The preseason recognition continues to pile up for guard Olivia Miles, as the Notre Dame sophomore was named to the Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team on Wednesday. She was a member of last year’s All-ACC First Team, and she was the only freshman of the group.
Miles, who received three first place votes, was the third name on the list behind Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley (49 first place votes) and Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith (seven first place votes).
The 5-10 point guard is one of four returning starters for the Niele Ivey-led Irish, and she is looking to build upon a record-breaking freshman campaign. The Phillipsburg, N.J., native led Notre Dame with 13.7 points, 7.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game last year. She posted eight games with double-digit assists last season, while no other ACC player had more than one contest with 10+. Miles scored in double figures 30 times.
Further, Miles was the first ever freshman — men’s or women’s — to record a triple double in the NCAA Tournament; in a first-round win over UMass, she notched 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. In all, she was just the second ever Irish freshman to accomplish the feat, joining Marina Mabrey.
Since joining the conference in 2014, 14 Notre Dame women’s basketball players have earned all-conference honors. Just five of them have been named to the first team two or more times: Lindsay Allen (2016, 2017), Jewell Loyd (2014, 2015), Arike Ogunbowale (2018, 2019), Jessica Shepard (2018,2019) and Brianna Turner (2015, 2016 & 2017). Miles could be the sixth Irish player to join that group come spring.
Current junior forward Maddy Westbeld has the opportunity to add her name to that list as well, as she was a member of the 2021 All-ACC First Team during her freshman season.
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team (60 voters)
Elizabeth Kitley, Sr., C, Virginia Tech (49 first-place votes)
Hailey Van Lith, Jr., G, Louisville (7)
Olivia Miles, So., G, Notre Dame (3)
Deja Kelly, Jr., G, North Carolina
Diamond Johnson, Jr., G, NC State
Jakia Brown-Turner, Sr., F, NC State
Jewel Spear, Jr., G, Wake Forest
Ashley Owusu, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Morgan Jones, Grad., G, Louisville (1)
Taylor Soule, Grad., G, Virginia Tech
Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List
Ashley Owusu, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Saniya Rivers, So., G, NC State
Dyaisha Fair, Sr., G, Syracuse
Ta’Niya Latson, Fr., G, Florida State
(tie) Haley Cavinder, Sr., G, Miami
(tie) Ruby Whitehorn, Fr., G, Clemson