Ahead of another highly-anticipated season, the UNC baseball team is being ranked among the elite programs in the country. The Diamond Heels slotted at No. 12 in D1 Baseball’s preseason poll, one of seven ACC teams to appear in the rankings.

Carolina is the second-highest ACC team in the poll, with Wake Forest coming in at No. 6. Other conference foes among the poll are No. 14 Virginia Tech, No. 16 Louisville, No. 19 Virginia, No. 21 NC State and No. 22 Miami. Of those six other ranked teams, the only ones UNC is not scheduled to face in the regular season are Wake Forest and Louisville.

The Diamond Heels are coming off a 42-22 season last year in which they won the ACC Tournament and hosted both a regional and super regional at Boshamer Stadium. Seventeen players from that team are returning in 2023, including reigning ACC Tournament MVP Vance Honeycutt and starting pitcher Max Carlson, who led the team in strikeouts.

For a full look at the D1 Baseball poll, click here.

UNC is also ranked highly in preseason polls from Perfect Game (No. 13) and Collegiate Baseball (No. 11).

The Diamond Heels will get their season underway on February 17 when they host Seton Hall for the first game of a three-game series at Boshamer Stadium.

 

Featured image via Inside Carolina/Jim Hawkins

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