UVA Basketball: Defending champs debut at #11 in AP preseason poll

Defending national champion UVA debuts at #11 in the preseason AP Top 25, which was released on Monday.

The champs lost four key contributors from the title team – NBA draft picks De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy, a redshirt senior Jack Salt.

For most programs, losing that much would mean a rebuild, but coach Tony Bennett has preseason All-ACC first-teamer Mamadi Diakite, 7’1″ center Jay Huff, expected to play a much bigger role, along with Braxton Key and Kihei Clark, both of whom started for big chunks of the championship season.

UVA also adds JUCO All-American Tomas Woldetensae and four-star guard recruit Casey Morsell.

Three other ACC programs were ranked in the Top 10 – Duke at 4, Louisville at 5 and UNC at 9.

Story by Chris Graham