By Brian Murphy, WRAL

Defending conference champion Notre Dame and Final Four participant NC State are expected to pace the ACC in women’s basketball, according to preseason voting released Tuesday.

Notre Dame, led by preseason player of the year Hannah Hidalgo, was picked to finish first in the 18-team league, garnering 70 of 79 first-place votes in the preseason poll.

NC State was picked second with eight first-place votes. Conference newcomer Stanford, selected seventh by the panel, received the other first-place vote.

The Irish and the Wolfpack placed five players on the 10-member preseason All-ACC Team. Hidalgo, a sophomore, along with junior guards Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron represented Notre Dame, while NC State senior guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James were also on the team.

Duke was picked third and freshman Toby Fournier led the league’s Newcomer Watch List.

North Carolina was picked sixth.

NC State (No. 9), Duke (No. 11) and UNC (No. 15) were ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, which was released Tuesday.

Preseason Player of the Year

Hannah Hidalgo, So., G, Notre Dame

Preseason All-ACC Team (First-place votes – 79 voters)

Hannah Hidalgo So., G, Notre Dame 921 (62 first-place votes)

Ta’Niya Latson, Jr., G, Florida State 734 (9 first-place votes)

Saniya Rivers, Sr., G, NC State 527 (2 first-place votes)

Aziaha James, Sr., G, NC State 473 (1 first-place vote)

Olivia Miles, Jr., G, Notre Dame 457 (4 first-place votes)

Sonia Citron, Jr., G, Notre Dame 331

Makayla Timpson, Sr., F, Florida State 315

Alyssa Ustby, Gr., G/F, North Carolina 308

Reigan Richardson, Sr., G, Duke 202

Kymora Johnson, So., G, Virginia 193 (1 first-place vote)

Newcomer Watch List

Toby Fournier, Fr., F, Duke 222

Imari Berry, Fr., G, Louisville 180

Kate Koval, Fr., F, Notre Dame 177

Zamareya Jones, Fr., G, NC State 116

Liza Karlen, Gr., F, Notre Dame 109

ACC Women’s Basketball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish for the 2024-2025 season.

🔗 https://t.co/7MPQclAjbB pic.twitter.com/cvviiUZcjb

— ACC Women’s Basketball (@accwbb) October 15, 2024

Predicted Order of Finish (79 voters)

1.  Notre Dame (70), 1726

2.  NC State (8), 1617

3.  Duke, 1446

4.  Louisville, 1370

5.  Florida State, 1335

6.  North Carolina, 1279

7.  Stanford (1), 1214

8.  Miami, 883

9.  Virginia, 877

10. Georgia Tech, 855

11. Syracuse, 801

12. Virginia Tech, 786

13. Clemson, 553

14. California, 546

15. Boston College, 533

16. SMU, 274

17. Wake Forest, 259

18. Pitt, 233

Source: wralsportsfan.com