Virginia’s Kymora Johnson Named Preseason All-ACC; Cavaliers Picked Sixth
Photo: UVA Athletics
Virginia women’s basketball star Kymora Johnson is entering the 2026-27 season with another major conference honor, earning a spot on the Preseason All-ACC Team following a vote by the league’s head coaches and Blue-Ribbon Panel.
The ACC announced its preseason selections Tuesday, Oct. 13, with Johnson receiving the third-highest vote total among All-ACC honorees for the second consecutive season. The Cavaliers were also projected to finish sixth in the conference standings, marking their highest preseason ranking since 2017.
Kymora Johnson Builds on Record-Breaking Season
Johnson returns to Charlottesville after an outstanding 2025-26 campaign in which she averaged 19.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.
The fourth-year guard was one of only three NCAA Division I players to average at least 19 points and 5.5 assists per game last season, showcasing her ability to score and create opportunities for her teammates.
Her production carried into the NCAA Tournament, where Johnson averaged 22 points, 5.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds per contest. She helped Virginia reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in 26 years, with the Cavaliers making history as the first team to advance to the regional semifinals after beginning the tournament in the First Four.
Johnson’s individual accomplishments also include multiple program records. She set Virginia records for three-pointers made in a single game with 10, in a single season with 103, and across a career with 231.
Her 41-point performance against Winthrop ranks as the second-highest single-game scoring total in program history. Johnson has accumulated 1,725 career points, placing her ninth on Virginia’s all-time scoring list.
Virginia Picked Sixth in ACC Preseason Poll
The Cavaliers’ sixth-place projection reflects expectations for another competitive season after their postseason breakthrough.
Virginia received 1,085 points in the ACC preseason poll, which included votes from 76 voters. Duke led the projected standings with 1,649 points and 49 first-place votes, followed by Louisville with 1,580 points and 22 first-place votes.
North Carolina ranked third with 1,462 points, while Notre Dame placed fourth with 1,450 points. NC State rounded out the top five with 1,337 points.
Virginia finished ahead of Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Clemson, which were projected seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Cavaliers will look to build on last season’s NCAA Tournament success as Johnson leads a team aiming to compete with the ACC’s top programs.
Hannah Hidalgo Headlines Preseason All-ACC Selections
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, collecting 871 votes to lead the conference’s individual honors.
Duke forward Toby Fournier finished second on the Preseason All-ACC Team with 767 votes, followed by Johnson with 655.
Syracuse center Uche Izoje received 466 votes, while NC State forwards Khamil Pierre and Zoe Brooks earned 456 and 455 votes, respectively.
The remainder of the 10-player team includes Louisville guards Tajianna Roberts and Imari Berry, Georgia Tech guard Talayah Walker and California guard Lulu Twidale.
The Preseason All-Freshman Team features Kate Harpring of North Carolina, Jacy Abii of Notre Dame, Duke’s Autumn Fleary and Bella Flemings, Florida State’s Missy Odom and Clemson’s Kimora Fields.
ACC Preseason Rankings Set the Stage for 2026-27
The preseason poll places Duke, Louisville, North Carolina and Notre Dame among the teams expected to contend near the top of the conference, with Virginia positioned sixth.
For the Cavaliers, Johnson’s return provides an experienced offensive leader with a proven ability to produce at a high level against top competition. Her scoring, playmaking and record-setting shooting will be central to Virginia’s efforts to remain competitive in the ACC and pursue another deep NCAA Tournament run.
With Johnson earning consecutive preseason All-ACC selections and Virginia receiving its highest preseason placement in nearly a decade, the Cavaliers enter the new campaign with expectations to match their growing momentum.
Source: Virginia Athletics.