Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Hoops Tabbed 10th In ACC Preseason Poll
10/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2011
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team was picked to finish tenth in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season by vote of the of the Blue Ribbon Panel, consisting of national and local media, as well as school representatives.
The Deacons are coming off a 15-17 campaign that saw them finish tied for seventh in the ACC. Wake also won an ACC Tournament game for the third-straight season.
Wake has exceeded expectations in each of the last three years however. The Deacs were picked to finish 12th in 2008-09 but went on to post the second-most wins in school-history (19-12) and finish tied for eighth in the ACC. In 2009-10, Wake was predicted to finish 10th but instead went 7-7 in the conference, which was the second-best conference record in school-history, and finished tied for fifth. Last season, the Deacs were tabbed ninth in the preseason and would go on to tie for seventh at 5-9.
This season, under eighth-year head coach Mike Petersen, the Deacons return four starters, ten letterwinners and 80 percent of its scoring.
Miami was picked to win the conference for the first time since the school joined the conference in 2004. The Hurricanes, who earned 30 of a possible 40 first-place votes, are coming off the ultimate turnaround in which the squad finished 12th in 2009-10 and then tied with Duke for the ACC regular season crown one year later. This year the Canes return their complete starting five, including two of last year's All-ACC first-teamers in seniors Shenise Johnson and Riquna Williams.
Following Miami to round out the top five of the preseason selections is Duke with 10 first-place votes, Maryland, Florida State, and Georgia Tech. North Carolina was picked to finish sixth, followed by NC State, Virginia, Boston College, Wake Forest, Clemson and Virginia Tech.
The Preseason All-ACC Team is highlighted by the Miami senior guard tandem of Johnson and Williams. The two led the Canes to a 20-0 home record last season at the BankUnited Center. Johnson returns as the 2011-12 ACC Preseason Player of the Year. The senior was named the 2010-11 ACC Player of the Year, the first Hurricane player to win the award, and voted to last year's All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Defensive team. Johnson also earned spots on the Associated Press Third Team All-America, Full Court Press Second Team All-America, USBWA All-America and WBCA/State Farm All-America teams, as well as named a finalist for the John Wooden Award, given to the top player in women's college basketball.
The ACC Newcomer Watch list, which replaced the Preseason Rookie of the Year honor in 2010, highlights freshmen, true and redshirt, and transfers that are expected to make an immediate impact in the league. This year's Watch List includes Duke freshmen Elizabeth Williams (center) and Amber Henson (forward), Georgia Tech freshman guard Sydney Wallace, North Carolina freshman guard Brittany Roundtree and Clemson freshman guard/forward Natiece Ford. Duke's incoming class for this year marks the second-straight No. 1 recruiting class in the country for the Blue Devils.
The ACC preseason poll and the Watch Lists were announced as part of the ACC Women's Basketball Media Day at the Greensboro Coliseum. Head coach Mike Petersen along with graduate student Camille Collier and senior Brooke Thomas met with members of the media.
The Deacons will open the 2011-12 season on Nov. 15, when they host Monmouth at 6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
2011-12 Predicted Order of Finish
(First Place Votes)
1. Miami(30)
2. Duke (10)
3. Maryland
4. Florida State
5. Georgia Tech
6. North Carolina
7. NC State
8. Virginia
9. Boston College
10. Wake Forest
11. Clemson
12. Virginia Tech
Preseason Player of the Year
Shenise Johnson, Sr., G, Miami
2011-12 Preseason All-ACC Team
Cierra Bravard, Sr., F, Florida State
Shenise Johnson, Sr., G, Miami
Lynetta Kizer, Sr., C, Maryland
Alyssa Thomas, So., F, Maryland
Riquna Williams, Sr., G, Miami
2011-12 Newcomer Watch List
Elizabeth Williams, Fr., C, Duke
Amber Henson, Fr., F, Duke
Sydney Wallace, Fr., G, Georgia Tech
Brittany Roundtree, Fr., G, North Carolina
Natiece Ford, Fr., G/F, Clemson
