Defending national champion North Carolina is the preseason favorite to win the ACC in men’s lacrosse this season, according to a poll of the league’s head coaches. Coach Joe Breschi’s Tar Heels received four of the five possible first place votes to finish with 23 points. Notre Dame was picked to finish second with 21 points, followed by Syracuse with 16, Duke with nine and Virginia with six. UNC will also start the season as the No. 1 team nationally in the USILA/Nike coaches poll. The Tar Heels placed four players on the preseason All-ACC team — senior attackman Luke Goldstock, senior midfielder Michael Taliaferri, senior defenseman Austin Pifani and senior short-stick midfielder Tate Jozokos. Duke’s Justin Guterding, a junior attackman, was also selected to the team. The 2017 men’s lacrosse season gets underway this weekend with UNC opening at home against UMBC on Saturday and Duke taking on Air Force at home on Sunday. ACC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll 1. North Carolina – 232. Notre Dame – 213. Syracuse 164. Duke 95. Virginia 6 Preseason All-ACC Team A Justin Guterding, Jr., Duke A – Luke Goldstock, Sr., North CarolinaA Mikey Wynne, Jr., Notre DameM Michael Taliaferri, Sr., North Carolina M – Sergio Perkovic, Sr., Notre Dame M Sergio Salcido, Sr., SyracuseD – Austin Pifani, Sr., North Carolina D Garret Epple, Sr., Notre Dame D Nick Mellen, So., SyracuseG Shane Doss, Sr., Notre DameFace-off Ben Williams, Sr., Syracuse Long-stick Midfielder Michael Howard, Sr., VirginiaShort-Stick Midfielder Tate Jozokos, Sr., North Carolina
