2024-25 ACC preview

• The ACC has posted 130 wins in the NCAA Tournament since 2014, the most among all conferences.
• At least one ACC team has advanced to the Elite Eight in each of the past 22 NCAA Tournaments, the longest streak of any conference.
• In the last six NCAA Tournaments, ACC teams have earned 48 selections, the most of any conference.
• Since 2019, four different ACC teams have advanced to the Final Four – a figure that doesn’t include Stanford’s national title in 2021, or its appearance in 2022.
• Fourteen of last season’s 20 All-ACC selections are back this year.

The ACC hasn’t won a national title in women’s college basketball since Arike Ogunbowale worked her magic for Notre Dame in 2018. And while Elizabeth Kitley won three straight ACC Player of the Year awards – a feat matched by only Alyssa Thomas and Alana Beard – the league has lacked the star power enjoyed recently by the Big Ten and SEC with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. And the ACC hasn’t had a dominant Death Star in it like South Carolina or UConn that captures the attention of the country.

But in terms of depth, competitiveness and overall talent? It’s easy to argue that there’s none better than the ACC. And it just got even deeper and more competitive – in women’s basketball, anyways – with the additions of Stanford, Cal and SMU.

“The game has never been better and more exciting. I think last year’s NCAA Tournament attendance and NCAA Tournament viewership said a lot where women’s basketball has gone,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told reporters at ACC media day. “Certainly, our conference, to me, is the premier women’s basketball conference, but we want to hold up that trophy at the end of the year. I am really proud of how we built that. It really isn’t a time to back off on what we’re doing and the support we’re providing for women’s basketball. It’s really a chance for us to double down, and that’s what we’ve tried to do in the offseason working with our partners.”

The ACC this season has three new teams, a rejiggered scheduling format and four first-year head coaches. Eight teams from this league made the Big Dance last season, and it’s conceivable that as many as 10 could make it this year.

Virginia Tech won the regular season title last year, Notre Dame raised the tournament trophy in Greensboro, and N.C. State made a run to the Final Four. No other league can brag about that variance of success either.

“The reason the ACC is maybe the best conference in the country women’s basketball-wise is because of the talent. We have so many great players in this league,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore told reporters at ACC media day. “Every night you’re going to be going up against some of the best.”

Unless otherwise hyperlinked, player statistics are from Sports-Reference, Her Hoop Stats or team media notes. Looking for a specific team? Click the links below to skip to your favorites.

Boston College | Cal | Clemson | Duke | Florida State | Georgia Tech | Louisville | Miami | North Carolina | N.C. State | Notre Dame | Pitt | SMU | Stanford | Syracuse | Virginia | Virginia Tech | Wake Forest

Boston College

Coach: Joanna Bernabei-McNamee (Seventh Season)

Record last season: 14-19

The buzz: Boston College would’ve made the NCAA Tournament in 2020 had it not been canceled because of COVID-19, and they were left on the wrong side of the bubble in 2022 with a 10-8 conference record. Ifs, ands and buts aside though, the Eagles have yet to appear in March Madness during the six-season tenure of Joanna Bernabei-McNamee. Is this season, on the heels of back-to-back losing campaigns, a make-or-break one for her and the Eagles? It’s unclear. While other programs have made their expectations for their women’s basketball program known with their investments or statements, Boston College really hasn’t. If there’s a glass-half-full outlook for this team, it begins with the fact that the Eagles return all five starters and added a 6’4 grad transfer in Kennedi Jackson from Charleston Southern. But is this team, largely made up of the same roster that went 5-13 in the ACC last season, going to be good enough to get the Eagles into the Big Dance?

Keep an eye on: Dontavia Waggoner is back with Boston College for what will be her fifth and final year of college basketball. A season ago, she was one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, totaling 99 steals – which was ninth-best in the nation and a single-season record for the Eagles. She’s on pace to break the program steals record this season.

They said it: “I think our athleticism is a strength this year and our speed. I think the things we have to continue to get better at from a technical standpoint, basketball-wise, is understanding passing up maybe a good shot for a great shot, and then also rebounding. We have to continue to hone our defensive rebounding.” – Joanna Bernabei-McNamee

Cal

Coach: Charmin Smith (Sixth Season)

Record last season: 19-15

The buzz: The Golden Bears seemed to take a step forward last year, the fifth for Charmin Smith, winning 19 games overall and seven in the Pac-12. Cal swept Washington, Washington State and Oregon, won a game in the Pac-12 tournament and notched a win in the WBIT. Cal brings back three starters from last year’s squad that set the program record for 3-pointers made in a single season with 282, and bolstered the roster with four transfers and three freshmen – two of which are ESPN-ranked top 100 recruits. We should find out early if Cal is going to take another step forward, as the Golden Bears will play five teams from last season’s NCAA Tournament in the non-conference slate before opening ACC play (what a weird thing to say) against Stanford on Dec. 13.

Keep an eye on: Ioanna Krimili set several records at San Francisco before coming to Cal in the 2023 offseason. Last year, she missed nine games and still tied for the Pac-12 lead in 3-pointers made with 47 during conference play. As the Golden Bears enter the ACC, look for Krimili to torch nets from coast to coast.

They said it: “We took scouting assignments over the summer and just divvied out the ACC teams. Then we brought the scouts back and watched film. We wanted to really have a good understanding. I know Duke. I know North Carolina. I know Notre Dame. We see them a lot. Louisville. The other teams, like, is this a pressing league, a zone league. We did a lot of research and scouting prep over the summer to make sure that we were moving into the preseason getting ready the right way.” – Charmin Smith

---

Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%

Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his next book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.

If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.

---

Clemson

Coach: Shawn Poppie (First Season)

Record last season: 12-19

The buzz: The Tigers finished with a losing record in ACC play and missed the NCAA Tournament for a fifth consecutive season, and so the Amanda Butler tenure in upstate South Carolina came an end. To replace her, Clemson pulled Shawn Poppie away from Chattanooga, a coach who knows the ACC and South Carolina well. Before leading Chattanooga to back-to-back SoCon titles and NCAA Tournament berths, he helped Kenny Brooks build up Virginia Tech into an ACC power, working as an assistant and then associate head coach under him in Blacksburg from 2016 to 2022. Before joining the Hokies, Poppie was an assistant at Palmetto State mid-majors Furman and USC Upstate, and played at Division II Limestone. Poppie, the 2023 Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year, spent the offseason basically rebuilding Clemson’s roster from scratch, bringing in one freshman and 10 transfers, including five from Chattanooga and two with ACC experience in former North Carolina forward Anya Poole and former Georgia Tech guard Loyal McQueen. Expect Poppie’s Tigers to emphasize a 3-and-D style of play. Last season, Clemson had one player shoot better than 36% from deep. This season, they have five.

Keep an eye on: Hannah Kohn is a sophomore who followed Poppie from Chattanooga to Clemson. Last season, she shot 45.9% from 3-point land – good enough for 19^th in the nation – in 19 minutes off the bench. Whether she starts or plays a role as a key reserve, expect her to be a spark plug for the Tigers’ offense.

They said it: “Clemson women’s basketball is going to play completely different than it has in the last couple of years. We’re trying to get into that conversation of, ‘Wow, it’s going to be tough to get into Littlejohn and get a W.’” – Shawn Poppie

Duke

Coach: Kara Lawson (Fifth Season)

Record last season: 22-12

The buzz: Consistency is beginning to emerge out of the Kara Era in Durham. For the second straight season, the Blue Devils won 20 or more games and advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Greensboro. What’s more, for the first time since 2018, Duke made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and threw every punch it had at UConn in a hard-fought eight-point loss. This season, the Blue Devils return four starters and seven of nine players from last year who played north of 12 minutes per game. Additionally, after a year off to recover from an injury, senior guard Vanessa de Jesus is back. This unit is bolstered by Maryland transfer Riley Nelson and one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country, headlined by Canadian dunking sensation Tony Fournier. Expect the Blue Devils to win more than 20 games again, and expect Lawson to go deep into her bench in attempt to smother and outrun teams.

Keep an eye on: Reigan Richardson is one of just two seniors on this roster and the only returner who averaged double figures in scoring last season. She broke out in the earlier rounds of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 25 against Richmond and 28 in an upset of Ohio State. Richardson also impressed against South Carolina in the regular season last year, knocking down five 3-pointers. She has emerged as the player the Blue Devils turn to when they really need a bucket.

They said it: “I think, for me, every summer I want to come back better. As a coach, you challenge your players every year, you know, come back better, and here are the ways that I want you to improve. That’s kind of hypocritical if you say that to them and you don’t do the same thing. This summer I feel like I grew as a coach. I feel like I came back better just in scheming, strategy, obviously reps in high-pressure situations, which we certainly had a lot of those at the Olympics.” – Kara Lawson

Florida State

Coach: Brooke Wyckoff (Fourth Season)

Record last season: 23-11

The buzz: FSU made the semifinals of the ACC Tournament last season, but then, for the fourth straight season, lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Is this the year Florida State makes a run to win meaningful games in March? Is Ta’Niya Latson primed to take a step forward in her development? This is a veteran-laden squad with zero freshmen and nine players who are in at least their third season of college basketball. Along with Latson, All-ACC First Team selection Makayla Timpson returns, as does dynamic guard O’Mariah Gordon.

Keep an eye on: Florida State brought in two junior college transfers this offseason in Morelia Chavez from Eastern Arizona Raiane Dias Dos Santos from Gulf Coast State College. Both players averaged double figures in scoring in the JUCO ranks while shooting better than 36% from 3-point range.

They said it: “Our expectations for ourselves are very, very high. … So, for us, we’re going for it all, and we’re working that way and practicing each and every day and have changed some things to make sure year pushing ourselves forward and ready to go deep in the tournament.” – Brooke Wyckoff

---

Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?

Subscribe now to our sister publication The IX and receive our independent women’s sports newsletter six days a week. Learn more about your favorite athletes and teams around the world competing in soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers.

Readers of The Next now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.

---

Georgia Tech

Coach: Nell Fortner (Sixth Season)

Record last season: 17-16

The buzz: Last season was widely viewed by many as Year 2 of a quick reshuffle and rebuild at Georgia Tech. A young Yellow Jackets’ squad won an ACC Tournament game and played in the WBIT, all good signs of taking a step forward. Now the question is, are the Yellow Jackets ready to make a push to get back into the Big Dance? Four starters – and 92% of the team’s scoring – are back, including three who averaged double figures in scoring in Tonie Morgan, Kara Dunn and Kayla Blackshear. Fortner also brought in a talented freshmen class that features three ESPN top 100 recruits, and fifth-year transfer Zoesha Smith from rival Georgia.

Keep an eye on: Tonie Morgan took a big step forward as a sophomore, increasing her field goal percentage by five points and 3-point percentage by six points, while also averaging about six more points, one more rebound and one more assist per game. She landed on the All-ACC Second Team last season while leading Georgia Tech in scoring, rebounding and assists, and was the only Yellow Jacket to start in all 33 games. She was one of just six players nationally to average at least 15 points, six rebounds and five assists per game last season.

They said it: “There is just not ever going to be any kind of an off night in this conference, but I like how we match up. I like the things that this team is capable of doing. It’s just a matter of being extremely confident in that and continuing to get better defensively in what we’re doing because you have to compete on the defensive end of the floor every time you get on the floor.” – Nell Fortner

Louisville

Coach: Jeff Walz (18^th Season)

Record last season: 24-10

The buzz: After being upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season by Middle Tennessee State, the youth movement has arrived for Jeff Walz – now the ACC’s longest-tenured head coach following the retirement of Miami’s Katie Meier – at Louisville. The Cardinals enter this season with eight true freshmen on the roster, three of whom rank in the top 25 of ESPN’s top 100 HoopGurlz. The rookie unit is headlined five-star guard Imari Berry, who flipped her commitment to Louisville after Amanda Butler was fired from Clemson (and Butler has since been hired to Walz’ staff), but the daughters of two former NBA All-Stars will get their fair share of attention too. Joining Berry is Mackenly Randolph, daughter of Zach, and Izela Arenas, daughter of Gilbert. Louisville also added Miami transfer Ja’Leah Williams to pair with six returners to the roster, including fifth-year forward Olivia Cochran.

Keep an eye on: Who will be Louisville’s primary point guard this season? The role might go to one of the highly touted freshmen. Consider this though: Last season was the first time since the 2009-10 campaign that the Cardinals didn’t have a player on the roster that averaged at least 2.5 assists per game. And the three who ranked highest in dimes for Louisville last season – Nina Rickards, Kiki Jefferson and Sydney Taylor – are all gone.

They said it: “There’s a lot of similarities. Everybody says I play just like my dad. But I’m starting to learn how to shoot over the basket, not through, and just stretching my game out, out to the three, and being able to create off the dribble.” – Mackenly Randolph

Miami

Coach: Tricia Cullop (First Season)

Record last season: 19-12

The buzz: After being left on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble last season, Katie Meier decided to call it quits as Miami’s all-time winningest coach in women’s or men’s basketball. After a thorough coaching search that Meier got involved with, the Hurricanes landed on Tricia Cullop to replace her. Cullop, who played at Purdue under Lin Dunn, comes to Coral Gables after spending 16 seasons at Toledo, where she turned the Rockets into a mid-major power, winning a WNIT title in 2011, three MAC regular season titles, and punching two tickets to the NCAA Tournament. Just once in Cullop’s 16 seasons did Toledo finish with a losing record. The Miami squad she takes over brings back just one starter in Jasmyne Roberts, but also welcomes back the Cavinder twins after a year away from basketball. Miami also brought in four transfers, including Notre Dame’s Nat Marshall, Mississippi State’s Darrione Rogers, Wichita State’s Daniela Abies and Michigan’s Cameron Williams.

Keep an eye on: The last time we saw Haley Cavinder play competitive basketball, she was a starter on the Miami team – alongside Roberts – that made the Elite Eight in 2023. After three seasons at Fresno State, Cavinder proved she could play at the ACC level, averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting a career-best 40.4% from 3-point range. If Cavinder is even better after a year away from the court, well, that’s only good news for the Canes.

They said it: “We want to be up-tempo. This group is in great shape. They want to run. We’ve got players that can really run the floor… We want to be a team that takes care of the basketball, finds high percentage shots and in that first seven seconds is looking to score first. If we don’t have something, we’re going to work it and find the best shot.” – Tricia Cullop

North Carolina

Coach: Courtney Banghart (Sixth Season)

Record last season: 20-13

The buzz: Expectations were high for the Tar Heels last season and they fell short of them, largely because of injuries. Ciera Toomey and Laila Hull missed the whole season, and three guards suffered season-ending knee injuries. In UNC’s final nine games, they played with just two scholarship guards. Still, UNC won 11 ACC games and a game in the NCAA Tournament before running into behemoth South Carolina in the Round of 32. In the offseason, the roster was reshuffled. Deja Kelly is gone and so are five other players, while Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski and Maria Gakdeng return. Through the portal, Banghart added a pair of guards in Richmond’s Grace Townsend and Arizona State’s Trayanna Crisp. On the recruiting trail, she brings in three ESPN Top 100 players in Blanca Thomas, Lanie Grant and Jordan Zubich. Toomey and Hull are healthy, and Kayla McPherson and Reniya Kelly are expected to be ready to go too. If the Tar Heels can stay healthy, this is a roster that – on paper – can play with anybody.

Keep an eye on: Here is a list of the players across women’s college basketball last season who shot at least 47% from the floor while averaging at least 12 points, nine rebounds and 3.5 assists per game: Alyssa Ustby. That’s it. That’s the list.

They said it: “We’ve had a tough time scoring the past few years, and the ball stuck at times, right? We’re now playing off of close-outs better, and we’re playing off of space because the ball is moving better. … We just have a lot more space now, and the ball moves much more fluidly… We have more fluid actions. We can play with more freedom in space.” – Courtney Banghart

---

Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine

Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.

---

N.C. State

Coach: Wes Moore (12^th Season)

Record last season: 31-7

The buzz: The Wolfpack shocked the world last season. After starting the year unranked – and picked to finish eighth in the ACC – they stormed their way to the Final Four, beating Tennessee, Stanford and Texas along the way before falling to South Carolina. It was just the second time in program history that N.C. State made the national semifinals, and the first time they had done so under Moore after knocking on the door for a few years. Now, the question is, can the Wolfpack get back there? The good news is that the Wolfpack return three All-ACC players in First Team selections Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers, and All-Freshman team honoree Zoe Brooks, plus another versatile starter in Madison Hayes. Where uncertainty lies for the Wolfpack is in the frontcourt. River Baldwin and Mimi Collins – top four on the team last season in both scoring and rebounding – are gone. It seemed that Moore initially expected Boston transfer Caitlin Weimar – the Patriot League Player of the Year last season – to fill Baldwin’s shoes, but the 6’4 forward is battling a health issue. Other options on the roster exist, from 6’6 Swedish freshman Tilda Trygger to former WAC Defensive Player of the Year Lizzy Williamson, but they are unproven. N.C. State will need its talented guards to pick up the slack in rebounding and interior defense until the frontcourt-by-committee is settled.

Keep an eye on: James took a big leap forward last season, increasing her scoring average by 10 points from her sophomore to junior years. She stepped it up another notch in the postseason, averaging 21 points per game across the Wolfpack’s eight contests in the ACC and NCAA tournaments. In March Madness, James also shot 19-of-38 from 3-point land, a 50% clip. The senior from Virginia Beach aims to be one of the conference’s top players this season.

They said it: “It’s still a work in progress as far as reloading the front court. I’ll be honest with you, we have some question marks there. We’ve got to have some players step up. We may play four guards some with the talent that we have at that position. … We’re probably going to be playing four guards quite a bit. Heck, we may play five guards.” – Wes Moore

Notre Dame

Coach: Niele Ivey (Fifth Season)

Record last season: 28-7

The buzz: Without All-American guard Olivia Miles last season, Notre Dame was just fine. The Irish won the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2019 and went to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season. A big reason why was the play of stellar freshman Hannah Hidalgo, who was voted ACC Tournament MVP, ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American by the AP. And now? Notre Dame gets to pair Hidalgo with a healthy Miles in the backcourt. Toss in Sonia Citron, Cassandre Prosper, All-Big East selection Liza Karlen from Marquette, 2024 ACC Most Improved Player Liatu King from Pitt and five-star recruit Kateryna Koval, and it’s easy to see why the Irish garnered 70 of 79 votes to win the ACC this season.

Keep an eye on: Olivia Miles was sixth nationally in assists per game in the 2022-23 season, dishing out 6.9 per game. As she shares ball-handling duties with Hidalgo – who had 5.5 assists per game last season – it’ll be worth watching how Miles’ stats are impacted.

They said it: “It’s going to be electric. I think everyone is going to be really excited to see those two play together. … You’re looking at two of the best in the business when it comes to running the point.” – Niele Ivey

Pitt

Coach: Tory Verdi (Second Season)

Record last season: 8-24

The buzz: Pitt enters Year 2 of the Tory Verdi era. Liatu King is gone, off to Notre Dame to chase glory in March Madness, but the Panthers bring back three of their top five scorers, including 3-point specialist Aislin Malcolm and leader in assists Marley Washenitz. But Verdi wasn’t idle in the offseason, bringing two freshmen and five transfers – each of whom has experience playing at the Power Four level. Khadija Faye is here after spending two seasons at Texas, and she’s joined by former Kentucky starters Brooklynn Miles and Amiya Jenkins, Clemson starter MaKayla Elmore and Colorado reserve Mikayla Johnson. Since joining the ACC, Pitt has finished with a winning record just once. Going .500 this season, or close to it, would be seen as a major step forward for the Panthers. Verdi turned Eastern Michigan and UMass into winning programs, but pulling off that same trick at Pitt would be a huge accomplishment.

Keep an eye on: Faye is the player that seems primed to have a starring role at Pitt this season. She was voted a captain by her teammates and has real big-game experience, helping Texas reach the Elite Eight last season. She started 27 games for the Longhorns as a junior and then reverted to a mostly off-the-bench role last season. Still, she had eight points, two steals and three rebounds in Texas’ Sweet 16 win over Gonzaga. She was also third in the Big 12 last season in free throws made per 40 minutes with 6.2.

They said it: “Everyone asks me, like, what’s the special ingredient? Like a special sauce? It’s extremely hard. Sometimes I shake my head and I think, Why did I do this for the third time? It starts with culture. You have to have great culture. If you don’t have great culture, it doesn’t matter how talented your roster is, you are not going to win.” – Tory Verdi

---

Your business can reach over 3 million women’s sports fans every single month!

Here at The Next and The IX, our audience is a collection of the smartest, most passionate women’s sports fans in the world. If your business has a mission to serve these fans, reach out to our team at editors@thenexthoops.com to discuss ways to work together.

---

SMU

Coach: Toyelle Wilson (Fourth Season)

Record last season: 14-16

The buzz: Toyelle Wilson had won everywhere she had been. At Prairie View A&M, she guided the Panthers to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. As an assistant at Baylor, she helped Kim Mulkey’s teams capture six Big 12 titles and a national championship in 2019. But turning around SMU has proven to be a bit more challenging. In three seasons in the American Athletic Conference, the Mustangs were 45-44 under Wilson without a winning mark in conference play. The task ahead will only get harder for Wilson and SMU as they begin their first season of ACC play. To help the Mustangs endure one of the deepest conferences in all of college basketball, Wilson brought in seven transfers, headlined by George Washington starter and All-A-10 selection Nya Robertson and Villanova starter Zanai Jones.

Keep an eye on: Chantae Embry is one of the few returners for the Mustangs this season after starting 21 games last year. She averaged 12.4 points per game, but showed a few times that she’s capable of filling up the box score, scoring 26 points against Memphis, 24 against Temple and 21 against South Florida.

They said it: “Our recruiting definitely changed. We had to get in the portal and really get kids that had that experience, that can score the ball. I think there’s nothing to substitute for experience.” – Toyelle Wilson

Stanford

Coach: Kate Paye (First Season)

Record last season: 30-6

The buzz: It has been an offseason of change for the mighty Stanford Cardinal. After exiting the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16, Cameron Brink went off to the WNBA, Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC, Hannah Jump graduated, the legendary Tar VanDerveer retired and Stanford is in a new conference. The next era of women’s basketball for the Cardinal will be led by Kate Paye, who takes the reins from VanDerveer after playing for her and then coaching under her for nearly two decades. Paye helped Stanford capture national titles as a player in 1992 and as an assistant coach in 2021. Two starters return for the Cardinal in Talana Lepolo, who led the team in field goal percentage (54.6) and assists (4.1) last season, and Elena Bosgana. In addition to three ESPN Top 100 recruits coming in as freshmen, Stanford also added Big Ten Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson and former Santa Clara guard Tess Heal.

Keep an eye on: At Santa Clara, a big part of Heal’s game was getting to the free throw line. She attempted 211 shots from the charity stripe – good enough for ninth in the country – and ranked sixth nationally in free throws made per game with 5.7. Deja Kelly is gone from this conference, but there’s still a player in the ACC that knows how to draw fouls with ease. Heal was also one of just five players nationally last season who averaged at least 19.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, joining the likes of Caitlin Clark and Hannah Hidalgo.

They said it: “Before Kate was my head coach, she was my guard coach. I think everything that I’ve learned as a guard came from her. Whether it be pace or directing my team or being a louder point guard. I think all of those things is what she’s helped me with.” – Talana Lepolo

Syracuse

Coach: Felisha Legette-Jack (Third Season)

Record last season: 24-9

The buzz: Since returning to her alma mater, Felisha Legette-Jack has led the Orange to back-to-back postseason appearances, making the WNIT Round of 16 in 2023, and the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament last year. Leading the way for Syracuse on the court in both of those seasons was Dyaisha Fair, who is now playing professionally. The big question on everyone’s mind now is, who steps up and takes the reins after the departure of the NCAA’s third all-time leading scorer? The Orange do return two full time starters in Georgia Woolley and Kyra Wood, along with significant contributors in Izabel Varejao and Saniaa Wilson. Additionally, Syracuse brings in top-ranked freshman Keira Scott and former ESPN Top 50 recruit Angelica Velez via transfer from LSU.

Keep an eye on: Woolley led the Orange in scoring six times last season and is poised to get more shot attempts this season. The senior, who was the MAC Freshman of the Year at Buffalo back in 2022 under Legette-Jack, averaged 13.8 points per game last season. Also, among Syracuse’s four freshmen, look out for Olivia Schmitt, a Staten Island native who led the EYBL in assists.

They said it: “We wanted it to stick with Dyaisha because not too many people were going to take it from her, but this team is going to be different. We’re going to move it and have plethora of shooters that can actually make the outside shot. We have bigs that run the floor that are really exciting to see. I think that to me, it’s going to be exciting because it’s a whole different style that we are going to play in the last five years that I have coached like.” – Felisha Legette-Jack

Virginia

Coach: Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (Third Season)

Record last season: 16-16

The buzz: The Cavaliers went .500 for the second season in a row, but nearly doubled their ACC win total from four to seven. Along the way, the ‘Hoos beat four teams that would end up in the NCAA Tournament, notching big victories over Florida State, North Carolina, Louisville and rival Virginia Tech. A star began to emerge for the Cavaliers too as freshman Kymora Johnson made the All-ACC Second Team and averaged 24.7 points per game across those four big wins. It was the first time since 2009 that Virginia beat four ranked opponents in a single season. The Cavaliers won a postseason game in the WBIT and set attendance records at John Paul Jones Arena. Johnson is one of seven returners and Coach Mox also sprinkled in four transfers and ESPN Top 100 recruit Breona Hurd.

Keep an eye on: Hawa Doumbouya and RyLee Grays are a pair of Power Four transfers that didn’t play a whole lot as freshmen last season. At Maryland, the 6’7 Doumbouya played just 3.5 minutes per game, while at North Carolina, Grays appeared in just five contests. If Coach Mox can turn the pair into serviceable frontcourt players, it’ll be a big boost for the Cavaliers.

They said it: “Obviously the natural next step would be the Big Dance, NCAA Tournament, this year, but just focusing on consistency and just the work that goes into it. That’s why we say grind now, shine later. We want to focus on the little details that go into being successful and getting this program to reach greatness and sustain it.” – Amaka Agugua-Hamilton

Virginia Tech

Coach: Megan Duffy (First Season)

Record last season: 25-8

The buzz: It’s a new era for the Hokies. The group that built this program into one that went to the Final Four in 2023 and capture the ACC regular season title last year – Kenny Brooks, Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore – is all gone, off to either Kentucky or the WNBA. Now it’s up to Megan Duffy to continue Virginia Tech’s recent history of winning, while also putting her own signature stamp on it. She inherited a roster that returned two starters in Rose Micheaux and Matilda Ekh, and a player who figures to start this season in redshirt sophomore Carleigh Wenzel. Duffy won big at Miami (Ohio) and Marquette, and brings a 70% career win percentage with her to Blacksburg, but the ACC presents a new challenge for the Notre Dame alum. Virginia Tech will carry a roster of just 11 players this season with six freshmen.

Keep an eye on: Matilda Ekh was one of the best 3-point shooters in the conference last season, ranking fourth in the ACC with a 41.1% success rate from long range. She also ranked 40^th nationally in offensive rating while averaging 10.4 points per game. With Kitley and Amoore gone, there’s going to be opportunities for Ekh to take and make more shots this season.

They said it: “Looking from afar I saw the community and fan base and College GameDay was in Blacksburg, and I wanted to be a part of that… They care about women’s basketball. They want to be with you through thick and thin. They have high expectations, which is great. When it’s like that, it makes you want to rise to the best level you can bring. I think those girls feel it.” – Megan Duffy

Wake Forest

Coach: Megan Gebbia (Third Season)

Record last season: 7-25

The buzz: After posting a .500 record in her first season, the Demon Deacons seemed to take a step back in Year 2 under Megan Gebbia, winning just two ACC games. However, for the fifth consecutive season, Wake Forest did win at least one ACC Tournament game in Greensboro. The Deacs return leading scorer, rebounder and passer Elise Williams, and also brink back a healthy Demeara Hinds back into the mix. A newcomer for Wake Forest this season is Tamia Jones, who averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 assists per game for SMU last season. The Deacs were hoping that American transfer Emily Johns could provide a boost too, but she’ll miss the season with an injury.

Keep an eye on: Rylie Theuerkauf played only 10 minutes per game last season for Wake Forest as a freshman, but in a European tour this summer she led the Deacs in scoring with 15.3 points per game across three contests. Freshman Aurora Sorbye stood out in Croatia and Greece too, averaging 7.3 assists per game.

They said it: “I’m hoping we are where we need to be in Year 3. This team is really solid from every position. We have depth this year which we haven’t had since I’ve been here. We have depth, experience, and grit to us that we want to get out there. We want to win. We want to figure out ways to win games that we haven’t been able to in the past.” – Megan Gebbia