Notre Dame F Brianna Turner named Associated Press Preseason All-American

Notre Dame forward Brianna Turner was one of five players nationally named to the Associated Press Preseason All-America team on Thursday.

A 6-foot-3 junior, Turner was named the 2016 ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, following a season in which she averaged 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and helped lead the Irish to a 33-2 record and the program’s third consecutive ACC regular season and tournament championship. The Pearland, Texas, native has been named to the postseason All-America teams following each of her first two seasons with the Irish.

"It's really exciting and it's good to be honored but, this time of the year, it's about doing the work to get the team ready,” Turner said in a statement. “Hopefully by the end of the year I live up to these expectations and our team can as well."

Turner was joined on the AP Preseason All-America team by Nina Davis of Baylor, Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State, Kelsey Plum of Washington and A’ja Wilson of South Carolina.

Notre Dame, which is ranked as the top team in the country by the AP, opens its regular season on Nov. 11 when it hosts Central Michigan in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT.