Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus UCLA on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 70
/
Final
Women's Basketball
58
vs UCLA
70
ACC Preseason Release
10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. ? The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) office released the ACC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll on Wednesday with Duke tabbed third for the second straight season. A total of 37 votes, determined by a vote of the media, sports information directors and head coaches, picked the Blue Devils third behind Maryland and North Carolina.
The Terrapins received 27 first place votes, while the Tar Heels had 10. Rounding out the preseason poll was No. 3 Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia, N.C. State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Miami, Boston College and Wake Forest.
It marks the second straight year the Blue Devils have been selected third in the preseason poll and only the second time since 1999 that Duke has been tabbed lower than first or second. In 1999, the Blue Devils were selected fourth in the preseason poll and ended up advancing to the NCAA Final Four and National Championship game before falling to Purdue. Last season, the Blue Devils produced a 14-0 league record on their way to winning an impressive eighth ACC Regular Season title. Duke was picked No. 1 in the ACC preseason polls in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005, while being listed second in 2004.
The five-member preseason All-ACC squad was also released with Duke's Abby Waner, Erlana Larkins (North Carolina), Crystal Langhorne (Maryland), Khadijah Whittington (N.C. State) and Marissa Coleman (Maryland) earning honors. Langhorne was named Preseason Player of the Year and Duke's Jasmine Thomas was tabbed Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Waner, a native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., sprang on the national scene last year averaging 14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 steals as she started all 34 contests. The 5-11 guard tied a school record with 68 three-pointers made and hit 36.2 percent from downtown.
After catching fire and scoring a game-high 24 points at then fourth-ranked Tennessee, Waner was added to both the State Farm Wade Watch list as well as the John R. Wooden Award midseason list vying for National Player of the Year. In the game at Knoxville, Tenn., Waner hit 6-of-6 from downtown in the first half, while dishing out three assists, pulling down five rebounds and grabbing one steal for the game. In 34 contests last season, Waner hit three or more three-pointers in a single game on 10 occasions to lead Duke.
While leading the Blue Devil squad in scoring, Waner did her job on the defensive end also picking a team-best 85 steals on the season. Her 85 steals was the fourth-best in school history and her 2.4 steals per game average ranked tied for fourth in the ACC. Waner led Duke with six games scoring 20 or more points, including a career-high 27 points against Georgia Tech on 10 of 13 field goals. A 2007 second team All-ACC selection and first team All-ACC Tournament honoree, Waner is also a stellar student as she earned ESPN The Magazine All-Academic District III honors by CoSIDA.
A product of Fairfax, Va., Thomas was a McDonald's, USA Today, Street & Smith's, EA Sports and Parade first team All-America as a senior at Oakton H.S. A 5-9 speedy point guard, Thomas was named the Gatorade and Associated Press State Player of the Year after averaging 26.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.1 steals, 4.8 assists and 1.5 blocks. Over her career, she amassed 2,598 points, 910 rebounds, 510 steals and 504 assists, while leading Oakton to a 101-11 mark.
In the 2007 McDonald's All-America game, she registered 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists as she was named MVP. Over her high school career, Thomas notched 56 double-doubles and five triple-doubles. During the summer, Thomas led the USA U19 Word Championship Team to a 9-0 record and the gold medal as she started every game and averaged 7.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
The honor for Thomas marks the fifth time a Blue Devil has earned ACC Preseason Rookie of the Year -- Waner (2005), Alana Beard (2000), Sheana Mosch (1999) and Missy West (1996).
First year Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie will feature a 2007-08 roster that includes three returning starters-- senior Wanisha Smith, Waner and junior Carrem Gay and a total of nine letterwinners returning -- senior Emily Waner, junior Chante Black, sophomore Joy Cheek, sophomore Bridgette Mitchell, sophomore Brittany Mitch and sophomore Keturah Jackson. The Blue Devils also welcomes the third-best recruiting class in the nation that includes Jasmine Thomas, Krystal Thomas and Karima Christmas.
In 2006-07, Duke registered a 32-2 overall record while advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The 32 victories on the year marked the seventh straight season the Blue Devils notched 30 or more wins, which is a new NCAA-record. The Blue Devils were the ACC regular season champions for the eighth time in school history and the sixth time over the last seven years. Duke became the first ACC team and 14th squad in NCAA history to finish the regular season undefeated with a 29-0 mark.
McCallie, who compiled a 149-75 record and five straight NCAA Tournament appearances at Michigan State, enters her third head coaching job as she enters her 16th year as a head coach. She opened her career at Maine with a 167-73 mark in eight years. She is coming off guiding the U20 and U21 Basketball Teams to gold medals over the last two summers. McCallie was the National Coach of the Year in 2005 after leading her MSU squad to the National Championship game.
Duke will host its first annual Blue/White Scrimmage on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 2:00 p.m. All home games are played in the historic Cameron Indoor Stadium. For ticket information, contact the Duke ticket office at 1-877-375-DUKE (3853) or 919-681-BLUE (2583). Admission to the Blue/White Scrimmage will be free.
-d-u-k-e-
2007-08 Predicted Order of Finish
1. Maryland (27)
2. North Carolina (10)
3. Duke
4. Florida State
5. Georgia Tech
6. Virginia
7. NC State
8. Clemson
9. Virginia Tech
10. Miami
11. Boston College
12. Wake Forest
2007-08 Preseason All-ACC Team
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Erlana Larkins, North Carolina
Abby Waner, Duke
Khadijah Whittington, NC State
Preseason Player of the Year: Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Preseason Rookie of the Year: Jasmine Thomas, Duke
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballKara Lawson | 13 Gold Medals. One Standard.
Tuesday, March 31
Kara Lawson Talks Leading USA Basketball Women's National Team | NBA Today
Tuesday, March 31
The Impact They Didn’t See Coming | Handle Hard Better
Tuesday, March 31
Chelsea Gray Back Home at Duke | USA Basketball Training Camp
Tuesday, March 31
