[COLLEGE] North Carolina, the 2008 NCAA Division I runner-up, is ranked No. 1 in the Soccer America Men's Preseason Top 25, as selected by its editors. The selection gives the ACC a clean sweep of the Soccer America preseason rankings. The Carolina women were also No. 1. The rest of the top five consists of Akron, St. John's Indiana and Wake Forest.

North Carolina welcomes back six starters and all four substitutes from last year's team that lost ACC rival Maryland, 1-0, in the 2008 College Cup final.

In addition, Billy Dworsky, UNC's leading scorer in 2007, returns after redshirting in 2008. The Heels added two former first-team freshman All-Americans in transfers Michael Farfan (Cal State Fullerton) and Stephen McCarthy (Santa Clara).

The freshman class is led by South Carolina prep legend Enzo Martinez.

Soccer America Men's Preseason Top
TEAM (2008 RECORD)
1. North Carolina (15-8-1)
2. Akron (17-2-4)
3. St. John's (19-3-3)
4. Indiana (14-7-3)
5. Wake Forest (21-2-1)
6. Creighton (16-2-2)
7. California (12-4-5)
8. Maryland (23-3-0)
9. UCLA (10-5-6)
10. Notre Dame (12-7-2)
11. Northwestern (15-5-3)
12. UIC (12-4-6)
13. Connecticut (11-5-6)
14. Dartmouth (11-6-3)
15. UC Santa Barbara (10-7-5)
16. UC Irvine (15-2-6)
17. Loyola (Md.) (18-2-1)
18. South Florida (15-5-3)
19. George Mason (14-7-2)
20. Cal Poly (11-6-6)
21. Michigan (13-6-3)
22. Tulsa (16-4-3)
23. Louisville (11-8-2)
24. Boston University (12-6-3)
25. Denver (10-5-2)

Wednesday: Soccer America Preseason All-Americans.

Get the latest college news Monday-Friday in Soccer America's College Soccer Reporter.