Tar Heels Picked Second; Jones, Bell Honored
August 12, 2021 | Women's Soccer
CHAPEL HILL – University of North Carolina's women soccer program was picked second in the ACC preseason coaches' poll while Rachel Jones and Maycee Bell were selected to the preseason All-ACC team.
A 2020 All-ACC First Team selection, Jones was selected after a stellar junior season in which she was also named a Third Team All-America, an All-ACC Academic Team member, an Academic All-District honoree, and to the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
A senior forward from Lawrenceville, Ga., she ranked second on the team in goals (6), assists (6) and points (18) in 2020-21. Outside of soccer, she serves as president of UNC's Student-Athlete Advisory Council and also serves on the conference SAAC. She was a 2021 recipient of UNC's Top 10 Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes the top cumulative grade point averages among graduating student-athletes. After completing her degree in public policy in May 2021, Jones begins her studies at the UNC School of Law while playing her final season of eligibility for Carolina this fall.
Bell, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year, ended the 2020 fall slate on the First Team All-ACC list. On Sept. 29, 2020, she collected ACC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts against Virginia Tech and Duke.
Over 12 matches in the fall, she started each, recorded 1,055 minutes and, and anchored a back line that ranked fourth in goals against average (.500). Bell missed most of the spring season due to injury but made appearances in the NCAA Tournament against Texas A&M and Santa Clara.
Florida State was chosen as the preseason favorite and received 11 first-place votes and tallied 167 points.
North Carolina collected two first-place votes and 155 points to finish second in the voting, while Virginia earned 148 points and one first-place vote to occupy third. Duke and Clemson round out the top five with 129 and 124 points, respectively.
No. 3 UNC welcomes Washington to Dorrance Field on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. to open the season.
Season tickets can be purchase by clicking here.
2021 ACC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Florida State - 167 (11 First-Place Votes)
North Carolina - 155 (2)
Virginia - 148 (1)
Duke - 129
Clemson - 124
Notre Dame - 104
Virginia Tech - 85
Louisville - 77
Wake Forest - 72
NC State - 71
Pitt - 57
Boston College - 45
Syracuse - 24
Miami - 16
2021 Women's Soccer Preseason All-ACC Team
Megan Bornkamp, Clemson, So., M
Hensley Hancuff, Clemson, Sr., GK
Delaney Graham, Duke, Sr., D
Sophie Jones, Duke, Jr., M
Jaelin Howell, Florida State, Sr., M
Yujie Zhao, Florida State, Sr., M
Maycee Bell, North Carolina, Jr., D
Rachel Jones, North Carolina, Sr., F/M
Amanda West, Pitt, So., F
Lia Godfrey, Virginia, So., M
Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia, Sr., F/M
A 2020 All-ACC First Team selection, Jones was selected after a stellar junior season in which she was also named a Third Team All-America, an All-ACC Academic Team member, an Academic All-District honoree, and to the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
A senior forward from Lawrenceville, Ga., she ranked second on the team in goals (6), assists (6) and points (18) in 2020-21. Outside of soccer, she serves as president of UNC's Student-Athlete Advisory Council and also serves on the conference SAAC. She was a 2021 recipient of UNC's Top 10 Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes the top cumulative grade point averages among graduating student-athletes. After completing her degree in public policy in May 2021, Jones begins her studies at the UNC School of Law while playing her final season of eligibility for Carolina this fall.
Bell, the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year, ended the 2020 fall slate on the First Team All-ACC list. On Sept. 29, 2020, she collected ACC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts against Virginia Tech and Duke.
Over 12 matches in the fall, she started each, recorded 1,055 minutes and, and anchored a back line that ranked fourth in goals against average (.500). Bell missed most of the spring season due to injury but made appearances in the NCAA Tournament against Texas A&M and Santa Clara.
Florida State was chosen as the preseason favorite and received 11 first-place votes and tallied 167 points.
North Carolina collected two first-place votes and 155 points to finish second in the voting, while Virginia earned 148 points and one first-place vote to occupy third. Duke and Clemson round out the top five with 129 and 124 points, respectively.
No. 3 UNC welcomes Washington to Dorrance Field on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. to open the season.
Season tickets can be purchase by clicking here.
2021 ACC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Florida State - 167 (11 First-Place Votes)
North Carolina - 155 (2)
Virginia - 148 (1)
Duke - 129
Clemson - 124
Notre Dame - 104
Virginia Tech - 85
Louisville - 77
Wake Forest - 72
NC State - 71
Pitt - 57
Boston College - 45
Syracuse - 24
Miami - 16
2021 Women's Soccer Preseason All-ACC Team
Megan Bornkamp, Clemson, So., M
Hensley Hancuff, Clemson, Sr., GK
Delaney Graham, Duke, Sr., D
Sophie Jones, Duke, Jr., M
Jaelin Howell, Florida State, Sr., M
Yujie Zhao, Florida State, Sr., M
Maycee Bell, North Carolina, Jr., D
Rachel Jones, North Carolina, Sr., F/M
Amanda West, Pitt, So., F
Lia Godfrey, Virginia, So., M
Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia, Sr., F/M
Players Mentioned
Defender
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