Ace KonigThe ACC is a basketball conference by all accounts. And in typical form the league at the top of the list in terms of top 20 signing classes, finishing tied with the Pac-12 with five a piece.
Grading The Conference Curve
Whether it’s having more historically ranked teams or having more campuses near fertile recruiting grounds it’s easy to just add up which conference has the most ranked recruiting classes. But more telling is the progress each conference is having against its own established average. Call it the Conference Curve.
We have averaged out the last five recruiting classes and graded each year against that curve.
| 2016 | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Top Class | #3 Notre Dame | #1 Maryland | #2 Texas | #6 Stanford | #9 Vanderbilt | #10 Connecticut |
| % of AVG | 76% | 154% | 154% | 167% | 31% | 50% |
| Grading Curve | C | A+ | A+ | A+ | F | F |
| 2015 | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Top Class | #1 Louisville | #8 Nebraska | #5 Baylor | #13 Cal | #9 Kentucky | #2 Connecticut |
| % of AVG | 76% | 192% | 115% | 100% | 94% | 50% |
| Grading Curve | C | A+ | A+ | A | A | F |
| 2014 | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Top Class | #5 Louisville | #2 Ohio State | #3 Texas | #1 UCLA | #10 Vanderbilt | #18 St. Johns |
| % of AVG | 121% | 77% | 38% | 67% | 156% | 100% |
| Grading Curve | A+ | C+ | F | D+ | A+ | A |
| 2013 | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Top Class | #1 UNC | #18 Penn State | #11 Baylor | #6 Stanford | #3 Tennessee | #19 Rutgers |
| % of AVG | 121% | 77% | 38% | 100% | 125% | 100% |
| Grading Curve | A+ | C+ | F | A | A+ | A |
| 2012 | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Top Class | #4 Notre Dame | N/A | #2 Texas A&M | #12 UCLA | #5 Tennessee | #1 Connecticut |
| % of AVG | 106% | 0% | 154% | 67% | 94% | 200% |
| Grading Curve | A+ | F | A+ | D+ | A | A+ |
| 5-Year AVG | ACC | BIG TEN | BIG XII | PAC-12 | SEC | OTHERS |
| Top 20 | 6.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3 | 3.2 | 2 |
The ACC had an average year when comparing the number of elite signing classes against its five-year average. With Notre Dame, Louisville and Florida State leading the charge, the league gets a C grade for 2016. Conference realignment impacts totals, of course, but the ACC has never had fewer than five top 20 ranked classes, peaking twice, in 2013 and 2014, with eight top 20 classes.
Best Class
Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw and her staff have inked the highest rated class in the ACC. The two-player class of No. 5 Jackie Young and No. 6 Erin Boley has the potential to bring two impact prospects to South Bend next year. This duo of Young and Boley gives Notre Dame versatile prospects that can add flexibility to Notre Dame’s lineups. They can be effective playing away from the basket or using their size to make plays around the rim.
Biggest Impact As A Frosh
It’s hard to imagine a world where North Carolina State guard Aislinn Konig doesn’t play early and often next year. She will bring size, scoring, and playmaking ability to the Wolfpack immediately and her ability to do all three within the frame of an offensive structure should allow her to make a major impact.
Storylines
Ten of the top 50 classes in the country are headed to the ACC Next year. Virginia’s class shouldn’t be overlooked. What coach Joanne Boyle and her staff were able to do in securing two top-30 prospects will make a major impact for that program. Both Dominique Toussaint and Jocelyn Willoughby are impactful perimeter scorers.
Transfers
Duke, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina and Georgia Tech all have impact transfers sitting out this year who will be joining the class of 2016 on the floor next year.
Duke has Maryland point guard Lexie Brown sitting out this year while Miami has Florida Atlantic wing Shaneese Bailey on campus getting ready to play next year. Florida State has former Baylor guard Imani Wright on campus while North Carolina has added Vanderbilt guard Paris Kea for next season. Georgia Tech also has a transfer on campus in Elo Edeferioka a post player from Hofstra. All five players played major roles at their previous schools last year.
Room In The Spring
There are a few ACC programs with the space to add a player or two in the late signing period. Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech are among the programs who could be looking to add players late. With a few high profile unsigned seniors left, the most movement is likely to come from programs tapping into the junior college ranks for immediate help. The 2016 international class is thin this year but could prove to be an option for some of the programs in the ACC.
Keil Moore is the Director of Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com National Scouting Report and international scouting report. He serves on the Naismith Trophy Board of Selectors and has been a member of the women's basketball community for more than eight years as a trainer and evaluator. He can be reached at keil@prospectsnation.com.
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase. He can be reached at chris@prospectsnation.com.
