Aug. 12, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coach Anson Dorrance's women's soccer team, looking for its 20th national championship in history, begins the 2008 season No. 3 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas National Rankings. The Division I pre-season poll was released by the NSCAA August 12. Defending NCAA champion USC, which last year defeated Florida State 2-0 in the NCAA championship game, enters the season ranked No. 1 while UCLA is No. 2. A year ago, the Bruins were tripped up by the Women of Troy 2-1 in the NCAA semifinals.

North Carolina is one of six ACC teams in the preseason Top 25.

Following is the complete NSCAA Preseason Poll:

Rank, School, Points, Last Year's Final Ranking, 2007 W-L-T Record

1. USC, 149, 1st, 20-3-2
2. UCLA, 141, 2nd, 20-2-2
3. North Carolina, 136, 6th, 19-4-1
4. Florida State, 129, 2nd, 18-6-3
5. Notre Dame, 122, 3rd, 19-5-2
6. Portland, 113, 5th, 18-4-0
Virginia, 113, 8th, 13-4-5
8. Texas, 103, 11th, 16-4-5
9. Penn State, 99, 12th, 18-4-2
10. Stanford, 96, 10th, 15-3-5
11. Connecticut, 95, 9th, 14-6-2
12. West Virginia, 69, 7th, 18-5-2
13. Tennessee, 62, 14th, 15-5-2
14. Boston College, 60, 24th, 11-5-4
15. Texas A&M, 57, 13th, 18-4-2
16. Duke, 56, 15th, 10-6-7
17. California, 52, 19th, 15-6-0
18. Georgia, 48, 18th, 18-4-2
19. Illinois, 39, Receiving Votes, 15-7-1
20. Florida, 29, 17th, 17-5-3
21. Wake Forest, 27, 20th, 13-7-3
22. Santa Clara, 26, 22nd, 12-6-3
23. Oklahoma State, 22, 23rd, 14-6-3
24. Purdue, 19, 16th, 20-2-3
25. San Diego, 18, Receiving Votes, 15-3-3

Also Receiving Votes: Indiana 14, William & Mary 14, Missouri 9, Hofstra 7, Colorado 3, Ohio State 1