Oct. 22, 2014
Davis/Wallace Infographic | ACC Media Day Photo Gallery
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sophomore guard Kaela Davis of the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team was selected to the Preseason All-ACC Team by both the Blue Ribbon Panel and the head coaches in the ACC.
The Preseason All-ACC Team and the preseason polls were announced at the 2014 ACC women’s basketball media day which was held at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro, N.C. on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets were picked in both the Blue Ribbon Panel preseason poll and the head coach’s preseason poll to finish seventh in the league.
“I really like my team,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “I really think we have tremendous potential. I think there are some question marks. It’s one of those things where a lot of the teams in the ACC have five or six strong returners and then a lot of freshmen. We are one of those teams.”
Davis, along with Joseph and senior guard Sydney Wallace, attended media day this afternoon. While at media day, Joseph, Davis and Wallace participated in a press conference and filmed interviews with Fox Sports, ESPN and Raycom.
Davis sat down with women’s basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli to film a special segment and break down some film. Davis and Wallace both faced former NFL star Clinton Portis in pop-a-shot and participated in a social media takeover with ACC women’s basketball.
“One of the things I thought Kaela did a tremendous job of last year was taking a team and a program that was stumbling a little bit, coming off of a year that we didn’t make the NCAA tournament and still instilling a lot of confidence in her teammates, even as a freshman,” Joseph said. “The fact that she led all freshmen in scoring and rebounding says a lot about the year she had.”
Georgia Tech returns five of their top six top-scorers from last season and 62 percent of scoring from 2013-14. Davis and Wallace are two of the top returning scorers. Davis averaged 18.6 points per game and led the team with 85 3-pointers made. Wallace averaged 9.8 points per game and made 49 3-pointers.
“I feel like our team has great chemistry,” Wallace said. “We have three juniors that understand their roles and the things that we have to do. I feel like they are with me as well as the only senior.”
Davis was a member of the 2014 All-ACC Second team and the 2014 All-ACC Freshman Team. Davis set the single season scoring record for a freshman in Georgia Tech history with 594 points last season, which ranks third on GT’s all-time list for points in a single season. Her 594 points also set the ACC freshman scoring record. Davis led all ACC rookies last season with 18.6 points per game and was honored as the ACC Rookie of the Week four times.
“I think last year I learned decision making with the pace of the game and how quickly decisions have to be made” Davis said. “I learned the process of the ACC and how to be successful in the ACC. I don’t even think I did that that well so I think that there is a lot I can take away from last year to apply to this year.”
Wallace is just 169 points shy of becoming the 27th Yellow Jacket to score 1,000 career points. The Johns Creek, Ga. native ranks sixth all-time at Georgia Tech with 142 and made at least three 3-pointers in 10 games a junior and six games as a freshman.
“Sydney has been a starter in our program basically for four years,” Joseph said. ”She knows the lay of the land. She understands the expectations. She knows what we have to do, defensively and offensively. She has been given a lot of elbow room to create and do things offensively throughout her entire career.”
The Yellow Jackets host Flagler in an exhibition game on Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion. Season tickets can be purchased online, by calling the 888-TECH-TIX or by visiting the ticket office at 150 Bobby Dodd Way.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GTWBB), Instagram (@GTWBB), and Facebook (GTWomensBasketball), or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Poll
1. Notre Dame (835 points, 38 first place votes)
2. Duke (733, 1 first place vote)
3. Louisville (724, 2 first place votes)
4. North Carolina (707)
5. Florida State (545)
6. Syracuse (536)
7. Georgia Tech (508)
8. Miami (421)
9. NC State (407)
10. Virginia (334)
11. Wake Forest (295)
12. Virginia Tech (184)
13. Boston College (178)
14. Clemson (169)
15. Pittsburgh (144)
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team
Elizabeth Williams, Sr., C/F, Duke
Kaela Davis, So., G, Georgia Tech
Sara Hammond, Sr., F, Louisville
Allisha Gray, So., G, North Carolina
Stephanie Mavunga, So, F, North Carolina
Xylina McDaniel, Jr., F, North Carolina
Lindsay Allen, So., G, Notre Dame
Jewell Loyd, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Brittney Sykes, Jr., G, Syracuse
Dearica Hamby, Sr., F, Wake Forest
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Player of the Year
Jewell Loyd, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List
Sierra Calhoun, Fr., G/F, Duke
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Fr., G, Duke
Shakayla Thomas, Fr., F, Florida State
Mariya Moore, Fr., G, Louisville
Brianna Turner, Fr., G, Notre Dame
ACC Head Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Notre Dame (223 points, 14 first place votes)
2. Duke (196, 1 first place vote)
3. Louisville (194)
4. North Carolina (193)
5. Florida State (152)
6. Syracuse (149)
7. Georgia Tech (136)
8. Miami (117)
9. Virginia (98)
10. NC State (87)
11. Wake Forest (82)
12. Virginia Tech (54)
13. Clemson (44)
14. Pittsburgh (43)
15. Boston College (32)
Coaches Preseason All-ACC Team
Nikki Dixon, Sr., G, Clemson
Elizabeth Williams, Sr., C/F, Duke
Kaela Davis, So., G, Georgia Tech
Sara Hammond, Sr., F, Louisville
Allisha Gray, So., G, North Carolina
Stephanie Mavunga, So, F, North Carolina
Lindsay Allen, So., G, Notre Dame
Jewell Loyd, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Brittney Sykes, G, Syracuse
Dearica Hamby, Sr., F, Wake Forest
Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
Jewell Loyd, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Coaches Newcomer Watch List
Sierra Calhoun, Fr., G/F, Duke
Rebecca Greenwell, R-Fr., G, Duke
Shakayla Thomas, Fr., F, Florida State
Myisha Hines-Allen, Fr., F, Louisville
Brianna Turner, Fr., G, Notre Dame
–TogetherWeSwarm–
