GREENSBORO, N.C. (Oct. 12) — Georgia Tech sophomore Niesha Butler (New York, N.Y.) was named to the 1999-2000 Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason All-Conference team and the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish fifth in the conference this coming season at the ACC Women’s Basketball Media Day on Tuesday.
Tech’s fifth-place projection is the program’s highest since the Jackets were picked fourth prior to the 1992-93 campaign. Tech finished fourth in the league race that season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s a great compliment to our program to be picked among the top-five teams in such a prestigious conference,” said Tech head coach Agnus Berenato. “Our goal for the season is to finish in the top-half of the conference, which we need to do in order to reach another goal, which is to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.”
Butler was joined on the preseason all-conference squad by NC State’s Summer Erb and Tynesha Lewis, North Carolina’s Nikki Teasley and Virginia’s Erin Stovall.
“I’m really excited for Niesha Butler,” Berenato said. “She is looking to build off the outstanding season she had as a freshman, and has been working hard to improve her game and help take our team to the next level.”
North Carolina, who received 22 of a possible 38 first place votes, finished first in the 1999-2000 preseason poll. NC State (14 first-place votes) and Virginia (2 first-place votes) were second and third, respectively, followed by Duke and Tech.
Defending ACC champion Clemson was tabbed sixth, followed by Florida State, Maryland and Wake Forest.
