GREENSBORO, N.C. – The defending NCAA-champion North Carolina Tar Heels women’s lacrosse team was selected as the preseason favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll as announced on Tuesday.
North Carolina head coach Jenny Levy’s team received four first-place votes and 60 points in the balloting among the ACC’s eight head coaches.
The reigning ACC champion and NCAA runner-up Maryland Terrapins were selected second with two first- place votes and 54 points, while ACC newcomer and NCAA Final Four participant the Syracuse Orange followed close behind with two first-place votes and 53 points for third.
Duke (34) was picked to finish fourth, Virginia (29) fifth, Notre Dame (27) sixth, Boston College (23) seventh and Virginia Tech (8) eighth.
The top three of the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll mirrors that of the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association’s poll as North Carolina enters the season as the nation’s No. 1 team, Maryland No. 2 and Syracuse No. 3, while Duke is ranked No. 6, Virginia No. 8, Notre Dame No. 11 and Boston College No. 20. Virginia Tech is receiving votes in the IWLCA’s Preseason Top 20 poll.
The Preseason All-ACC Team features six returning First Team All-Americans as selected by the IWLCA, and 11 returning All-America selections overall.
Seven of the eight ACC institutions were recognized on the Preseason All-ACC Team, led by Maryland with three selections. North Carolina, Syracuse, Boston College and Duke each had two student-athletes named to the team, while Notre Dame and Virginia each had one student-athlete tabbed.
The 2014 NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse season gets under way beginning Friday.
Looking ahead, the ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championship will be played Apr. 24, 25 & 27 at Alumni Stadium on the campus of Boston College.
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ACC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. North Carolina (4 1st place, 60 points)
2. Maryland (2 1st place, 54 points)
3. Syracuse (2 1st place, 53 points)
4. Duke (34)
5. Virginia (29)
6. Norte Dame (27)
7. Boston College (23)
8. Virginia Tech (8)
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Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack
Abbey Friend, A North Carolina
Brooke Griffin, A, Maryland
Kayla Treanor, A, Syracuse
Midfield
Taylor Cummings, M, Maryland
Kelly McPartland, M, Maryland
Mikaela Rix, M, Boston College
Defense
Sloane Serpe, D, North Carolina
Barbara Sullivan, D, Notre Dame
Taylor Virden, D, Duke
At-Large
Casey Bocklet, A, Virginia
Alyssa Murray, A, Syracuse
Covie Stanwick, A, Boston College
Goalkeeper
Kelsey Duryea, GK, Duke
*Due to a tie in voting, an extra member was added to the team