Virginia Picked To Finish Second in the ACC

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GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Virginia men’s soccer team was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference, as determined by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches that was released by the league Wednesday.

North Carolina, which ended the 2008 season as the national runner-up, narrowly beat Virginia as the preseason pick for the upcoming season.

Virginia returns 92 percent of its goal-scoring, including 36-of-39 total goals from last year’s squad that continued its longest active streak in the nation with its 29th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Cavalier midfielder and 2008 ACC Freshman of the Year Tony Tchani, who returns for his sophomore campaign, was named as one of the 38 members of the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List.

Carolina returns four of its top five scorers from last year’s 15-8-1 squad, which advanced to the finals of the 2008 NCAA College Cup.

Defending national champion Maryland and Wake Forest wrap up the top four ACC predictions as the Terrapins went a program-best 23-3 in 2008 and carry a 16-game win streak into the 2009 season. Completing the preseason poll in order of projected finish are NC State, Boston College, Duke, Clemson and Virginia Tech, respectively.

Virginia hosts George Mason on Friday at Klöckner Stadium in a preseason exhibition. Kick-off is 7 p.m.

2009 Preseason ACC Men’s Soccer Poll

School (first-place votes) Points 2008 Record
1. North Carolina (5) 73 15-8-1 (3-5-0 ACC)
2. Virginia (4) 72 11-9-1 (4-4-0 ACC)
3. Maryland 64 23-3-0 (6-2-0 ACC)
4. Wake Forest 55 21-2-1 (7-0-1 ACC)
5. NC State 40 9-9-1 (3-5-0 ACC)*
6. Boston College 37 11-7-3 (5-3-0 ACC)*
7. Duke 32 10-8-2 (3-3-2 ACC)
8. Clemson 23 7-9-2 (3-4-1 ACC)
9. Virginia Tech 9 5-13-1 (0-8-0 ACC)

*NC State defeated Boston College 2-0 on Sept. 27; however, NC State forfeited the win and the standing reflects the adjusted record.