August 4, 2016
Coaches pick Hokies seventh in ACC preseason poll
Murielle Tiernan named to ACC preseason team

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team was selected seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference following a poll from the 14 ACC coaches on Thursday.

Murielle Tiernan, a senior from Ashburn, Virginia, was named to the 2016 Coaches’ Preseason All-ACC Team, joining 10 of the best players in the conference. This is Tiernan’s first appearance on the preseason team.

In the nation’s toughest conference for women’s soccer, Tech received 122 voting points to claim the seventh spot. Defending ACC champion Florida State was selected first, followed by Virginia and national runner-up Duke. North Carolina, Clemson and Notre Dame were chosen fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

The Irish received 128 points, six more than the Hokies. Boston College was the eighth pick, followed by Wake Forest, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, NC State and Miami.

Earlier this summer, Tiernan, the Hokies’ all-time leader in points and goals, was named to the MAC Hermann Award watch list for the second consecutive season.

This year’s ACC Championship has been enlarged to a quarterfinal round on Sunday, Oct. 30 at higher seeds sites. The semifinals and final will be played Nov. 4 and 6 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, also the home to the NCAA College Cup, to be played Dec. 2 and 4.

The Hokies, ranked 17th in the preseason NSCAA national poll, open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 19 against LSU in the College of Charleston Tournament. Game time is 5 p.m. in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The home opener is set for Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. against East Carolina at Thompson Field.

Preseason ACC Coaches Poll

1. Florida State (191 points, 9 first place votes)

2. Virginia (178 points, 3 first place votes)

3. Duke (158 points, 2 first place votes)

4. North Carolina (155 points)

5. Clemson (140 points)

6. Notre Dame (128 points)

7. Virginia Tech (122 points)

8. Boston College (96 points)

9. Wake Forest (74 points)

10. Louisville (63 points)

11. Pitt (59 points)

12. Syracuse (50 points)

13. NC State (29 points)

14. Miami (27 points)

Preseason All-ACC Team

McKenzie Meehan, R-Sr., F, Boston College

Kailen Sheridan, Sr., GK, Clemson

Christina Gibbons, Sr., D, Duke

Toni Payne, Sr., F, Duke

Rebecca Quinn, Sr., M, Duke

Megan Connolly, So., M, Florida State

Kristen Crowley, R-Sr., D, Florida State

Kristen McNabb, Sr., D, Virginia

Alexis Shaffer, Sr., M, Virginia

Murielle Tiernan, Sr., F, Virginia Tech

Sarah Teegarden, Sr., M, Wake Forest

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