Tar Heels Picked Third In Competitive ACC South Region

CHAPEL HILL—The Atlantic Coast Conference has released its 2020 men's soccer preseason poll after voting from the league's head coaches, and the University of North Carolina was picked to finish third in the South Region while also receiving one vote as the overall ACC champion.

Clemson edged out Wake Forest by one vote as the overall conference favorite, 5-4, with Carolina and Virginia tying for third in the overall rankings with a vote apiece.

ACC teams will play in two regions in an altered league schedule this season, with six conference games against regional opponents over a nine-week period. Due to a combination of injuries and not all of its members returning for the semester, Boston College has opted out and will not compete this fall.

UNC is part of the five-team South Region, joining Clemson, Duke, North Carolina State and Wake Forest.

Clemson edged out Wake Forest for the top spot in the South Region with each team receiving five first-place votes. The Tar Heels were picked third, followed by NC State and Duke.

The ACC also released its 2020 Preseason Watch List, which includes one player from each team. Carolina junior goalkeeper Alec Smir, a Greensboro native, was Carolina's representative.

The Tar Heels will open the 2020 regular season on Friday September 25 at Clemson.

The 2020 ACC men's soccer fall season officially gets underway on Friday, Sept. 18, when Clemson plays host to Wake Forest. An eight-team ACC Championship will begin Sunday, Nov. 15 and continue with the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The four North Carolina institutions will serve as host quarterfinal and semifinal venues. The championship game is planned for Sunday, Nov. 22, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

2020 ACC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
(First place points are in parentheses.)

North Region

Virginia (9), 59
Pitt (2), 44
Virginia Tech, 35
Syracuse, 30
Louisville, 29
Notre Dame, 28

South Region

Clemson (5), 45
Wake Forest (5), 44
North Carolina (1), 33
NC State, 21
Duke, 17

Overall Champion
Clemson, 5 votes
Wake Forest, 4
North Carolina, 1
Virginia, 1

2020 ACC Preseason Watch List
Kimarni Smith, Senior, Forward, Clemson
Jack Doran, Graduate, Midfielder, Duke
Pedro Fonseca, Junior, Forward, Louisville
Alec Smir, Junior, Goalkeeper, North Carolina
George Asomani, Senior, Midfielder, NC State
Jack Lynn, Junior, Forward, Notre Dame
Edward Kizza, Senior, Forward, Pitt
Sondre Norheim, Senior, Defender, Syracuse
Nathaniel Crofts, Senior, Forward, Virginia
Kristo Strickler, Senior, Forward, Virginia Tech
Michael DeShields, Senior, Defender, Wake Forest

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Alec Smir

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