Charlotte, NC.- Earlier this evening, the Atlantic Coast Conference officially announced the Conference’s 2024-25 pre-season power rankings and All-Conference First and Second Teams.
In both categories, the University of Miami was properly represented, securing the 6th seed in the Conference Poll, and star G Nijel Pack was named as a Pre-Season First Team All-Conference selection.
Following a very disappointing 15-17 record during 2023 season, which featured a ten game losing streak at one point in the season, Miami hopes to get back into contention in college basketball’s most dominant conference. Each year, the ACC holds numerous bids to the NCAA Tournament, so a pre-season 6 seed sets the Hurricanes in very elite company.
ACC Preseason No. 6️⃣ pic.twitter.com/qL3N5OyS2g
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) October 15, 2024
The full poll released by the ACC consists of:
1. Duke (42), 956
2. North Carolina (11), 924
3. Wake Forest (1), 800
4. Clemson, 765
5. Virginia, 743
6. Miami, 659
7. Pitt, 636
8. NC State, 550
9. Louisville, 518
10. Notre Dame, 462
11. Syracuse, 454
12. Georgia Tech, 433
13. SMU, 344
14. Virginia Tech, 252
15. Florida State, 251
16. California, 206
17. Stanford, 165
18. Boston College, 116
*Parenthesis denotes First Place votes
ACC Men's Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish for the 2024-2025 season.
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) October 15, 2024
🔗 https://t.co/eeqt3A16xE pic.twitter.com/EQIwU35E1H
As for the Hurricanes’ lone All-Conference selection, Nijel Pack, the 6 foot guard started all 25 games last season, and recorded 13 PPG and shot 40% (36% 3 PT). Pack is the sole returner from the Hurricanes’ Final 4 run during the 2022-23 season. Nijel Pack hopes to use his veteran leadership to spark an all new ‘Canes squad into ACC dominance.
2️⃣4️⃣ has been named to the Preseason All-ACC First Team 🙌 @NijelPack24 pic.twitter.com/7q0nFhaChU
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) October 15, 2024
The full ACC Pre-Season All-Conference Teams consist of:
Preseason All-ACC Team
First Team
RJ Davis, North Carolina, 54 (Unanimous)
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest, 52
Cooper Flagg, Duke, 52
Markus Burton, Notre Dame, 41
Nijel Pack, Miami, 37
Second Team
Ian Schieffelin, Clemson, 36
Chase Hunter, Clemson, 31
Jamir Watkins, Florida State, 26
Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech, 21
Ishmael Leggett, Pitt, 20
Preseason ACC Player of the Year
RJ Davis, North Carolina, 40 votes
Cooper Flagg, Duke, 10
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest, 3
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford, 1
Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year
Cooper Flagg, Duke, 53 votes
Jeremiah Wilkinson, California, 1
All-ACC Preseason First-Team 👏
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 15, 2024
North Carolina's RJ Davis is tabbed as ACC Preseason Player of the Year 🐏 pic.twitter.com/xfCSpLTQLz
The most surprising piece of the poll came from the Preseason Rookie of the Year, where former 5-Star Recruit Jalil Bethea (#7 National Recruit) did not receive a vote.
With tipoff of the 2024-25 season being just 20 days away, it’s time for the ‘Canes to remind the hoops world who they are.
Cover Photo Credits: ON3