UNC tabbed as preseason ACC field hockey favorite

North Carolina is the preseason favorite to claim the 2018 ACC Field Hockey Championship, according to a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.

The Tar Heels, who have reached the semifinals of the NCAA Championship each of the past nine years, received six first-place votes and 48 points and were followed by Duke with 39 points and Louisville with 34. Syracuse and Virginia tied for fourth-place with 23 points, each while Boston College (16) was sixth and Wake Forest seventh with 13 points.

North Carolina led all schools with four players recognized on the preseason All-ACC team, while Duke and Louisville had two players selected.

Ten of the 11 on the preseason squad were named NFHCA All-Americans in 2017, including three who earned first team honors: North Carolina’s Ashley Hoffman and Eva van’t Hoog and Louisville’s Ayeisha McFerran. Hoffman was also named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

ACC teams have won 18 of the 37 NCAA field hockey titles, including 11 of the last 16, and at least one ACC squad has advanced to the national championship game in 18 of the last 19 years. Six ACC teams earned bids to the 2017 NCAA Championship and all seven finished the 2017 season ranked in the top 15 nationally.

2018 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish

1. North Carolina (6) – 48
2. Duke – 39
3. Louisville (1) – 34
   t4. Syracuse – 23
   t4. Virginia – 23
4. • Boston College – 16
5. • Wake Forest – 13
     (First-place votes)

2018 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team

Frederique Haverhals, Sr., B, Boston College
Margaux Paolino, Jr., F/M, Duke
Rose Tynan, Sr., F, Duke
Ayeisha McFerran, Sr., G, Louisville
Taylor Stone, Sr., M, Louisville
Malin Evert, Sr., M, North Carolina
Ashley Hoffman, Sr., B, North Carolina
Erin Matson, Fr., F, North Carolina
Eva van’t Hoog, Sr., M, North Carolina
Roos Weers, Sr., B/M, Syracuse
Jule Grashoff, Sr., F, Wake Forest