Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Voted to Finish Eighth in ACC
8/6/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWSoccer)
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's soccer team has been picked to finish eighth in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll, the conference announced Monday.
North Carolina led the way in the poll with 183 points and four first-place votes, as voted on by the 14 league head coaches. Florida State was picked second with 174 points and five first-place votes while Virginia rounded-out the top three with 173 points and two first-place votes.
Wake Forest earned 104 points, just behind Notre Dame with 111 and ahead of Louisville with 75 points.
Six of the seven teams picked ahead of Wake Forest finished in the top 25 of the final United Soccer Coaches poll in 2017. The Demon Deacons finished just outside, receiving the 26th-most votes in the poll.
In 2017, Wake Forest was predicted to finish ninth overall in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll. The team finished the season fifth in the conference with a 5-4-2 record, the most victories since 2013. The Deacs also returned to the ACC Tournament for the 20th time in program history and the first since 2012.
The Demon Deacons are returning 18 players from the 2017 roster, including four of their five top scorers from a season ago. Bayley Feist, Hannah Betfort, Estelle Laurier and Sofia Rossi will all make their return to the pitch for the 2018 season. The Deacs also welcome nine freshmen and grad transfer Mariah Lee to the squad in 2018.
The squad opens the 2018 season in an exhibition contest tonight (August 6) against William & Mary.
2018 Preseason All-ACC Women's Soccer Team
Samantha Coffey, So., M, Boston College
Sam Staab, Sr., D, Clemson
Kayla McCoy, Sr., F, Duke
Ella Stevens, Jr., M, Duke
Deyna Castellanos, Jr., F, Florida State
Natalia Kuikka, Sr., D., Florida State
Emina Ekic, So., M, Louisville
Alessia Russo, So., F, North Carolina
Tziarra King, Jr., F, NC State
Taryn Torres, So., M, Virginia
Mandy McGlynn, Jr., GK, Virginia Tech
Preseason ACC Coaches Poll
1. North Carolina (183, 4 first place votes)
2. Florida State (174, 5 first place votes)
3. Virginia (173, 2 first-place votes)
4. Duke (151, 3 first-place votes)
5. NC State (144)
6. Clemson (120)
7. Notre Dame (111)
8. Wake Forest (104)
9. Louisville (75)
10. Boston College (72)
11. Virginia Tech (66)
12. Syracuse (40)
13. Miami (34)
14. Pitt (23)
