By E. Marcel Pourtout, Sports Editor

Two of the newest members of the ACC are picked to win their respective divisions in men’s soccer this upcoming season, according to the preseason poll of the conference coaches.

Defending national champion Notre Dame was picked to be the overall champion of the ACC by six coaches. 2013 Men’s College Cup participant Virginia received three first-place votes, North Carolina gained two votes and conference newcomer Louisville garnered one.

Notre Dame, with 64 points, was also named by six coaches as the favorite in the Coastal Division, edging out Virginia, which had four first-place votes and 62 points. North Carolina (53 points) received two nods for the division and was picked third, followed by Duke (37), Virginia Tech (23), and Pitt (13).

Louisville was picked as the Atlantic Division favorite, receiving nine of a possible 12 first-place votes while totaling 69 total points. Wake Forest (57 points) and Clemson (50) both collected first-place votes, and are followed in the poll by NC State (30), Boston College (26), and Syracuse (20).

A national-best six ACC squads earned NCAA bids in 2013. Three advanced to the NCAA College Cup, marking the 13th straight year with at least one league team in the semifinals. Notre Dame’s championship marked the sixth title by an ACC team in the last nine years and the 16th in league history.

The 2014 season, which gets underway on Friday, Aug. 29, marks the first for the league under a divisional format.

2014 ACC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll     

(first-place votes)              

Overall Champion          

Notre Dame (6)  

Virginia (3)          

North Carolina (2)             

Louisville (1)      

Atlantic Division              

1. Louisville (9) – 69
2. Wake Forest (2) – 57
3. Clemson (1) – 50
4. NC State – 30
5. Boston College – 26
6. Syracuse – 20

Coastal Division               

1. Notre Dame (6) – 64
2. Virginia (4) – 62
3. North Carolina (2) – 53
4. Duke – 37
5. Virginia Tech – 23
6. Pitt – 13