Aug. 18, 1997

ACC Coaches Poll Announced -- Men Picked Second, Women Tabbed Fifth

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- ACC Tournament finalists Virginia and Maryland head the preseason picks to claim the 1997 Atlantic Coast Conference men's regular season title, according to a poll of the league's seven head coaches.

Both teams earned three first place votes, but Virginia edged Maryland for the top spot, receiving 44 points over the Terrapins' 43. Duke earned third place with 34 points, followed by Clemson at fourth with 26, then North Carolina fifth (20), Wake Forest sixth (18), and N.C. State seventh (11).

Virginia recorded its second straight regular season crown a year ago, but it was Maryland who took home the ACC Tournament title, defeating the Cavaliers at Klockner Stadium in the finals to claim its first conference championship since 1971. The Terrapins finished the season with a 14-6-3 record and ranked in the top 10 of two national polls.

The Terps are ranked No. 13 in the 1997 NSCAA pre-season poll.

The University of North Carolina, the defending ACC and NCAA champion, is the pre-season favorite to claim the 1997 Atlantic Coast Conference women's regular season title, according to a poll of the league's eight head coaches. Maryland collected 35 points which placed the Terps fifth. Duke was second with 42, Virginia followed at third place with 38 points, while Clemson tallied 37 points for fourth, N.C. State sixth (19), Wake Forest seventh (14), and Florida State eighth (11).

Maryland is ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA pre-season poll.