Virginia Tech men's basketball. (Ivan Morozov)[/caption]
The ACC released its 2022-23 preseason media poll
Here's the full poll, with point totals for each team:
The Hokies return two starters from last year's ACC championship group: Justyn Mutts and Hunter Cattoor. Darius Maddox and Sean Pedulla, two players who had key roles late in 2021-22 season, are back as well. Wright State transfer Grant Basile is expected to slide in at the five and complete the starting lineup.
Tech was picked to finish fifth last season, much higher than the previous two seasons (11th and 14th). Ultimately, the Hokies were the No. 7 seed in the ACC Tournament, which they won in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Here's a list of Virginia Tech men's basketball's preseason predicted finish since joining the ACC in 2004, along with the program's final standing:
| Year | Preseason Pick | Final Standing |
|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | 10th | 4th |
| 2005-06 | 8th | 10th |
| 2006-07 | 6th | 3rd |
| 2007-08 | 10th | 4th |
| 2008-09 | 6th | 8th |
| 2009-10 | 8th | 4th |
| 2010-11 | 2nd | 6th |
| 2011-12 | 6th | 9th |
| 2012-13 | 10th | 12th |
| 2013-14 | 15th | 15th |
| 2014-15 | 15th | 14th |
| 2015-16 | 14th | 7th |
| 2016-17 | 10th | 7th |
| 2017-18 | 7th | 7th |
| 2018-19 | 5th | 5th |
| 2019-20 | 14th | 12th |
| 2020-21 | 11th | 3rd |
| 2021-22 | 5th | 7th* (ACC Title) |
| 2022-23 | 7th | 11th |
| 2023-24 | 8th | 8th |
| 2024-25 | 14th | TBD |
The Hokies open their 2022-23 season at home vs. Delaware State on Monday, Nov. 7 (9 p.m.). It's a doubleheader with the Tech women's program, who faces Mount St. Mary's (5 p.m.).
The ACC opener for Mike Young & Co. is on Sunday, Dec. 4 vs. Hubert Davis and North Carolina, the No. 1 team in the country, per the AP Top 25.
For articles on previous ACC basketball preseason polls, click here.
David Cunningham's Ballot
Below is how I voted for my predicted order of finish:
1: North Carolina
2: Virginia
3: Duke
4: Miami
5: Notre Dame
6: Virginia Tech
7: Florida State
8: Clemson
9: Syracuse
10: Boston College
11: Wake Forest
12: NC State
13: Louisville
14: Pitt
15: Georgia Tech
Justyn Mutts Named Preseason Second Team All-ACC
It was also announced on Tuesday that Virginia Tech forward Justyn Mutts was named to the preseason All-ACC Second Team.
[caption id="attachment_7454058" align="alignnone" width="1080"]
(The ACC)
The graduate student from Millville, N.J., who was on TSL Podcast Episode 265 on Tuesday afternoon, received 18 votes. Mutts averaged 10.1 points last season and led the Hokies with 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 2021-22.
North Carolina center Armando Bacot was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year and received the most votes to the All-ACC First Team. Bacot, Miami guard Isaiah Wong and Clemson forward PJ Hall are the only three returnees from last year's All-ACC teams.
Virginia Tech guard Hunter Cattoor received one vote for the league's preseason player of the year. Duke freshman Dereck Lively II, the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class, was named Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year.
David Cunningham's Ballot
Here's how I voted on my All-ACC ballot, along with player of the year and rookie of the year:
All-ACC:
Armando Bacot, F/C, North Carolina
Caleb Love, G, North Carolina
Jayden Gardner, F, Virginia
Dane Goodwin, G, Notre Dame
Justyn Mutts, F, Virginia Tech
Preseason Player of the Year: Armando Bacot, F/C, North Carolina
Preseason Rookie of the Year: Dereck Lively II, C, Duke
Hokies Receive One Point in Preseason AP Top 25
After finishing the 2021-22 season with a loss to Texas in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia Tech received 63 points in the final AP Poll, good for the first team outside the top 25. To start 2022-23, the Hokies received one point, tied with Memphis, Notre Dame, Toledo and UAB.
Three teams represent the ACC in the preseason AP Top 25: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 7 Duke and No. 18 Virginia. Miami (66 points), Florida State (32) and Notre Dame (1) received votes. Dayton, who the Hokies square off with on Dec. 7 in Cassell Coliseum, is No. 24.
Of the fellow ACC schools ranked, the Hokies see UNC once (Dec. 4), Duke twice (Jan. 23, Feb. 25) and Virginia twice (Jan. 18, Feb. 4). They also play Miami twice (Feb. 1, Feb. 21), Florida State once (March 4) and Notre Dame once (Feb. 11).