Even after their bid for a national championship four-peat was foiled in 2021, the Tar Heels are still the team to beat in ACC field hockey. The conference’s preseason poll was released Monday, and Carolina was tabbed to win its sixth straight ACC title. In addition, seniors Erin Matson and Meredith Sholder were named to the preseason All-ACC team.

The Tar Heels stood atop the conference with five first-place votes out of seven and 47 total points. Syracuse was the only other team to receive first-place votes and was picked second. Following the Orange were Boston College, Virginia, Louisville, Duke and Wake Forest. The Cardinals won the regular-season crown in 2021, but UNC won the conference tournament.

Matson is entering her final year of college eligibility, and has won the ACC Offensive Player of the Year Award in each of the four years she’s played for the Tar Heels. She was named first team All-ACC in 2021 as well. Sholder, also a senior, was named to the second team last season. Syracuse led the league with four preseason All-ACC selections.

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll was also released Tuesday. The Tar Heels are ranked No. 2 in the poll, behind only defending national champion Northwestern. Carolina received 14 first-place votes, while the Wildcats received 26. Northwestern beat UNC in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament on its way to the title. For a full look at the NFHCA poll, click here.

UNC’s season will get underway on Friday, when the Tar Heels play Michigan in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Winston-Salem. Carolina will also play Iowa in the same event the following Sunday.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

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