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2018 ACC preview: Notre Dame, Louisville battle for top

By Arielle Chambers

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 01: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Muffet McGraw and her team pose for photos after winning the National Championship game between the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on April 1, 2018 at Nationwide Arena. Notre Dame won 61-58. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Wake Forest Demon Deacons 

Projected finish: 12th

Last year’s record: 14-17, 5-11 ACC

Key Returners (last season’s stats):

F- Elisa Penna, 6’3, (Bergamo, ITALY), SR- 15.8 PPG, 31.3 MPG; tied program record with nine three-pointers in one game; Blue Ribbon Panel All-ACC Second Team.

(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Biggest losses (last season’s stats):

G- Amber Campbell, 5’9, (Charleston, SC), SR- 13.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 34.0 MPG; only Deac to start all 33 games.

Newcomers:

F- Christina Morra, 6’2, (Toronto, Ontario), FR – 2018 top-ranked Canadian recruit; won gold medals in U15 and U17 teams in 2015 and 2016, respectively, with Team Ontario.

G- McKenna Frank, 5’9, (Stamford, CT), FR- USA Today All-USA Connecticut second team; All-NEPSAC First Team;  16.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG senior season.

G- Kaylen Dickson, 5’11, (Gurnee, IL), FR-  two-time North Suburban Conference All-Star;  All-State honorable mention.

G- Ellen Hahne, 5’11, (Stockholm, Sweden), FR- 2018 Kent Brodin Award recipient; Sweden National Team member.

Head Coach

Jen Hoover, 7th season

  • 12 wins away from 100 wins
  • Overall record 88-104
(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Key non-conference games

Dec. 5– @ Charlotte: 7 pm ET

Dec. 17– James Madison: 11 am ET; School Day

Feb. 28 – Pitt: 7 pm ET (ACCN)

Outlook

Wake Forest only lost one player due to graduation going into the 2018-19 season.  However, it was just announced that Ariel Stephenson will miss the season due to shoulder surgery.  The bulk of the work is expected to be on the shoulders of Elisa Penna.  Penna received All-ACC Second Team honors last year—an acknowledgement last given to a Wake player when Dearica Hamby received it in 2015. Averaging 15.8 points per game, she will be the rock of the Deacons, but who can step up to help?

Before Stephenson’s injury, Wake Forest was returning 84 percent of team scoring and minutes played, as well as 90 percent of its rebounding.  But, now major adjustments will have to be made to compensate for the loss.

Despite winning only five games during conference season, Wake made a huge statement at the ACC Tournament, with a dramatic margin of victory over Pitt (72-38). If that dominance can be channeled into regular season, the Deacons will be in decent shape.  However, if history repeats itself, the Deacs will show out a bit too late.

Wake Forest has a worldly bunch. The roster combines to represent six countries: the United States; Sweden; Serbia; Australia; Canada; and Italy.  It is a matter of dynamic, blending styles of play and setting up the newcomers with a winning mentality, despite the records in the past couple of years.

Best case scenario:

Wake Forest is able to build a team around Elisa Penna. The morale of the team changes and winning becomes a priority, despite the sudden pre-season changes. Wake notches double-digit wins in conference and goes on to do well at the ACC Tournament.

Worst case scenario:

Wake Forest has bounced throughout the lower quartile of the conference in the past, and this year is no different. Other teams have found the answers to victory and being one-two-deep is just not enough for Wake Forest to be competitive in the elite conference. They fall to the bottom and suffer yet another season without a post-season opportunity.

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