NC State women’s hoops picked to win ACC; Elissa Cunane is preseason POY

To nobody’s surprise, NC State women’s basketball is the preseason pick to win the ACC. The Wolfpack have won back-to-back ACC tournament titles, and they’ve brought back every major contributor from last season. That of course includes Elissa Cunane, who is the preseason pick for Player of the Year.

Here’s how the ACC’s Blue Ribbon Panel picked the order of finish:

Blue Ribbon Panel Predicted Order of Finish (57 voters)

NC State (50) - 847 points
Louisville (7) - 789
Georgia Tech - 691
Virginia Tech - 644
Florida State - 607
Notre Dame - 580
North Carolina - 488
Duke - 464
Miami - 355
Clemson - 324
Boston College - 297
Wake Forest - 250
Syracuse - 227
Pitt - 160
Virginia - 117

() Indicates first-place votes

The league also polled the head coaches, with NC State receiving 14 of 15 first-place votes. Louisville received the other. The Pack heads into the season at No. 5 in the AP Poll, one spot ahead of the Cardinals. Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech are also ranked.

Both Cunane and Jakia Brown-Turner were selected to the 10-player preseason All-ACC team, while Diamond Johnson made the five-player Newcomer Watch List.