Eric Williams.

Sept. 26, 2005

Wake Forest is ranked in the top 25 - and as high as sixth - in two preseason polls released this week by preseason basketball publications.

SLAM Magazine ranks the Demon Deacons sixth nationally, while Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook has Wake Forest ranked 22^nd. The official polls - Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today - are not published for more than a month from now. Wake Forest has been ranked in the AP poll 51 consecutive weeks.

Three ACC teams are in SLAM's top 10, including No. 1 Duke and No. 10 Boston College. Maryland is ranked 16^th. The Deacons are sixth, behind No. 2 Texas, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Arizona.

Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook wasn't as confident in the Deacons, ranking them 22^nd. Connecticut is the choice at No. 1, followed by Texas and Duke. Boston College is 10^th and NC State 15^th.

SLAM

1.                  Duke

2.                  Texas

3.                  Michigan State

4.                  Oklahoma

5.                  Arizona

6.                  Wake Forest

7.                  Louisville

8.                  Villanova

9.                  Gonzaga

10.              Boston College

11.              Illinois

12.              Kentucky

13.              Stanford

14.              Syracuse

15.              Memphis

16.              Maryland

17.              West Virginia

18.              UCLA

19.              Charlotte

20.              Connecticut

BLUE RIBBON YEARBOOK

1.                  Connecticut

2.                  Texas

3.                  Duke

4.                  Oklahoma

5.                  Louisville

6.                  Gonzaga

7.                  Michigan State

8.                  Arizona

9.                  Kentucky

10.              Boston College

11.              Villanova

12.              Illinois

13.              Memphis

14.              Syracuse

15.              NC State

16.              Iowa

17.              George Washington

18.              Wisconsin

19.              Stanford

20.              Iowa State

21.              UCLA

22.              Wake Forest

23.              Washington

24.              Alabama

25.              Maryalnd