Wake Forest Athletics
Men's Soccer Picked Fifth in ACC Preseason Poll
8/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 5, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest men's soccer team was picked fifth for the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference season, as determined by a vote of the league's nine head coaches.
The Demon Deacons have a lot to live up to in 2005. Wake Forest enters the campaign with four straight NCAA Tournament Appearances, earning the top-seed twice in the last three years. Wake Forest has also captured a pair of ACC regular season titles in the same span. Over the last three years, the Demon Deacons have combined for a 44-12-6 record.
Despite a younger and less experienced club that will look for significant contributions from an exciting and dynamic freshman class, the cupboard has not been left bare. Wake Forest does return six starters and 12 letterwinners from last year's squad, including senior NSCAA All-American first team selection Justin Moose.
Duke earned the top spot. A season removed from advancing to the College Cup in Carson, Calif., the Blue Devils tallied 74 points including five first-place votes en route to being named the conference preseason favorite. Duke returns 15 letterwinners and seven starters, including 2004 ACC Freshman of the Year Michael Videira who led the Blue Devils and was second in the league in assists with 15 a season ago. Last year, Duke finished the season 18-6-0 and placed in a tie for third with a mark of 4-3-0.
North Carolina was picked to finish second receiving 66 points and two first-place votes. The Tar Heels return 18 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's squad that finished 10-9-2 overall and 4-3-0 in league play. All-ACC honoree Corey Ashe returns for his junior campaign after leading the Tar Heels last season in goals (9) and sharing the team lead in points with 18.
Maryland is the coaches' pick to finish third after accumulating 63 points and two first-place votes. The Terrapins are coming off their third consecutive trip to the College Cup. Maryland returns seven starters and 14 letterwinners from last year's team that placed second in the ACC with a 4-2-1 conference mark and an overall ledger of 17-6-2.
Completing the preseason poll in order of projected finish are Virginia (59), Wake Forest (39), Boston College (33), Clemson (30), NC State (21) and Virginia Tech (20).
2005 Preseason ACC Men's Soccer PollSchool Points 2004 Record1. Duke (5) 74 18-6-0 (4-3-0)2. North Carolina (2) 66 10-9-2 (4-3-0)3. Maryland (2) 63 17-6-2 (4-2-1)4. Virginia 59 18-5-1 (4-3-0)5. Wake Forest 39 14-5-2 (5-2-0)6. Boston College 33 13-5-2 (6-3-1)*7. Clemson 30 8-9-1 (2-5-0)8. NC State 21 8-8-2 (2-4-1)9. Virginia Tech 20 9-10-1 (2-5-0)* denotes Big East conference reord in 2004
