Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Ranked No. 21 in Preseason AP Poll
11/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2008
Preseason Associated Press Poll
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest will enter the 2008-09 season ranked in the preseason Associated Press Poll for the first time in three seasons. The Demon Deacons are ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll, which was released over the weekend.
Wake Forest, who is ranked No. 24 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, received 312 points in the AP poll. The Deacons are one of four ACC teams in the preseason top 25.
This marks the first time since 2005 that Wake has been ranked in the AP Preseason Top 25. The Deacons entered the 2005-06 season at No. 18. Wake has been out of the top 25 since early January of 2006.
Wake Forest has received its fair share of recognition so far this preseason. In addition to the squad's national rankings, the Deacons were picked to finish third in the ACC at the conference media day on Oct. 26 in Atlanta.
Wake Forest returns 11 letterwinners, including all five starters, from last season's team that finished 17-13 overall. The Deacs also welcome back over 97 percent of last year's production in every significant statistical category, including each of the team's top nine scorers.
ACC rival North Carolina is ranked as the preseason No. 1 in the both the AP and Coaches poll for the second straight season. A Final Four participant last season, the Tar Heels are the first unanimous preseason No. 1 since the creation of the AP poll in 1981-82.
Duke and Miami joined Wake and UNC in the preseason AP top 25. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 8, while the Hurricanes come in at No. 17. Virginia Tech and Clemson each received votes in the AP poll.
Wake Forest plays its only exhibition contest on Thursday, Nov. 6, against Mount Olive. The Deacs open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 14, against North Carolina Central.
