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Aug. 5, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia men’s soccer team was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference as determined by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches in the 2005 ACC Preseason Poll. UVa, the two-time defending ACC Champion (2003 & 2004), received 59 points to finish fourth and was picked to place behind Duke (first), North Carolina (second) and Maryland (third).

Virginia returns 18 letterwinners and six starters from last year’s team that finished 18-5-1 overall, 4-3-0 in the conference. UVa won the 2004 ACC Championship and advanced to the 2004 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. The Cavaliers welcome back 2004 All-ACC selections Nico Colaluca (All-ACC Second Team, All-ACC Freshman Team) and Jeremy Barlow (All-ACC Freshman Team, ACC Tournament MVP) as well as four players that landed on the 2004 ACC All-Tournament Team in Ryan Burke, Adam Cristman, Barlow and Colaluca.

A season removed from advancing to the College Cup in Carson, Calif., the Blue Devils tallied 74 points including five first-place votes en route to being named the conference preseason favorite. Duke returns 15 letterwinners and seven starters, including 2004 ACC Freshman of the Year Michael Videira who led the Blue Devils and was second in the league in assists with 15 a season ago. Last year, Duke finished the season 18-6-0 and placed in a tie for third with a mark of 4-3-0.

North Carolina was picked to finish second receiving 66 points and two first-place votes. The Tar Heels return 18 letterwinners and seven starters from last year’s squad that finished 10-9-2 overall and 4-3-0 in league play. All-ACC honoree Corey Ashe returns for his junior campaign after leading the Tar Heels last season in goals (9) and sharing the team lead in points with 18.

Maryland is the coaches’ pick to finish third after accumulating 63 points and two first-place votes. The Terrapins are coming off their third consecutive trip to the College Cup. Maryland returns seven starters and 14 letterwinners from last year’s team that placed second in the ACC with a 4-2-1 conference mark and an overall ledger of 17-6-2.

Completing the preseason poll in order of projected finish are Wake Forest (39), Boston College (33), Clemson (30), NC State (21) and Virginia Tech (20). Below is a listing of the preseason coaches’ poll with 2004 records.

2005 Preseason ACC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll

School  			Points		2004 Record1. Duke (5)			74		18-6-0, 4-3-02. North Carolina (2)		66		10-9-2, 4-3-03. Maryland (2)		63		17-6-2, 4-2-14. VIRGINIA		59		18-5-1, 4-3-05. Wake Forest		39		14-5-2, 5-2-06. Boston College		33		13-5-2, 6-3-1 *7. Clemson			30		8-9-1, 2-5-08. N.C. State		21		8-8-2, 2-4-19. Virginia Tech		20		9-10-1, 2-5-0

* denotes Big East conference record in 2004.

— UVa —

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