North Carolina starts year at No. 8

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Continental Tire have released the NCAA Division I Women’s Preseason Rankings and coach Anson Dorrance’s Tar Heels check in at the No. 8 spot. North Carolina is one of five Atlantic Coast Conference teams ranked in the Top 10 of the preseason poll.

NSCAA PRESEASON POLL
Check out the full rankings.

UNC finished last year ranked No. 13 in the final poll after finishing the 2011 campaign with a 13-5-2 record.

Stanford leads the charge in the preseason poll. The Division I women’s national champion finished 2011 unbeaten with a 25-0-1 record. Last year’s runner-up, Duke, enters the season at No. 2 following a 22-4-1 finish. Wake Forest, Florida State and Oklahoma State round out the preseason Top 5 for the women.

The first ranking of the 2012 women’s regular season will be released August 21.  The Tar Heels open their 2012 season at Portland on August 17.