Defending champions North Carolina were picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title for the third straight season. The Tar Heels, which finished at No. 11 in the final AVCA Poll after advancing to the Sweet 16.
Eleven members of that 29-4 team are back, including three players chosen for the preseason All-ACC team: middle blocker/opposite Taylor Fricano, and outside hitters Taylor Leath and Julia Scoles. Leath was a second team All-American and the ACC’s Player of the Year in 2016, while Scoles was an honorable mention selection after earning the conference’s Freshman of the Year nod. The team also brought in three freshmen and one transfer for the 2017 campaign.
Florida State, which checked in at No. 13 in the final AVCA Poll after going 26-6 including a Sweet 16 berth, came in at No. 2 in the ACC preseason rankings.
FSU’s Milica Kubura (OH), Miami’s Olga Stantzali (OH) and Pitt’s Stephanie Williams (OH), who garnered honorable mention All-America honors in 2016, which each earned first team honors in 2016, also made the 18 member Preseason All-ACC squad.
Other returning members of the 2016 All-ACC team are: Leah Meyer (MB, Duke) and Julia Brown (OH; NC State).
Returning second team honorees were: Tess Clark (MB/OH, Louisville); Molly Sauer (L, Louisville); Fricano (MB/Opp.; North Carolina); Sam Fry (MB, Notre Dame); Caroline Holt (S, Notre Dame); and Kamalani Akeo (S, Pitt).
2017 ACC Preseason Poll
1. North Carolina (14 of 15 first place votes – 196 points)
2. Florida State (169)
3. Pitt (168)
4. Notre Dame (149)
5. NC State (140)
6. Miami (136)
7. Duke (118)
8. Louisville (104)
9. Georgia Tech (99)
10. Syracuse (75)
11. Wake Forest (69)
12. Virginia Tech (54)
13. Virginia (50)
14. Boston College (28)
15. Clemson (20)
2017 Preseason All-ACC team
Leah Meyer, Jr., MB, Duke
Milica Kabura, Sr., OH, Florida State
Gabriela Stavnetchei, Sr., OH, Georgia Tech
Tess Clark, Sr., MB/ OH, Louisville
Molly Sauer, Jr., L, Louisville
Olga Strantzali, Sr., OH, Miami
Haley Templeton, R-Jr., S, Miami
Taylor Fricano, Sr., MH/ OP, North Carolina
Taylor Leath, Jr., OH, North Carolina
Julia Scoles, So., OH, North Carolina
Bree Bailey, GS, OH, NC State
Julia Brown, Sr., OH, NC State
Sam Fry, Sr., MB, Notre Dame
Caroline Holt, Sr., S, Notre Dame
Kamalani Akeo, Jr., S, Pitt
Stephanie Williams, R-So., OH, Pitt
Santita Ebangwese, Jr., MB, Syracuse
Kylie Long, Sr., OH, Wake Forest
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