Tar Heels Unanimous Favorite To Repeat As ACC Champs
August 4, 2017 | Volleyball
GREENSBORO – North Carolina volleyball swept the ballots in the 2017 ACC Preseason Poll, as all 14 opposing head coaches picked the Tar Heels to repeat as conference champion in 2017. Carolina went an unprecedented 19-1 en route to its 13th ACC title in 2016 and returns the core of its starting lineup, including 2016 ACC Player of the Year Taylor Leath and ACC Freshman of the Year Julia Scoles.
"When you win a conference title and return the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in addition to All-ACC performers, it is natural to expect similar competitive results," said head coach Joe Sagula. "It is a compliment to all of our players that the ACC coaches have selected our team to maintain a high competitive level. We are very honored to be selected by all the ACC and hope to represent the conference at a high level throughout the year."
Carolina dominated the voting, taking home all 14 first-place votes for a total of 196 points. UNC is the first team to be selected as the unanimous preseason favorite since 2013, when Florida State swept the top spot after winning two consecutive conference titles. Florida State took home the second-most votes at 169, while Pitt, who finished in a three-way tie for third at 15-5 last season was a single point shy (168) in third. Notre Dame (149) and NC State (140) rounded out the top five.
"This is a very interesting year for the conference," said Sagula. "I think it will be difficult to predict with the mix of old and new coaches and investment in ACC programs. I expect the conference to be a tough battle among programs that have been trending upwards in the past few years, such as Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, NC State and Louisville. There are so many new coaches in the conference that will certainly raise the level of play along with the traditionally strong programs like Florida State, Duke, Miami and Georgia Tech. I think the conference is building in 2017 and will continue to establish the ACC as a top volleyball conference."
This year's poll marks the third consecutive season that Carolina has been picked to win the ACC. UNC has finished atop the ACC regular-season standings 13 times since the conference began sponsoring volleyball in 1981, including twice in the last three seasons, and finished in the top three in 27 of its 37 seasons as a conference member.
The 2017 season gets underway on Friday, Aug. 25, when North Carolina travels to Madison, Wisconsin, for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Tar Heels will face a pair of top-five teams in Wisconsin and Minnesota, teaming up with Louisville for conference bragging rights. The Heels begin ACC play on Friday, Sept. 22, with a trip across the Triangle to NC State.
2017 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. North Carolina (29-4, 19-1 ACC) – 196 points, 14 first place votes
2. Florida State (26-6, 17-3) – 169 points
3. Pitt (25-9, 15-5) – 168 points
4. Notre Dame (22-10, 13-7) – 149 points
5. NC State (20-12, 13-7) – 140 points
6. Miami (15-17, 9-11) – 136 points
7. Duke (21-9, 15-5) – 118 points
8. Louisville (12-18, 7-13) – 104 points
9. Georgia Tech (24-8, 15-5) – 99 points
10. Syracuse (7-23, 6-14) – 75 points
11. Wake Forest (9-22, 5-15) – 69 points
12. Virginia Tech (13-18, 8-12) – 54 points
13. Virginia (7-25, 4-16) – 50 points
14. Boston College (8-22, 3-17) – 28 points
15. Clemson (6-26, 1-19) – 20 points
