Izoje Named Preseason All-ACC; Orange Picked Seventh in ACC Preseason Poll
10/13/2026 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Syracuse women's basketball sophomore center Uche Izoje has been named to the 2026-27 Preseason All-ACC Team, as voted on by a panel of 76 media members. Izoje received 466 votes, the fourth-most among all players in the conference. Izoje is coming off a breakout year where she earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors in 2026 while making the All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Defensive Team and All-ACC Freshman Team while being tabbed a WBCA Division I Coaches All-America honorable mention after leading the Orange in points and rebounds while being the ACC leader in blocks per game as a rookie.Â
Izoje placed behind only Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo (871), Duke's Toby Fournier (767) and Virginia's Kymora Johnson (655). She finished ahead of NC State's Khamil Pierre (456) and Zoe Brooks (455), Louisville's Tajianna Roberts (265) and Imari Berry (220), Georgia Tech's Talayah Walker (202) and California's Lulu Twidale (113) who also earned preseason honors. Hidalgo, a senior guard, was also named Preseason ACC Player of the Year.
The Orange were also picked to finish seventh in the ACC's preseason poll of the 18-team league, receiving 1,009 points. Syracuse finished just six points ahead of eighth-place Virginia Tech (1,003) and 21 points ahead of ninth-place Clemson (988).
Duke was selected to win the conference, earning 49 first-place votes and 1,649 points. Louisville (22 first-place votes, 1,580 points) was picked second, followed by North Carolina (1 first-place vote, 1,462), Notre Dame (4 first-place votes, 1,450), NC State (1,337) and Virginia (1,085).
North Carolina's Kate Harpring was voted as the favorite for ACC Freshman of the Year, leading the Preseason All-Freshman Team with 493 votes. She was joined by Notre Dame's Jacy Abii, Duke's Autumn Fleary and Bella Flemings, Florida State's Missy Odom and Clemson's Kimora Fields.
2026-27 ACC Preseason Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
- Duke (49) – 1,649
- Louisville (22) – 1,580
- North Carolina (1) – 1,462
- Notre Dame (4) – 1,450
- NC State – 1,337
- Virginia – 1,085
- Syracuse – 1,009
- Virginia Tech – 1,003
- Clemson – 988
- California – 786
- Miami – 689
- Georgia Tech – 684
- Stanford – 674
- Florida State – 603
- SMU – 373
- Wake Forest – 296
- Pitt – 236
- Boston College – 170
Preseason All-ACC Team (76 voters)
- Hannah Hidalgo, Sr., G, Notre Dame – 871
- Toby Fournier, Jr., F, Duke – 767
- Kymora Johnson, Sr., G, Virginia – 655
- Uche Izoje, So., C, Syracuse – 466
- Khamil Pierre, Sr., F, NC State – 456
- Zoe Brooks, Sr., F, NC State – 455
- Tajianna Roberts, Jr., G, Louisville – 265
- Imari Berry, Jr., G, Louisville – 220
- Talayah Walker, Jr., G, Georgia Tech – 202
- Lulu Twidale, Sr., G, California – 113
Preseason Player of the Year: Hannah Hidalgo, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Preseason All-Freshman Team
- Kate Harpring, G, North Carolina – 493
- Jacy Abii, G/F, Notre Dame – 376
- Autumn Fleary, G, Duke – 274
- Bella Flemings, G, Duke – 205
- Missy Odom, F, Florida State – 99
- Kimora Fields, F, Clemson – 96
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