to Hellmuth and UB.com agreeing to “mutually part ways” on Thursday.

Duke noted that her involvement in the poker community will remain going forward: “While I will no longer be a part of UB, I will remain a part of the online and offline poker communities and am confident that we will continue to cross paths playing this amazing game that we all love.” Duke’s exit leaves UB.com with a stable of pros that includes PocketFives.com members Eric basebaldyBaldwin (pictured), Adam RoothlusLevy, and Bryan badbeatninja Devonshire. Also part of the clan are Tiffany Michelle, Maria Ho, and Brandon Cantu.

Duke has turned in a rock solid 2010. In March, she edged out close friend and Full Tilt Poker pro Erik Seidel in the finals of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship and took home a $500,000 top prize. In June, she final tabled the WSOP Tournament of Champions after receiving an automatic invite. Duke has more than $1.1 million in career WSOP earnings to go along with one bracelet, which came in 2004 in a $2,000 buy-in Omaha High-Low Split Eight or Better tournament for $137,000.

Text posted on UB.com’s blog wished the poker player well: “While Annie’s presence on Team UB will certainly be missed, Team UB will go on loud and strong. We wish Annie well in all of her future endeavors.” She was formerly a contestant on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” where she fell to comedian Joan Rivers in the season finale. Duke raised money for Refugees International on “Celebrity Apprentice” and is a co-founder of Ante Up for Africa alongside Norman Epstein and actor Don Cheadle. Ante Up for Africa raises money and awareness for victims of the crisis in Darfur.

Earlier this week, longtime industry veteran Lee Jonesresigned as the Card Room Manager of Cake Poker. Following Jones out the door was Cake Poker Tournament Director Serge adantharRavitch. Jones and Ravitch cited “strategic decisions with which I’m not comfortable” as the impetus to leave. Learn more.

Stay tuned to PocketFives.com for the latest.