University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Picked As Favorites; Bell, Fox, Pinto Honored
September 8, 2020 | Women's Soccer
CHAPEL HILL – The Tar Heels were picked as ACC favorites and Maycee Bell, Emily Fox and Brianna Pinto were chosen as part of the Preseason All-ACC team, the conference announced this afternoon.
After ending the 2019 season with a 24-2-1 mark and a finish as national runner-up, the Tar Heels were picked to repeat as ACC champions. Anson Dorrance's squad received eight first place votes and 129 total points in the voting. Florida State and Virginia each garnered first place votes as well with three and two, respectively.
Bell, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year, enters the 2020 campaign after 25 starts a season ago, which included three goals and an assist. She logged 2,161 minutes which led the team despite missing two complete games. Impressive on the back line, she played all 470 minutes of the Tar Heels' five ACC shutouts.
Fox begins her senior season as a Preseason All-ACC team member after being named as a Hermann Trophy finalist and a first team All-ACC selection in 2019. She started 22 matches a season ago, scored a pair of goals, recorded 11 assists, and logged 1,701 minutes in a Tar Heel kit.
After claiming a first team All-ACC selection for a second-straight season in 2019, Brianna Pinto begins her junior season as a preseason All-ACC member in 2020. The Tar Heels' points leader in 2019, she started all 27 games and registered 11 goals and six assists. Pinto was named as a Hermann Trophy semifinalist and was just one of five finalists for the 2019 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Award.
North Carolina opens the season on Sept. 17 against Wake Forest in Chapel Hill.
2020 ACC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
North Carolina - 129 (8 First-Place Votes)
Florida State - 123 (3)
Virginia - 113 (2)
Duke - 98
Clemson - 86
Notre Dame - 79
Louisville - 77
Virginia Tech - 64
Wake Forest - 50
Pitt - 42
Boston College - 35
Miami - 27
Syracuse - 13
2020 Women's Soccer Preseason All-ACC Team
Delaney Graham, Duke, Jr., D
Malia Berkely, Florida State, Sr., D
Jaelin Howell, Florida State, Jr., M
Yujie Zhao, Florida State, Jr., M
Emina Ekic, Louisville, Sr., M
Gabby Kouzelos, Louisville, Jr., GK
Maycee Bell, North Carolina, So., D
Emily Fox, North Carolina, Sr., D
Brianna Pinto, North Carolina, Jr., M
Diana Ordonez, Virginia, So., F
Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia, Jr., M
After ending the 2019 season with a 24-2-1 mark and a finish as national runner-up, the Tar Heels were picked to repeat as ACC champions. Anson Dorrance's squad received eight first place votes and 129 total points in the voting. Florida State and Virginia each garnered first place votes as well with three and two, respectively.
Bell, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year, enters the 2020 campaign after 25 starts a season ago, which included three goals and an assist. She logged 2,161 minutes which led the team despite missing two complete games. Impressive on the back line, she played all 470 minutes of the Tar Heels' five ACC shutouts.
Fox begins her senior season as a Preseason All-ACC team member after being named as a Hermann Trophy finalist and a first team All-ACC selection in 2019. She started 22 matches a season ago, scored a pair of goals, recorded 11 assists, and logged 1,701 minutes in a Tar Heel kit.
After claiming a first team All-ACC selection for a second-straight season in 2019, Brianna Pinto begins her junior season as a preseason All-ACC member in 2020. The Tar Heels' points leader in 2019, she started all 27 games and registered 11 goals and six assists. Pinto was named as a Hermann Trophy semifinalist and was just one of five finalists for the 2019 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Award.
North Carolina opens the season on Sept. 17 against Wake Forest in Chapel Hill.
2020 ACC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
North Carolina - 129 (8 First-Place Votes)
Florida State - 123 (3)
Virginia - 113 (2)
Duke - 98
Clemson - 86
Notre Dame - 79
Louisville - 77
Virginia Tech - 64
Wake Forest - 50
Pitt - 42
Boston College - 35
Miami - 27
Syracuse - 13
2020 Women's Soccer Preseason All-ACC Team
Delaney Graham, Duke, Jr., D
Malia Berkely, Florida State, Sr., D
Jaelin Howell, Florida State, Jr., M
Yujie Zhao, Florida State, Jr., M
Emina Ekic, Louisville, Sr., M
Gabby Kouzelos, Louisville, Jr., GK
Maycee Bell, North Carolina, So., D
Emily Fox, North Carolina, Sr., D
Brianna Pinto, North Carolina, Jr., M
Diana Ordonez, Virginia, So., F
Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia, Jr., M
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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