DURHAM, N.C. – The USA Today Sports/ESPN Top 25 Coaches preseason poll was released on Tuesday with the Duke women’s basketball team listed No. 3 nationally with a total of 674 votes.  The No. 3 ranking is the highest listing in the coaches’ poll since the Blue Devils were tabbed No. 2 in the 2005-06 campaign.

Baylor was No. 1 with all 31 first place votes, while Connecticut, Duke, Stanford, Maryland, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Penn State, Louisville and Delaware rounded out the top 10. 

Also released on Tuesday was the Associated Press preseason All-America team with Duke’s Elizabeth Williams receiving honorable mention accolades.  Brittney Griner (Baylor), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Alyssa Thomas (Maryland) were named to the six-member squad. 

Other honorable mention honorees include  Jerica Coley (Florida International), Angel Goodrich (Kansas),  Bria Hartley (Connecticut), Tayler Hill (Ohio State), Jordan Hooper (Nebraska), Maggie Lucas (Penn State), Kevi Luper (Oral Roberts), A’dia Mathies (Kentucky), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Connecticut) and Sugar Rodgers (Georgetown).

A product of Virginia Beach, Va., Williams is coming off a rookie campaign where she was named the consensus National Freshman of the Year in 2011-12.  The 6-3 center averaged 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steals a year ago, while earning ESPN.com, USBWA and Full Court Freshman of the Year accolades.

Duke will host the reigning NCAA Division II champion Shaw University Lady Bears on Tuesday evening for an exhibition contest at 7:00 p.m., in Cameron Indoor Stadium.  The contest is free admission.

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