Women's Hoops Picked Third in ACC

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Seminoles.com) – The Florida State Women’s Basketball team has been picked to finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference as selected by both the Blue Ribbon Panel and the league’s 15 head coaches on Wednesday morning.

The Seminoles, who boast a 27-5 record in conference play over the last two years, earned first-place votes in each of the polls. The Blue Ribbon Panel that consists of media covering the conference gave FSU two first-place votes, while earning one by the head coaches.

The top seven went in the same pattern in both polls, with Notre Dame predicted to win the conference. Louisville followed in second, then FSU, national runner-up Syracuse, Miami, Duke and NC State.

In the Blue Ribbon Panel, UNC was selected eighth, followed by Georgia Tech, Virginia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Clemson. The ACC head coaches chose Georgia Tech eighth, then UNC, Virginia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Pittsburgh and Clemson.

Senior point guard Leticia Romero and junior forward Shakayla Thomas were each chosen to both 10-member preseason All-ACC teams. Junior centerChatrice White was selected to each of the five-member newcomer watch lists that include freshmen and transfers in their first year of eligibility.

Romero returns as one of the most decorated players in collegiate women’s basketball, being the nation’s only returning basketball student-athlete who medaled in the 2016 Summer Olympics. The Las Palmas, Spain, native is a two-time All-American looking to earn her third this season, which would be a first in FSU program history. She enters her senior year with career averages of 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists.

Thomas has won consecutive ACC Sixth Player of the Year awards, proving to be one of the most athletic players in the country. The Sylacauga, Ala., native was an All-American as a sophomore when she led the Seminoles with 16.4 points per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor. Thomas made 227 field goals as a sophomore, the fifth-most in a single season at FSU, while totaling eight 20-point games.

White is expected to be among the best post players in the ACC, coming to FSU with a long list of accolades in her two years at Illinois. The Shelby, Neb., native ranked in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in five categories as a sophomore, leading the conference with 18 double-doubles. The versatile center can also step outside and hit the 3-pointer, making 56 triples with the Illini.

Louisville junior forward Myisha Hines-Allen was named the league’s preseason player of the year in both polls.

Season tickets for the 2016-17 season are also on sale. Tickets are once again very affordable and come with excellent perks for both reserved section and general admission seat holders. Find out more information on season tickets by going onto Seminoles.com or by calling the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at 1-888-FSU-NOLE.

Predicted Order of Finish (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
1. Notre Dame, 795 (44 first place votes)
2. Louisville, 758 (8 first place votes)
3. Florida State, 674 (2 first place votes)
4. Syracuse, 646
5. Miami, 584
6. Duke, 516
7. NC State, 479
8. North Carolina, 415
9. Georgia Tech, 376
10. Virginia, 296
11. Wake Forest, 264
12. Virginia Tech, 224
13. Pittsburgh, 209
14. Boston College, 176
15. Clemson, 68

Preseason Player of the Year (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel): Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville

Preseason All-ACC Team (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Jr., G, Duke
Leticia Romero, Sr., G, Florida State 
Shakayla Thomas, Jr., G, Florida State
Asia Durr, So., G, Louisville
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Mariya Moore, Jr., F, Louisville
Adrienne Motley, Sr., G, Miami
Lindsay Allen, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Brianna Turner Jr., F, Notre Dame
Alexis Peterson, Sr., G, Syracuse

Newcomer Watch List (as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel)
Lexie Brown, Jr., G, Duke
Leaonna Odom, Fr, F, Duke
Chatrice White, Jr., C, Florida State
Erin Boley, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Fr., G, Notre Dame

Predicted Order of Finish (as selected by the head coaches)
1. Notre Dame, 221 points (13 first place votes)
2. Louisville, 209 (1 first place vote)
3. Florida State, 194 (1 first place vote)
4. Syracuse, 178
5. Miami, 162
6. Duke, 144
7. NC State, 132
8. Georgia Tech, 110
9. North Carolina, 108
10. Virginia, 85
11. Wake Forest, 74
12. Virginia Tech, 72
13. Boston College, 48
14. Pittsburgh, 47
15. Clemson, 16

Preseason Player of the Year (as selected by the head coaches):
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville

Preseason All-ACC Team (as selected by the head coaches)
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Jr., G, Duke
Leticia Romero, Sr., G, Florida State
Shakayla Thomas Jr., G, Florida State
Myisha Hines-Allen, Jr., F, Louisville
Mariya Moore, Jr., F, Louisville
Asia Durr, So., G Louisville
Adrienne Motley, Sr., G Miami
Brianna Turner, Jr., F, Notre Dame
Lindsay Allen, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Alexis Peterson, Sr., G, Syracuse

Newcomer Watch List (as selected by the head coaches)
Lexie Brown, Jr., G, Duke
Leaonna Odom, Fr, F, Duke
Chatrice White, Jr., C, Florida State
Erin Boley, Fr., F, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Fr., G, Notre Dame