Jan. 7, 2009

CHAPEL HILL - Lacrosse Magazine has ranked the University of North Carolina women's lacrosse team No. 10 in its preseason 2009 poll. the magazine announced recently. The Tar Heels reached the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals last spring for the fourth consecutive season.

The rankings, put together by the magazine's editorial staff after discussions with coaches across the nation, predict four-time defending NCAA champion Northwestern will again be the nation's top team, followed by No. 2 Syracuse, No. 3 Duke, No. 4 Virginia, No. 5 Princeton, No. 6 Penn, No. 7 Georgetown, No. 8 Maryland, No. 9 Boston University and No. 10 UNC.

Lacrosse Magazine selected Northwestern's Hannah Nielsen as the preseason national player of the year.

The Tar Heels will begin their 2009 regular season in five weeks with a February 15 season opener at Vanderbilt. Vandy is ranked No. 12 in the Lacrosse Magazine poll.

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