Hokies picked 10th in ACC Preseason Poll

GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina, the recipient of 15 of the 42 first-place votes, was selected as the top preseason pick for the 2008-09 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball season, as determined by a vote of the newly formed Blue Ribbon Panel.

North Carolina returns three starters and 10 letterwinners from last year squad that finished the 2007-08 season with 33 wins, becoming just the fifth program in NCAA history to win at least 30 games in four or more consecutive seasons. Returning starters Rashanda McCants, Cetera DeGraffenreid and Heather Claytor give the Tar Heels a great deal of experience and talent coming into the season. In addition, head coach Sylvia Hatchell enters the season just 16 wins shy of becoming the fourth coach in NCAA Division I history to reach the 800 win plateau. Hatchell’s current career record of 784-275 in 33 seasons makes her the third-winningest active coach in Division I.

All-American and Nancy Lieberman Award winner Kristi Toliver, who highlights a group of eight All-ACC returnees for the league, was named the 2008-09 Preseason Player of the Year. After breaking the 30-year-old ACC single-season assists record (275) in 2007-08, Toliver needs just three assists to break the Maryland career mark, which has stood since 1983. She enters the 2008-09 campaign having handed out 581 for her career.

Joining the 5-7 guard on the ACC Preseason Team is teammate Marissa Coleman, North Carolina’s Rashanda McCants, Duke’s Chante Black and Virginia’s Monica Wright.

McDonald’s, Parade and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) High School All-American Lynetta Kizer headlines the Maryland 2008 recruiting class. The 6-3 center and four-year letterwinner at Potomac High School, was named the 2008-09 Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year.

The Tar Heels’ first-place preseason selection is their sixth in ACC history and the first in the last four years.

The Blue Ribbon Panel, beginning in the 2008-09 season, consists of national and local media members, as well as school representatives. In addition to the league’s preseason poll, the panelists will vote on weekly honors and postseason All-Conference teams.