Syracuse basketball picked to finish 9th in 2025-26 ACC preseason media poll

The ACC Tuesday announced the results of its various preseason basketball media polls, including the order of finish, player and newcomer of the year. While the Orange were picked ninth preseason, the media selected Duke as the favorite to win the league title.

October 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; The third floor lobby area of the Uptown Hilton Hotel, leading to the ACC Tipoff media event activities for men's and women's basketball. Mandatory Credit: Brad Bierman, The Juice Online-On SI | Brad Bierman, The Juice Online-On SI

It was no surprise that Duke was the top choice among media covering the ACC as the preseason favorite to win the conference title. The Blue Devils are the preseason favorite in the league for the 10th time in the last 13 seasons, and are preseason ranked 6th nationally.

Syracuse, with just about a complete roster overhaul from last season, was ninth among the 18 ACC teams. There's not too much to quibble about when you look at the teams just ahead of the Orange, Miami and Clemson, and the two teams picked just behind SU being Notre Dame and Wake Forest, all pretty even programs heading into the season.

Syracuse's J.J. Starling receives several preseason accolades

The Orange's leading returning scorer is primed for a big senior season, and it was reflected in the preseason award balloting. '

The SU off-guard was named to the All-ACC preseason second-team, and was fourth in preseason player of the year balloting behind N.C. State's (transfer) Darrion Williams, Duke's Cameron Boozer, and Notre Dame's Markus Burton.

Cameron Boozer was also named the league's top rookie heading into the season, one of four first-year players receiving votes, none of whom were on the Syracuse roster.

Duke dominates the preseason media vote

The 49 person voting panel was comprised of media members from each league market, as selected by the school's media relations staffs, although the overall geographic makeup was not identified.

Duke received 34 of the 49 first-place votes, accumulating 866 total points. Ranked No. 11 nationally in the preseason AP poll, Louisville took second in the ACC preseason predictions with the remaining 15 first-place votes and 842 total points. North Carolina, No. 25 nationally in the AP preseason rankings, was third in the ACC poll with 741 points.

2025 ACC Preseason Poll (school/total points)

1. Duke (34), 866

2. Louisville (15), 842

3. North Carolina, 741

4. NC State, 710

5. Virginia, 623

6. SMU, 616

7. Clemson, 510

8. Miami, 500

9. Syracuse, 489

10. Notre Dame, 477

11. Wake Forest, 412

12. Virginia Tech, 355

13. Georgia Tech, 315

14. Pitt, 301

15. Florida State, 221

16. California, 156

17. Stanford, 138

18. Boston College, 107

(First place votes in parenthesis)

2025-26 Preseason All-ACC Team-First Team/Votes

Cameron Boozer, Duke, 46

Markus Burton, Notre Dame, 46

Darrion Williams, NC State, 45

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville, 36

Ryan Conwell, Louisville, 36

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