GREENSBORO, N.C. – The defending NCAA champion Duke Blue Devils and ACC champion North Carolina Tar Heels were both selected second in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll as released and announced by the conference on Wednesday.
It was conference newcomer the Syracuse Orange that was selected as the preseason favorite in the poll determined by a vote of the league’s six head coaches.
The Orange received 28 points in balloting while the Blue Devils and Tar Heels each received 27 points.
The Virginia Cavaliers (16), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (15) and Maryland Terrapins (13) were selected to finish fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
The league also announced Preseason All-ACC Team selections that included 10 returning United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-Americans from five of the six member schools, with Duke and North Carolina leading the list with three selections apiece.
Duke’s Brendan Fowler, who was selected to the Preseason All-ACC Team as the face-off specialist, is the lone returning USILA First Team All-American.
Fowler was also named the 2013 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player.
Joining Fowler on the Preseason All-ACC team were teammates Jordan Wolf (A) and Luke Duprey (LSM).
For the Tar Heels, All-ACC team selections were given to Joey Sankey (A), Chad Tutton (M), and Ryan Creighton (SSM)
In the recently released Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Top 20 preseason poll, the Blue Devils top the list at No. 1 followed by Syracuse (2), North Carolina (3), Notre Dame (4), Maryland (6), and Virginia (9).
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ACC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason All-ACC Coaches Poll and Team
Coaches Poll
1. Syracuse (28)
T2. Duke (27)
T2. North Carolina (27)
4. Virginia (16)
5. Notre Dame (15)
6. Maryland (13)
Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack
Mark Cockerton, Sr., Virginia
Joe Sankey, Jr., North Carolina
Jordan Wolf, Sr., Duke
Midfield
Rob Emery, Sr., Virginia
Jim Marlatt, Sr., Notre Dame
Chud Tutton, Jr., North Carolina
Defense
Mike Ehrhardt, Sr., Maryland
Scott McWilliams, Sr., Virginia
Goran Murray, Jr., Maryland
Goalkeeper
Niko Amato, Sr., Maryland
Face-off
Brendan Fowler, Sr., Duke
Long-stick Midfield
Luke Duprey, Sr., Duke
Short-stick Midfield
Ryan Creighton, Sr., North Carolina