Clemson Men’s Soccer Picked Fifth in Preseason ACC Poll

Aug. 11, 2004

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been selected as the top pick for the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer season, as determined by a vote of the league’s eight head coaches.

The Tar Heels, who finished the 2003 season with a 12-4-4 mark, accumulated 57 total points including four first place votes to lead all schools. North Carolina returns 14 letterwinners and nine starters from a squad that earned the fourth overall national seed at last seasons NCAA Tournament.

Defending ACC Champions, the Virginia Cavaliers were chosen to finish second in the league with 51 points including one first place vote. Virginia posted a record of 11-10-2 last season advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers will have 18 letterwinners including 11 starters back in action in 2004.

Wake Forest is the coaches’ pick to finish third after tallying 45 total points. The Demon Deacons, who finished the 2003 season with a record of 15-5-0, 4-2-0 in conference play, return seven starters and 15 letterwinners from last year’s team.

Completing the preseason poll in order of projected finish are Maryland (40), Clemson (31), Duke (25), Virginia Tech (21) and NC State (18). Below is a listing of the preseason coaches’ poll with 2003 records.

2004 Preseason ACC Men’s Soccer Poll

School Points 2003 Record

1. North Carolina (4) 57 12-4-4 (2-3-1)

2. Virginia (1) 51 11-10-2 (3-3-0)

3. Wake Forest 45 15-5-0 (4-2-0)

4. Maryland (1) 40 20-3-1 (5-1-0)

5. Clemson (1) 31 9-7-4 (2-4-0)

6. Duke 25 8-10-1 (2-4-0)

7. Virginia Tech (1) 21 14-5-3 (7-3-0)*

8. NC State 18 9-9-2 (2-3-1)

* denotes Big East conference record in 2003