Elissa Cunane, NC State
NC State was tabbed as the WER preseason favorite in the ACC women's basketball, taking home the top spot in the 2021-22 WER preseason poll as voted on by the WER Poll Committee.
NC State has finished in the top three of the conference each of the last three seasons, most recently winning back-to-back ACC Championship titles in 2020 and 2021.
NC State tops the order of finish, with Louisville, Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech rounding out the top half the league. Syracuse, Wake Forest, Clemson, Miami, Pitt, Boston College, and Virginia round out the bottom half.
NC State's Elissa Cunane was voted as the World Exposure Report ACC Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Cunane, averaged a team-leading 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and finished second in the ACC for field-goal percentage (.533).
Joining Cunane on the WER All-ACC Preseason First Team are Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech; Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech; Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State; Hailey Van Lith, Louisville; Taylor Soule, Boston College; Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech; and Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech.
The WER Preseason Second Team All-ACC is comprised of Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame; Olivia Miles, Notre Dame; Delicia Washington, Clemson; Gabby Elliott, Clemson; Jewel Spear, Wake Forest; Diamond Johnson, NC State; Emily Engstler, Louisville; and Elizabeth Balogun, Duke.
2021-22 ACC Women's Basketball WER Preseason Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) | Points |
1. NC State (6) | 78 |
2. Louisville (5) | 72 |
3. Duke (1) | 65 |
4. North Carolina | 62 |
5. Notre Dame | 46 |
6. Florida State | 43 |
7. Georgia Tech | 40 |
8. Virginia Tech | 38 |
9. Syracuse | 30 |
10. Wake Forest | 29 |
11. Clemson | 25 |
12. Miami | 20 |
13. Pitt | 19 |
14. Boston College | 17 |
15. Virginia | 15 |
Preseason Players of the Year
Elisse Cunane, NC State
Preseason Coach of the Year
Kara Lawson, Duke
Preseason Assistant Coach of the Year
Sam Purcell, Louisville
John Marcum, Syracuse
Preseason International Player of the Year
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
Preseason Junior College Transfer of the Year
Daisha Bradford, Clemson
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech
Elisse Cunane, NC State
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville
Taylor Soule, Boston College
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Delicia Washington, Clemson
Gabby Elliott, Clemson
Jewel Spear, Wake Forest
Diamond Johnson, NC State
Emily Engstler, Louisville
Elizabeth Balogun, Duke
Newcomer Watch List
Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke
Payton Verhulst, Louisville
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame
Alexia Mobley, Louisville
Sophia Hart, NC State
Teonni Key, North Carolina
Morasha Wiggins, North Carolina