Louisville Picked Second in ACC Preseason Poll, Hailey Van Lith Named All-ACC
Press Release from the University of Louisville:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville sophomore guard Hailey Van Lith has been selected to the 2021-22 Preseason All-ACC Team, while freshman guard Payton Verhulst has been named to the Newcomer Watch List.
In addition, the Cardinals were picked second in the league after claiming four consecutive regular season titles. The Cardinals received seven first-place votes from the Blue Ribbon Panel for a total of 789 points and one first-place vote from the head coaches to finish with 207 points.
Van Lith started every game for Louisville last season en route to being named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. She was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team, All-ACC Academic Team and twice was named ACC Freshman of the Week.
She ranked third on the team with 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, while chipping in 2.1 assists per game. She shot 49-128 (.383) from 3-point range and 44-53 (.830) from the free throw line.
Verhulst was USA Today National Female Athlete of the Year, Kansas’ Girls Basketball Player of the Year and overall Female Athlete of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.
Over the summer, she helped USA Basketball Women's U19 Team win gold at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary. She contributed three points, six rebounds and two assists in the 70-52 win over Australia in the final.
Louisville is picked second in the ACC behind first-place NC State. The Cardinals and Wolfpack were the only two schools to receive first-place votes in the Blue Ribbon and Coaches' polls.
The Cardinals host an exhibition at the KFC Yum! Center against Union University (Tenn.) on Thursday, Nov. 4. They open the 2021-22 campaign against defending NCAA runner-up Arizona in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Friday, Nov. 12.
ACC Women’s Basketball 2021 Preseason Poll
Head Coaches & Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Player of the Year
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team (57 voters)
Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F (1)
Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, Sr., F (1)
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech, Sr., G
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G (1)
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State Jr., G (1)
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C (42)
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame, So., F
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C (10)
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G (1)
() Indicates preseason player of the year votes
Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List
Payton Verhulst, Louisville, Fr., G
Teonni Key, North Carolina, Fr., F
Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Blue Ribbon Panel Predicted Order of Finish (57 voters)
NC State (50) - 847 points
Louisville (7) - 789
Georgia Tech - 691
Virginia Tech - 644
Florida State - 607
Notre Dame - 580
North Carolina - 488
Duke - 464
Miami - 355
Clemson - 324
Boston College - 297
Wake Forest - 250
Syracuse - 227
Pitt - 160
Virginia - 117
() Indicates first-place votes
Head Coaches Preseason All-ACC Team
Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F
Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, Sr., F
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech, Sr., G
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville, So., G
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State Jr., G
Elissa Cunane, NC State, Sr., C (13)
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame, So., F
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C (2)
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech, Gr., G
() Indicates preseason player of the year votes
Head Coaches Newcomer Watch List
Celeste Taylor, Duke, Jr., G
Payton Verhulst, Louisville, Fr., G
Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, Fr., G
Head Coaches Predicted Order of Finish
NC State (14) - 224 points
Louisville (1) - 207
Georgia Tech - 192
Virginia Tech - 172
Florida State - 152
Notre Dame - 149
North Carolina - 127
Duke - 125
Miami - 92
Clemson - 83
Boston College - 78
Syracuse - 60
Wake Forest - 59
Pitt - 47
Virginia - 33
(Photo of Hailey Van Lith: Jared Anderson via ACC Pool)
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