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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The ACC released it’s men’s soccer preseason poll Wednesday, and North Carolina is the preseason favorite to come out on top. The poll, as determined by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches, has Virginia Tech placing ninth.

The University of North Carolina earned seven of nine possible first-place votes, with Maryland and Boston College earning the other two. The Tar Heels were ranked first in 2009’s preseason poll and finished with a share of the ACC title after going 16-2-4 overall and 5-2-1 in the conference. Maryland comes in at second and will return nine starters from a squad that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, losing to eventual champion Virginia. The Cavaliers come in ranked third, after earning the winningest record of any ACC team last season (19-3-3).

Rounding out the rest of the poll, in order, are Wake Forest, Duke, Boston College, NC State, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Tech soccer fans can catch the Hokies in action this Saturday at 7 p.m., as they take on Old Dominion at Thompson Field in their second and final exhibition game of the preseason. After that, Tech will travel to Charlottesville, Va., for the University of Virginia Tournament from Friday, Sept. 4 through the 6th. The Hokies will play two games over the weekend, taking on St. Johns Friday, Sept. 3 at 2:30 p.m. and UAB Sunday, Sept. 5 at noon.

The Hokies’ first home contest of the regular season comes on Friday, Sept. 17 where they will take the pitch against conference foe Clemson. The game, set to begin at 8 p.m., is preceeded by the women’s match against JMU at 5:30 p.m., and will feature a free SGA sponsored Orange Effect Student Tailgate Party at 7 p.m. Festivities include free food, prize drawings and Virginia Tech Soccer car magnets for the first 750 fans.

For updates on Virginia Tech men's soccer, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_MSoccer).