Coming off a College Cup appearance last spring, expectations for the UNC men’s soccer team are sky-high for the upcoming season.

United Soccer Coaches just released its preseason top 25 and the Tar Heels are ranked No. 4 in the new poll. Carolina is the second-highest ranked ACC team, with Pittsburgh edging them at No. 3. Carolina travels to Pittsburgh for their conference opener on September 10.

Last season’s national runners-up Indiana are No. 2, while Marshall will defend its first-ever men’s soccer national title as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Carolina returns 9 of its 11 starters from last year, and will begin its season with a home scrimmage against Marshall, who ended the Tar Heels’ season in the national semifinals. The scrimmage is scheduled for Sunday, August 15.

Three other ACC sides are ranked in the poll: No. 6 Clemson, No. 7 Wake Forest, and No. 15 Virginia Tech. UNC is not scheduled to play the Tigers this season, but will host Wake Forest on October 8th and travel to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies on October 24th.

The UNC men’s soccer program opens its regular season with a home game on Thursday, August 26, against Bucknell.

 

Photo via Carolina Athletics.


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