ACC Men’s Soccer Leads in Soccer America Preseason Honors

From ACC Media Relations:

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all leagues with six men’s soccer teams on the Soccer America Preseason Top 25 and seven student-athletes named Soccer America Preseason All-Americans.

Defending national champion Notre Dame begins the 2014 season ranked No. 2 in the poll. Just behind the Irish is No. 3 Virginia, who also reached the 2013 College Cup.

Two more squads earned spots in the top 10: No. 9 Louisville and No. 10 North Carolina. No. 16 Wake Forest and No. 19 Clemson also earned preseason rankings.

The six teams all earned bids to the 2013 NCAA Championship.

Three players — Notre Dame’s Nick Besler, North Carolina’s Boyd Okwuounu, and Virginia’s Eric Bird – have been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and Soccer America’s Preaseason All-America Team.

Duke’s Sean Davis, Louisville’s Ricardo Velazco, Notre Dame’s Patrick Hodan, and Virginia’s Darius Madison also were recognized as preseason All-Americans.

ACC Players on Soccer America’s Preseason All-America Team

Sean Davis, Sr., M, Duke

Ricardo Velazco, Jr., F, Louisville

Boyd Okwuounu, Sr., D, North Carolina

Nick Besler, Sr., M, Notre Dame

Patrick Hodan, Jr., M, Notre Dame

Darius Madison, Jr., F, Virginia

Eric Bird, Sr., M, Virginia

Soccer America Preseason Top 25

1. UCLA
2. Notre Dame
3. Virginia
4. Washington
5. Maryland
6. Georgetown
7. Connecticut
8. New Mexico
9. Louisville
10. North Carolina
11. Marquette
12. Michigan State
13. Stanford
14. California
15. Penn State
16. Wake Forest
17. Coastal Carolina
18. UC Santa Barbara
19. Clemson
20. UC Irvine
21. UMBC
22. Charlotte
23. Akron
24. Creighton
25. Cal State Northridge