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BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team was picked to finish ninth out of 14 teams in the 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll, as released by the conference on Monday. The results of the poll were based on the ballots of all 14 head coaches in the newly-expanded ACC.

In 2013, the Hokies will return seven starters and 22 letterwinners from last year’s team, which earned the program’s fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and hosted the first-ever NCAA First Round match at Thompson Field in Blacksburg.

“This poll shows the incredible quality of the ACC and the battles we are facing with new conference additions,” Head Coach Chugger Adair said. “We look forward to the opportunity to grow as a program and compete for an ACC Tournament berth and title.”

Tech compiled a 13-6-1 record on the season, setting a program record for fewest losses. The Hokies were picked to finish eighth in last year’s preseason poll.

The league’s coaches tabbed North Carolina (194 points), the defending national champion, to finish atop the league as the Tar Heels accumulated all but one of the 14 first-place votes. The remaining first-place vote went to Florida State, last year’s ACC regular season champ, who was selected to finish second with 171 points.

Virginia (161 points), Duke (153), ACC newcomer Notre Dame (143) and Wake Forest (140) were picked to finish third through sixth, respectively, in a tight vote. Maryland (110) and Boston College (102) were slotted just ahead of Tech in seventh and eighth.

Below the Hokies’ 85 points sit Clemson and Miami, who were tied for 10th with 56 points. Syracuse (45), NC State (36) and Pittsburgh (18) rounded out the 14-team poll.

After a home exhibition match against Appalachian State on Thursday evening at 7 p.m., Tech will kick off the 2013 regular season with a pair of home matches against High Point (Fri., Aug. 23, 7 p.m.) and East Tennessee State (Sun., Aug. 25, 6 p.m.).

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