DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke volleyball team was picked to repeat as ACC Champions in 2009, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday. Additionally, Duke's Rachael Moss, Kellie Catanach and Becci Burling were each voted to the Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team.

After winning a share of the ACC Championship in 2008, the Blue Devils drew seven first-place votes and totaled 116 of a possible 121 points in the preseason poll, which was voted on by the ACC volleyball head coaches. Florida State (104 points), Miami (101) and North Carolina (99) each received first-place votes, while Clemson (75), Virginia Tech (71), Virginia (62), Georgia Tech (49), Wake Forest (47), Maryland (33), NC State (21) and Boston College (14) rounded out the poll.

Duke has been picked first in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll in three of the past four seasons and has won two conference championships during that span while advancing into the second round of the NCAA Tournament every year.

Duke's three Preseason All-ACC selections tied Clemson, Florida State and Miami for the most picks on the 18-member team. Duke, which finished 25-9 overall and 15-5 in the ACC in 2008, returns five starters and 11 letterwinners from last season along with a freshman class that was ranked the 16th-best in the country.

Moss, a senior outside hitter, earned her third straight selection to the preseason squad after collecting All-ACC First Team honors in 2008. A two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention choice and three-time All-East Region selection, Moss enters her senior season as Duke's active leader in kills, digs, service aces and double-doubles. She ranks fifth on Duke's all-time kills list with 1,323 and is on the verge of cracking the top five in service aces with 135, a career-high 56 of those came last season.

Burling, a junior middle blocker, broke out as a sophomore and finished second on the team with 324 kills, 398 points and 87 blocks. She will shoulder an even bigger role as a junior with the departure of Jourdan Norman, who alongside Burling, helped form the best middle-blocking tandem in the ACC.

Catanach, a sophomore setter, stepped in as a freshman to start every match in 2008 and finished as the ACC leader in assists. With 17 double-doubles, she also had the second-most double-doubles in the ACC last season behind Moss, whose 18 led all ACC players. Catanach was also among the top three on the team in digs and blocks and was named to the ACC All-Freshman and All-South Region teams for her efforts.

In addition to Duke's three Preseason All-ACC selections, Duke brings back starting libero Claire Smalzer and outside hitter/middle blocker Sophia Dunworth, who each appeared in at least 128 sets in 2008.

2009 Predicted Order Of Finish

2009 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team

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