ACC Volleyball Preseason Picks Announced Wednesday

Aug. 3, 2005

Greensboro, NC – Clemson was selected to finish eighth for the upcoming ACC volleyball season, according to a vote by the league’s 12 head coaches. Duke was picked to finish atop the ACC after returning 10 players from a team that posted a 20-10 record in 2004.

Georgia Tech, a regional semifinalist in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, is predicted to finish second with 124 points, while Virginia is expected to finish third with 108 points. Four points separate Miami (4th – 100 points), Florida State (5th – 99), and North Carolina (6th – 96). Rounding out spots seven through 12 are defending ACC champions Maryland (72), Clemson (69), Virginia Tech and Wake Forest (41), Boston College (33), and N.C. State (17).

The Tigers were one of three ACC teams to reach the 20-win mark in 2004, as Clemson finished the season with a 20-14 ledger. It marked the first time since the 1999 season that the Tigers reached 20 wins in a season. Included in the victory total was an upset over top-seeded Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament, a team that had gone 16-0 in the regular season. Clemson returns three starters, including libero Anna Vallinch, and eight letterwinners from its 2004 squad.

The preseason All-ACC team was announced on Wednesday as well. Clemson outside hitter Brittany Ross was among those selected following an All-ACC Freshman campaign a year ago. Ross, a sophomore from Sunrise, FL, set a Tiger freshman record with 472 kills. She had 25 kills and hit .489 in the Tigers’ upset victory over the Yellow Jackets.

2005 ACC Volleyball Preseason PollTeam        Points        2004 Record1. Duke (8)        136        20-102. Georgia Tech (3)        124        27-73. Virginia (1)        108        19-114. Miami        100        17-95. Florida State        99        18-116. North Carolina        96        19-157. Maryland        72        18-158. Clemson        69        20-149. Virginia Tech        41        13-16     Wake Forest        41        13-1711. Boston College        33        20-1212. N.C. State        17        10-21

2005 ACC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team Amy Beaver, North Carolina Melissa Caldwell, Virginia Carrie DeMange, Duke Katie Esbrook, Virginia Tech Ali Hausfeld, Duke Tealle Hunkus, Duke Karla Johnson, Miami Sarah Kirkwood, Virginia Lindsey Laband, Georgia Tech Melissa Markowski, Virginia Tech Dani Nyenhuis, North Carolina Jennifer Randall, Georgia Tech Brittany Ross, Clemson Kristin Rust, Florida State Andreza Santos, Florida State Stephanie Smith, Maryland Ulrike Stegemann, Georgia Tech Rachel Wagener, Maryland