Cavaliers Picked First in ACC Preseason Poll
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia was selected first by a vote of the media in the ACC Operation Basketball 2020-21 Preseason Poll, announced Wednesday (Nov. 11).
The Cavaliers were named the Preseason ACC favorite for the first time since 1982-83 and second time in the 52-year history of the league poll.
Virginia was followed Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Louisville in the top five.
ACC preseason voters selected Syracuse sixth, followed by Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech and Clemson. Virginia Tech was picked 11th, while Notre Dame, Pitt, Boston College and Wake Forest rounded out the voting.
The Cavaliers’ Sam Hauser (Stevens Point, Wis.) joined preseason ACC Player of the Year Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), Scottie Barnes (Florida State), Jalen Johnson (Duke), Aamir Simms (Clemson) and Chris Lykes (Miami) on the preseason All-ACC first team.
UVA point guard Kihei Clark (Woodland Hills, Calif.) was joined on the preseason All-ACC second team by David Johnson (Louisville), Jose Alvarado (Georgia Tech), M.J. Walker (Florida State) and Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke).
No. 4 Virginia opens the regular season Wednesday, Nov. 25 vs. Maine at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
ACC Operation Basketball 2020-21 Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team & Points
1. Virginia (97), 2214
2. Duke (34), 2146
3. Florida State (15), 1973
4. North Carolina (7), 1933
5. Louisville (2), 1693
6. Syracuse, 1234
7. Miami, 1223
8. NC State, 1149
9. Georgia Tech, 1147
10. Clemson, 1057
11. Virginia Tech, 794
12. Notre Dame, 769
13. Pitt, 635
14. Boston College, 404
15. Wake Forest, 229
First-place votes in parentheses; 155 total voters
Preseason All-ACC Team
First Team
Name, School, Points
Garrison Brooks, North Carolina, 137
Sam Hauser, Virginia, 89
Scottie Barnes, Florida State, 59
Jalen Johnson, Duke, 52
Aamir Simms, Clemson, 50
Chris Lykes, Miami, 50
Second Team
David Johnson, Louisville, 46
Jose Alvarado, Georgia Tech, 43
M.J. Walker, Florida State, 38
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 37
Wendell Moore Jr., Duke, 32
Preseason ACC Player of the Year
Name, School, Points
Garrison Brooks, North Carolina, 102
Sam Hauser, Virginia, 24
M.J. Walker, Florida State, 10
Wendell Moore Jr., Duke, 7
Aamir Simms, Clemson, 5
Matthew Hurt, Duke, 3
Chris Lykes, Miami, 3
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 1
Preseason ACC Freshman of the Year
Name, School, Points
Scottie Barnes, Florida State, 64
Jalen Johnson, Duke, 60
Caleb Love, North Carolina, 9
Day’Ron Sharpe, North Carolina, 6
DJ Steward, Duke, 4
Reece Beekman, Virginia, 3
Jeremy Roach, Duke, 3
RJ Davis, North Carolina, 3
Mark Williams, Duke, 2
Cam Hayes, NC State, 1