Duke men's and women's basketball teams will once again start the year as ACC favorites. The two Blue Devil squads were both selected to finish first in the conference this season.
The Virginia men were picked to finish eighth out of the nine ACC squads. Last season the Cavaliers ended the year tied for sixth place after compiling a 6-10 ACC record. The Cavaliers finished 16-16 overall, losing in the second round of the National Invitational Tournament.
The Blue Devils received 53 of the 55 first place votes for 489 points, finishing ahead of rival North Carolina (422) and defending ACC regular-season champion Wake Forest (382). The Tar Heels and Demon Deacons each received one of the remaining first place votes.
N.C. State, Maryland, Florida State and Georgia Tech filled up the fourth through seventh spots, while Clemson was selected to end the season in the basement.
The top five squads each had a player selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. N.C. State's Julian Hodge, Florida State's Tim Pickett, Duke's J.J. Reddick and Wake Forest's Vytas Danelius were all selected, preseason Player of the Year selection, North Carolina's Raymond Felton, rounds out the group. Duke's Luol Deng was named preseason Rookie of the Year.
On the women's side, defending champion Duke received all 36 first place votes. The Tar Heels were picked to finish second with the Cavaliers finishing behind them in the voting for third.
Georgia Tech, Florida State, N.C. State, Clemson, Maryland and Wake Forest round out the poll, in that order.
Duke's Alana Beard, who has won ACC Player of the Year the last two seasons, was the unanimous selection for preseason Player of the Year. Teammate Iciss Tillis, Georgia Tech's Fallon Stokes, North Carolina's Nikita Bell and Virginia's Brandi Teamer join Beard on the preseason All-Conference Team. North Carolina freshman Ivory Latta was named preseason Rookie of the Year.
--Compiled by Sean McLernon
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