There is less than a week until college basketball kicks off, and we have made it to the final part of conference roster previews. If you missed the first three parts go check them out if you would like to see: Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke (part one), Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Louisville (part two), NC State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh (part three). Let’s finish this off with the last five ACC schools.
Virginia Cavaliers
2025-26 Record: 30-6 (15-3, 2nd in conference)
Incoming Transfers: Kalu Anya (Gr. F from Saint Louis), Jurian Dixon (Sr. G from UC Irvine), Jan Vide (Sr. G from Loyola Marymount), Christian Harmon (Sr. G from Arkansas State)
Incoming Freshmen: Favour Ibe (four-star C), Nolan Adekunle (F)
Departures: Malik Thomas (12.4 PPG), Jacari White (9.4 PPG), Ugonna Onyenso (6.5 PPG), Dallin Hall (5.9 PPG), Devin Tillis (4.1 PPG)
Returners: Thijs De Ridder (15.6 PPG), Sam Lewis (10.6 PPG), Chance Mallory (9.3 PPG), Johann Grunloh (7.1 PPG), Elijah Gertrude (1.7 PPG), Martin Carrere (0.8 PPG), Silas Barksdale (redshirt)
Player to look out for: Thijs De Ridder. Making All-ACC first team as a freshman, De Ridder is back looking to be one of the best players in the entire conference once again. His overseas experience prior to joining Ryan Odom’s roster did wonders for his success in his first year as a Cavalier. Look for De Ridder to be one of the biggest threats in the ACC and score in high volume with efficiency.
SMU Mustangs
2025-26 Record: 20-14 (8-10, 11th in conference)
Incoming Transfers: Oziyah Sellers (5th year G from St. John’s), Rowan Brumbaugh (RS-Sr. G from Tulane), David Terrell Jr. (Sr. G from North Texas), Jaylin Stewart (Sr. F from UConn), Jacob Patrick (Sr. G from Utah), Gehrig Normand (Sr. G from Santa Clara), Johan Munch (Jr. F from Oregon State), Nic Codie (Jr. F from Texas),
Incoming Freshmen: Cameron Lomax (four-star G), Jakub Szumert (F)
Departures: Boopie Miller (19.1 PPG), Jaron Pierre Jr. (17.6 PPG), B.J. Edwards (12.7 PPG), Corey Washington (11.4 PPG), Samet Yigitoglu (10.7 PPG), Sam Walters (2.6 PPG), Mitchell Holmes (1.7 PPG), B.J. Davis-Ray (1.3 PPG), Chance Puryear (0.3 PPG)
Returners: Jaden Toombs (8.3 PPG), Jermaine O’Neal Jr. (4.5 PPG), Nigel Walls (redshirt), Billy White III (redshirt)
Player to look out for: Rowan Brumbaugh. SMU has a great mid-major talent in their hands with Brumbaugh on their team. He has spent his last two years at Tulane, where he averaged over 1.5 steals a game in both seasons along with at least 15 points per game. Last year was his career high at a whopping 19.2 points per game, and he did it while shooting 45% from the field. He also averaged 5 rebounds a game, he can pretty much do it all. The main question going into this season is will it translate to the power five scene, and if it does he will be a great asset.
Oziyah Sellers is in the 5-in-5 case in Santa Clara, California (Eligible as of 10/20/26)
Stanford Cardinal
2025-26 Record: 20-13 (9-9, 10th in conference)
Incoming Transfers: Nick Townsend (5th year F from Yale), Austin Maurer (Jr. C from Seattle), Christian Bliss (Jr. G from Delaware)
Incoming Freshmen: Aziz Olajuwon (four-star G/F), Julis Price (four-star G), Isaiah Rogers (four-star G), Elias Obenyah (four-star G), Drew Anderon (four-star F)
Departures: Ebuka Okorie (23.2 PPG), Chisom Okpara (13.9 PPG), Benny Gealer (10.9 PPG), Jeremy Dent-Smith (8.2 PPG), AJ Rohosy (7.6 PPG), Ryan Agarwal (5.9 PPG), Oskar Giltay (3.3 PPG), Jaylen Thompson (2.3 PPG), Cameron Grant (2.2 PPG)
Returners: Aidan Cammann (6.5 PPG), Donavin Young (2.5 PPG), Evan Stinson (1.8 PPG), Kristers Skrinda (0.8 PPG), Tallis Toure (redshirt), Anthony Batson Jr. (redshirt), Myles Jones (redshirt)
Player to look out for: Nick Townsend. The four year Ivy League forward is taking his talents to the ACC, coming off a career senior year where he averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds a game. He finished off his last two years with the Yale Bulldogs by making it onto the All-Ivy League First Team, and winning conference player of the year this previous season. Ivy League players either struggle greatly in higher talent situations, or they take it on like any other challenge and stay good. Townsend is an efficient shooter who is able to contribute on the boards, that will be a helper in him being a piece in the Cardinal team. (Fun fact, Aziz Olajuwon is actually Hakeem’s son, and I find that cool.)
Nick Townsend is in the 5-in-5 case in Santa Clara, California (Eligible as of 10/20/26)
Virginia Tech Hokies
2025-26 Record: 19-13 (8-10, 12th in conference)
Incoming Transfers: Butta Johnson (5th year G from Clemson), Jaylen Curry (Sr. G from Oklahoma State), Ethan Copeland (Sr. G from Stetson), Miles Heide (Sr. F from San Diego State), Ned Hull (RS-Jr. from Elon), Isaiah Elohim (Jr. G from Florida Atlantic), Kuol Atak (RS-So. from Oklahoma), Musa Sagnia (So. C from NC State)
Incoming Freshmen: Eltayeb Eltayeb (G)
Departures: Tobi Lawal (12.3 PPG), Neoklis Avdalas (12.1 PPG), Jailen Bedford (11.3 PPG), Jaden Schutt (7.7 PPG), Christian Gurdak (5.6 PPG), Antonio Dorn (2.6 PPG), Izaiah Pasha (2.0 PPG), Brett Freeman
Returners: Amani Hansberry (14.3 PPG), Ben Hammond (13.2 PPG), Tyler Johnson (8.0 PPG), Sin’Cere Jones (0.6 PPG), Solomon Davis (redshirt)
Player to look out for: Amani Hansberry. The Hokies were able to keep their two leading scorers, and Amani Hansberry was the main part of that. He will now be heading into his second year in Blacksburg, where he hopes to continue his success from his career junior year. His one issue is staying out of foul trouble, but if he can do that then he should be able to keep up with what he has been developing throughout college.
Butta Johnson is in the 5-in-5 case in Monroe, Indiana (Eligible as of 9/23/26)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2025-26 Record: 18-17 (7-11, 13th in conference)
Incoming Transfers: Justin Abson (5th year F from Georgia), Xander Pintelon (Sr. F from Florida Atlantic), Jamari McDowell (RS-Jr. G from Kansas), Ring Nyeri (Jr. F from Northern Colorado), Justin Ray (Jr. G from Monmouth), Antonio Dorn (Jr. C from Virginia Tech), Kevair Kennedy (So. G from Merrimack), Vincent Chaudhri (RS-Fr. F from George Washington)
Incoming Freshmen: Gallagher Placide (four-star F), Gavin Placide (four-star F), Lukas Bojovic (G)
Departures: Juke Harris (21.4 PPG), Myles Colvin (11.6 PPG), Tre’Von Spillers (11.2 PPG), Nate Calmese (10.3 PPG), Mekhi Mason (7.4 PPG), Omaha Biliew (6.3 PPG), Sebastian Akins (5.3 PPG), Cooper Schwieger (5.1 PPG), Jaylen Cross (1.8 PPG), Marquis Marion (1.5 PPG), Dimitrije Kovacevic (redshirt)
Returners: Isaac Carr (2.2 PPG)
Player to look out for: Jamari McDowell. He has spent his first two years with Bill Self at Kansas coming off the bench, but now he will be able to contribute fully with the Demon Deacons. McDowell has shown flashes of being a solid guard, and that will come into the spotlight now as he is primed for a starting role.
Justin Abson is in the 5-in-5 case in Monroe, Indiana (Eligible as of 9/23/26)
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Which teams do you think will surprise in the ACC this season?