July 29, 2002

The Duke University volleyball team has been selected to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference according to the 2002 Preseason ACC Volleyball Poll, which was determined by a vote of the league's nine head coaches. The Blue Devils received 69 points in the poll, finishing behind North Carolina, the defending ACC Tournament champions, who garnered 78 points.

Duke, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year after finishing first in the ACC, returns four starters for the 2002 season, including first team All-ACC honoree Josie Weymann and second team All-ACC performer Krista Dill. The Blue Devils will be guided by ACC Coach of the Year Jolene Nagel, who enters her fourth year at the helm of the program.

Following North Carolina and Duke in the poll is Georgia Tech, with 73 points. Maryland (45), Florida State (42) and Clemson (38) were slated to finish fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively by the coaches. Wake Forest (36) was the coaches' seventh pick, followed by Virginia (24) and N.C. State (10).

Duke opens the 2002 campaign Aug. 30 against Oklahoma at the Loyola Marymount Invitational in Los Angeles and plays its first match at home against High Point on Sept. 3. The Blue Devils host nationally-ranked Wisconsin, UC Santa Barbara and American in the Duke Classic Sept. 13-14 and and begin defense of their ACC regular season championship on Sept. 24 against Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The entire Preseason ACC Volleyball Poll follows:

2002 PRESEASON ACC VOLLEYBALL POLL

School Points 2001 Record/Finish
1. North Carolina 78 24-9, 12-4 ACC/T2nd
2. Duke 69 23-5, 13-3 ACC/1st
3. Georgia Tech 63 19-8, 12-4 ACC/T2nd
4. Maryland 45 12-14, 7-9 ACC/6th
5. Florida State 42 17-12, 10-6 ACC/T3rd
6. Clemson 38 11-17, 4-12 ACC/7th
7. Wake Forest 36 20-11, 10-6 ACC/T3rd
8. Virginia 24 9-18, 3-13 ACC/8th
9. NC State 10 6-21, 1-15 ACC/9th