ACC women’s soccer preseason coaches poll results announced

GREENSBORO, N.C. (Via ACC) – Defending NCAA and ACC Champion Florida State has been chosen to repeat as the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s soccer champion in a vote by the league’s 14 head coaches.

The Seminoles received 12 first-place votes en route to 193 total points, followed by Virginia (one first-place vote, 178 points) and North Carolina (one first-place vote, 170 points).

Notre Dame placed fourth in the voting, followed by Virginia Tech, Duke and Clemson. Boston College placed eighth, followed by Wake Forest, Louisville, Syracuse, Miami, NC State and Pitt.

FSU and Virginia met in the 2014 NCAA Women’s College Cup Final, while six total ACC teams were selected for last year’s NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. It marked the 16th straight year that at least six ACC teams were selected to the tournament field.

The Seminoles also lead the 2015 Preseason All-ACC Team with three selections among the 11 members, including All-American Cheyna Williams. In addition to Williams, the preseason All-ACC teams features two more returning NSCAA All-Americans in Virginia’s Makenzy Doniak and Emily Sonnett. Those three, along with Florida State’s Isabella Schmid, North Carolina’s Katie Bowen and Notre Dame’s Cari Roccaro , were named to the 2015 MAC Hermann Watch List.

ACC teams are set to open regular-season play Friday, Aug. 21, with the first conference game slated for Friday, Sept. 18. The top four teams in the final league standings will advance to the ACC Championship, scheduled for Nov. 6 and Nov. 8 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

Preseason All-ACC Team
Hayley Dowd, Jr., F, Boston College
Kailen Sheridan, Jr., GK, Clemson
Megan Campbell, Sr., D, Florida State
Isabella Schmid, Sr., M, Florida State
Cheyna Williams, Sr., F, Florida State
Katie Bowen, Sr., D, North Carolina
Katie Naughton, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Cari Roccaro, Sr., M, Notre Dame
Makenzy Doniak, Sr., F, Virginia
Emily Sonnett, Sr., D, Virginia
Ashley Meier, Sr., M, Virginia Tech

Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Florida State, 193 (12 first-place votes)
2. Virginia, 178 (1)
3. North Carolina, 170 (1)
4. Notre Dame, 144
5. Virginia Tech, 132
6. Duke, 130
7. Clemson, 124
8. Boston College, 92
9. Wake Forest, 83
10. Louisville, 63
11. Syracuse, 61
12. Miami, 37
13. NC State, 35
14. Pitt, 28