Hurricanes Picked Fourth in ACC Preseason Poll; James Named to Preseason All-ACC Team

Hurricanes Picked Fourth in ACC Preseason Poll; James Named to Preseason All-ACC Team

Oct. 27, 2004

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Miami women’s basketball was picked fourth in the 2004-05 Preseason Atlantic Coast Conference polls released Wednesday, as voted on by members of the media at the annual ACC Media Day at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro, N.C.

Head Coach Ferne Labati and the Hurricanes, who will make their debut as members of the in the 11-team ACC in 2004-05, were picked to fourth behind first-place North Carolina, second-place Duke and third-place Maryland.

Fellow ACC newcomers Virginia Tech were picked to finished fifth followed by Virginia at sixth and NC State at seventh. Clemson and Florida State tied for the ninth place and Georgia Tech and Wake Forest rounded out the list at 10th and 11th, respectively.

Attending media also named junior forward Tamara James to the 2004-05 Preseason All-ACC Team. James, a two-time All-BIG EAST selection, has led the Hurricanes in scoring in each of her two seasons at UM and last year became only the 17th player in Miami history to score 1,000 career points.

James was selected to a five-player team that included Monique Currie of Duke, Shay Doron of Maryland and Ivory Latta and Camille Little of North Carolina. Currie was also tabbed the ACC Preseason Player of the Year while Maryland’s Cyrstal Langhorne was named the Preseason Rookie of the Year.

James will join seven letterwinners on a Hurricane team that posted an overall record of 22-7 last year while advancing to NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

The Hurricanes will hold their first exhibition of the season Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center before opening the season with Gardner-Webb Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center as part of the Miami Jam, a four-team tournament featuring Miami, Gardner-Webb, UCLA and TCU.

2004-05 PRESEASON POLL
1.North Carolina (20)
2.Duke (18)
3.Maryland (2)
4.Miami
5.Virginia Tech
6.Virginia
7.NC State
8-t.Clemson
8-t.Florida State
10. Georgia Tech
11. Wake Forest

2004-05 PRESEASON ALL-ACC TEAM
Monique Currie, Duke
Shay Doron, Maryland
Tamara James, Miami
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Camille Little, North Carolina

2004-05 PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Monique Currie, Duke

2004-05 PRESEASON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland