North Carolina received 31 points and is the preseason favorite to claim the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship, according to a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.

The Tar Heels, who reached the national semifinals in 2013, earned two votes for first place and edged out Duke and Syracuse for the top spot. The Blue Devils, who advanced to the national championship game last year, collected three first-place votes and 30 points, while the Orange received one top selection and 29 points.

Boston College and Wake Forest tied for fourth with 16 points, followed by Virginia in sixth and Louisville in seventh.

Duke and North Carolina led all league programs with three players recognized on the preseason squad. Syracuse and Wake Forest had two players selected, and Boston College and Virginia had one player apiece.

Six of the 11 on the preseason squad were named Longstreth/NFHCA All-Americans in 2013, including Boston College’s Emma Plasteras and North Carolina’s Emily Wold, who were selected to the first team. Seven were named to the 2013 All-ACC Team.

ACC teams have won 17 of the 33 NCAA field hockey titles, including 10 of the last 12, and at least one ACC squad has advanced to the national championship for 15 straight years. All seven current ACC programs finished the 2013 season ranked nationally.

2014 ACC Field Hockey Predicted Order of Finish

Team Points

1. North Carolina (2) 31
2. Duke (3) 30
3. Syracuse (1) 29
4. Boston College (1) 16
5. Wake Forest 16
6. Virginia 14
7. Louisville 11

2014 Preseason All-ACC Field Hockey Team

Emma Plasteras, Sr., M, Boston College
Aileen Johnson, Jr., M, Duke
Amanda Kim, Jr., D, Duke
Lauren Blazing, R-Jr., GK, Duke
Emily Wold, Jr., M/B, North Carolina
Charlotte Craddock, Sr., F, North Carolina
Emma Bozek, Jr., M/F, North Carolina
Kati Nearhouse, R-Sr., F, Syracuse
Alyssa Manley, Jr., M, Syracuse
Tara Vittese, Fr., M, Virginia
Anna Kozniuk, Sr., B/M, Wake Forest
Georgia Holland, R-Sr., M/B, Wake Forest