Looking to make it back to the NCAA College Cup for a third consecutive campaign, the UNC men’s soccer team will begin the 2018 season ranked No. 3 in the country in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll–which was released Tuesday.
The Tar Heels are the highest ranked of the seven ACC teams among the poll, with No. 1 Stanford and No. 2 Indiana the only two teams in the nation ranked ahead of them.
Other teams from the ACC in the preseason poll include: No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 6 Louisville, No. 10 Duke, No. 11 Clemson, No. 15 Virginia and No. 17 Notre Dame.
UNC has captured the ACC Coastal Division title in each of the last three seasons, and the program’s six College Cup appearances in the last 10 years are more than any other school during that time frame.
Head coach Carlos Somoano and company are seeking their second national championship since 2011, when Somoano led the Tar Heels to a title with a 1-0 victory over UNC-Charlotte.
Regular season play will officially begin for the Tar Heels on Aug. 24 in Greensboro against East Tennessee State.
For the full United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, click here.
Photo via UNC Athletics
Somoano reached the summit of collegiate soccer when he led the Tar Heels to the 2011 NCAA title, becoming just the second rookie head coach in NCAA history to win a national championship.