North Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the 2013 Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I preseason poll, released Tuesday by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. The Tar Heels, NCAA runners-up in 2012, received 33 of 50 first place votes, with the others split between No. 2 Maryland (eight) and No. 3 Princeton (nine), the defending national champion.

All seven Atlantic Coast Conference teams are ranked in the poll. Behind UNC at No. 1 and Maryland at No. 2, new member Syracuse is No. 5, Virginia is No. 7, Duke is No. 10, Wake Forest is No. 18 and Boston College is No. 19.

The Tar Heels open the 2013 season on Friday at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa. Game time is 2 p.m. at Charlotte E. Smith Field. Check GoHeels.com to follow the game with live stats and video.

In Game 2 of their season-opening road trip, the Tar Heels will take on Villanova Sunday at noon in a neutral-site game played in Newark, Del.

In 2012, UNC finished 23-2 and won its second straight ACC Championship. The Tar Heels return 12 letter winners from that team, along with 10 newcomers and three players who redshirted last season.