CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Coming off its national championship run in 2024, North Carolina has been selected as the favorite in the annual Preseason Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll, announced Thursday by the conference office. In addition, the 2025 Preseason Women’s Soccer All-ACC Team was also unveiled.
Extending the streak of eight consecutive seasons in which an ACC team has played in the national championship match, the Tar Heels claimed their nation-best 23rd title and first since 2012. UNC defeated in-state rival Wake Forest, 1-0, in the title match after the Women’s College Cup featured four ACC teams for the first time in league history.
The Tar Heels topped the poll with a league-best 10 first-place votes and 246 total points, finishing 17 points ahead of second-place Notre Dame, which earned a pair of first-place votes. Defending ACC champion Florida State landed third in the poll with four first-place votes and 225 points, as the Seminoles seek their sixth straight conference title this season.
Fellow Women’s College Cup participants Duke (208 points), Stanford (201 points) and Wake Forest (172) followed in the poll in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. Virginia, which received the final first-place vote, placed seventh with 169 points, while in-state rival Virginia Tech landed eighth with 162 points.
Clemson (132 points) claimed the ninth spot, with California (124) rounding out the top 10. The remainder of the poll includes Pitt (111 – 11th), SMU (83 – 12th), Boston College (81 – 13th), Louisville (67 – 14th), Miami (44 – 15th), NC State (40 – 16th) and Syracuse (18 – 17th).
Of the 14 players on this year’s Preseason All-ACC Team, 10 were named to the 2024 All-ACC team, including first-team selections Cameron Roller (Duke), Jordynn Dudley (Florida State), Kate Faasse (North Carolina), Izzy Engle (Notre Dame) and Leah Kelnke (Notre Dame). Faasse became the fifth straight ACC player to win the MAC Hermann Trophy, the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer. Roller was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while Engle was tabbed the ACC Freshman of the Year.
In the Preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll, eight ACC teams landed in the top 25, tying for the most of any conference. All eight ranked ACC teams were slotted in the top 15, with North Carolina (No. 1), Notre Dame (No. 2), Florida State (No. 3) and Duke (No. 4) holding the top four spots.
The 2025 season gets underway on Thursday, August 14, with all 17 ACC teams in action. The opening day slate is headlined by a top-15 matchup when No. 11 Penn State visits No. 4 Duke at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
2025 Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll
1. North Carolina (10), 246
2. Notre Dame (2), 229
3. Florida State (4), 225
4. Duke, 208
5. Stanford, 201
6. Wake Forest, 172
7. Virginia (1), 169
8. Virginia Tech, 162
9. Clemson, 132
10. California, 124
11. Pitt, 111
12. SMU, 83
13. Boston College, 81
14. Louisville, 67
15. Miami, 44
16. NC State, 40
17. Syracuse, 18
2025 Preseason All-ACC Team
Teagan Wy, Sr., GK, California
Mia Minestrella, Jr., F, Duke
Mia Oliaro, Jr., M, Duke
Cameron Roller, Jr., D, Duke
Jordynn Dudley, Jr., F, Florida State
Heather Gilchrist, Sr., D, Florida State
Tessa Dellarose, Sr., M/D, North Carolina
Kate Faasse, Sr., F/M, North Carolina
Olivia Thomas, Jr., F, North Carolina
Linda Ullmark, So., M, North Carolina
Izzy Engle, So., F, Notre Dame
Leah Klenke, Sr., D/M, Notre Dame
Andrea Kitahata, R-Sr., F, Stanford
Maggie Cagle, Sr., F, Virginia