Here is the latest ACC sports news from The Associated Press
UNDATED (AP) — For the second consecutive year, Caitlin Clark of Iowa is a unanimous pick for The Associated Press preseason All-America team in women’s basketball. Clark led Iowa to the NCAA championship game for the first time in school history where the Hawkeyes lost to Angel Reese and LSU. Reese is also on the team along with Elizabeth Kitley of Virginia Tech, Cameron Brink of Stanford, Paige Bueckers of UConn and Mackenzie Holmes of Indiana.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson will be without starters wide receiver Antonio Williams and safety R.J. Mickens when it faces North Carolina State on Saturday. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney says Williams hurt a toe last weekend against Miami. Williams had missed the previous three games because of an ankle injury. Mickens felt a stomach ache that turned out to be appendicitis and had his appendix removed Monday. Swinney said both players might be out a few weeks as they recover. Williams has started three games this season while Mickens has started all seven for the 4-3 Tigers.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball race will have no shortage of returning top scorers and all-conference performers. Eight of the league’s 10 all-ACC first-team picks from last year are back for 2023-24. The league also returns 12 of its top 15 scorers. That group is led by reigning ACC rookie of the year Ta’Niya Latson of No. 18 Florida State. The list includes two-time reigning league player of the year Elizabeth Kitley for No. 8 Virginia Tech. The amount of returning talent prompted Georgia Tech coach Nell Fortner to say the ACC is “not for the faint of heart.”
UNDATED (AP) — No. 2 Duke and No. 13 Miami are the headliners in the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball race to start the season. The Blue Devils have a preseason Associated Press All-American in big man Kyle Filipowski among four returning starters. Duke also adds a top-tier recruiting class. The Blue Devils won their league-record 22nd ACC Tournament title last year in their debut season under Jon Scheyer. But the Hurricanes made the league’s deepest March push by reaching their first Final Four. No. 19 North Carolina is the only other ranked team in a league with three new coaches.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Second-ranked Duke is opening Year 2 under Jon Scheyer with four returning starters and a top-tier recruiting class. The Blue Devils won a league-record 22nd Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title last season in Scheyer’s debut run. Big man Kyle Filipowski and point guard Tyrese Proctor headline the list of returnees. Duke also boasts 247sports’ No. 2-ranked recruiting class nationally. Duke’s schedule features marquee nonconference opponents like No. 4 Michigan State, No. 12 Arizona, No. 14 Arkansas and No. 20 Baylor. The Blue Devils open Nov. 6 against Dartmouth and close at home against 19th-ranked rival North Carolina on March 9.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina coach Hubert Davis has overhauled his roster for his third year leading the 19th-ranked Tar Heels. UNC returns veterans Armando Bacot and RJ Davis. Butthe Tar Heels have five transfers among seven newcomers. That comes after UNC became the first team to open at No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press poll last season and miss the NCAA Tournament since its 1985 expansion. The new additions include Notre Dame guard Cormac Ryan and Stanford forward Harrison Ingram. UNC opens the season Nov. 6 against Radford. The Tar Heels close the schedule against No. 2 Duke on March 9.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — To help reload after last season’s run to the Final Four, Miami coach Jim Larrañaga had to make a couple of recruiting trips into archrival territory. It paid off. Matthew Cleveland hit a deep desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to help Florida State pull off the comeback of the year and beat the Hurricanes in Coral Gables last season. He is wearing a Miami uniform now. He will join returning starters Norchad Omier, Nigel Pack and Wooga Poplar for a team that opens the season No. 13 in the AP Top 25.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville escaped NCAA sanctions but followed with a historically bad 4-28 season that left nowhere to go but up. Second-year Cardinals coach Kenny Payne took major step in that direction by landing a top-10 recruiting class, sparked encouragement about making that finish a distant memory. The Cardinals welcome eight players to go with guard Mike James and forwards Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and JJ Traynor. There’s also backcourt depth and a couple of big post players. Ball protection is a big concern after ranking near the bottom nationally. Louisville opens the season on Nov. 6 against UMBC.