Aug. 25, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
North Carolina returned to the top spot in the men's soccer national rankings for the first time since Sept. 4, 2006, Tuesday when Soccer America tabbed the Tar Heels the nation's No. 1 team in its Men's Preseason Top 25. Carolina, which ended the 2008 season as the national runner-up, was ranked No. 2 in the NSCAA Top 25, released earlier this month.
The Tar Heels notched a pair of exhibition wins over the weekend, topping Georgetown, 2-1, and VCU, 1-0. Newcomers Enzo Martinez and Stephen McCarthy tallied the game winners. Carolina will face Old Dominion Thursday at Fetzer Field in its final preseason tune-up before opening the season against UNC Asheville Sept. 1.
UNC returns four of its top six scorers from last year's 15-8-1 squad, which advanced to the finals of the 2008 NCAA College Cup. The Tar Heels are also bolstered by one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
Paced by Eddie Ababio's 18 points, UNC welcomes back five players that tallied 10 or more points a year ago, including freshman All-America picks Billy Schuler and Kirk Urso. Brooks Haggerty returns in goal after a stellar postseason run in 2008.
Carolina was also Soccer America's preseason No. 1 squad in 2006, giving the Tar Heels preseason top billing in two of the last four seasons from the publication. The UNC women are also ranked No. 1 by Soccer America.
