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Brunelle & Peoples Named to ACC Newcomer Watch List

Freshmen duo were top-20 ranked recruits

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – On Wednesday afternoon, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced its women’s basketball Preseason All-Conference Team, Newcomer Watch List and predicted order of finish. Notre Dame’s freshmen duo of Sam Brunelle and Anaya Peoples were unanimous decisions on the Newcomer Watch List, claiming two of the five spots on both the Blue Ribbon media poll and the coaches poll.

Brunelle and Peoples were top-20 ranked recruits, who comprised yet another top-10 ranked recruiting class for Karen & Kevin Keyes head coach Muffet McGraw and company.

Brunelle, who was ranked No. 6 overall by espnW, was a two-time Naismith High School All-American and 2019 McDonald’s All-American – won the three-point contest at the latter. Brunelle was also both the 2018 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year and USA Today Virginia Player of the Year. Ultimately, she finished her prep career with 2,229 points and 1,272 rebounds.

Peoples, who was ranked fourth at her position, was a two-time Illinois Class 1A State champion at Dan Schlarman High, where she finished her prep career with 2,086 points. Peoples was a 2019 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic member. In 2018, Peoples was a Naismith All-America honorable mention.

Furthermore, both freshmen have struck gold with team USA. Brunelle is a three-time gold medalist, recently winning the 3v3 title at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, while Peoples won gold with the U18 USA team at the 2018 FIBA Americas.

Lastly, in the predicted order of finish, the Fighting Irish were selected to place fifth in the coaches poll and fourth in the Blue Ribbon. For all preseason All-ACC selections, see below:

Head Coaches & Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Player of the Year
Beatrice Mompremier, Miami

Head Coaches Preseason All-ACC Team
Kobi Thornton, Clemson
Haley Gorecki, Duke
Nicki Ekhomu, Florida State
Kiah Gillespie, Florida State
Elizabeth Balogun, Louisville
Beatrice Mompremier, Miami
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Aislinn Konig, NC State
Janelle Bailey, North Carolina
Jocelyn Willoughby, Virginia

Head Coaches Newcomer Watch List
River Baldwin, Florida State
Nyah Green, Louisville
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State
Sam Brunelle, Notre Dame
Anaya Peoples, Notre Dame

Head Coaches Predicted Order of Finish
Louisville (13, first-place votes) – 223
NC State (2, first-place votes) – 201
Florida State – 190
Miami – 185
Notre Dame – 159
Syracuse – 150
Duke – 143
Clemson – 105
North Carolina – 92
Virginia Tech – 91
Georgia Tech – 70
Virginia – 67
Boston College – 58
Pittsburgh – 41
Wake Forest – 25

Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team
Kobi Thornton, Clemson
Haley Gorecki, Duke
Nicki Ekhomu, Florida State
Kiah Gillespie, Florida State
Dana Evans, Louisville
Elizabeth Balogun, Louisville
Beatrice Mompremier, Miami (FL)
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Janelle Bailey, North Carolina
Jocelyn Willoughby, Virginia

Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List
River Baldwin, Florida State
Nyah Green, Louisville
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State
Sam Brunelle, Notre Dame
Anaya Peoples, Notre Dame

Blue Ribbon Panel Predicted Order of Finish (49 voters)
Louisville (34, first-place votes) – 713 points
NC State (8, first-place votes) – 637 points
Florida State (3, first-place votes) – 623 points
Notre Dame (4, first-place votes) – 580
Miami – 578
Syracuse – 497
Duke – 432
Clemson – 353
North Carolina – 343
Virginia Tech – 291
Virginia – 229
Georgia Tech – 225
Boston College – 168
Pittsburgh – 122
Wake Forest – 89

— ND —