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Georgia Tech Edges UNC in ACC Preseason Poll
Defending champion Yellow Jackets narrowly top Tar Heels in annual coaches' vote
Feb. 1, 2026 at 5:39pm
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In the 2026 ACC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll, Georgia Tech edged out North Carolina for the top spot, receiving 7 first-place votes and 237 total points compared to UNC's 6 first-place votes and 236 points. Florida State, Louisville, and Clemson rounded out the top 5 in the annual poll of ACC baseball coaches.
Why it matters
The preseason poll is an important indicator of expectations for the upcoming ACC baseball season, with the top teams seen as favorites to compete for the conference title and potential NCAA tournament berths. Georgia Tech and North Carolina are both perennial powers in the ACC, making their narrow margin at the top all the more intriguing.
The details
In the full ACC preseason poll, Georgia Tech narrowly edged out North Carolina by just one point, 237 to 236. Florida State received 1 first-place vote and came in third with 221 points, followed by Louisville (196 points) and Clemson (185 points, 2 first-place votes). The rest of the top 10 included NC State, Virginia, Miami, Wake Forest, and Stanford.
- The 2026 ACC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll was released on February 1, 2026.
The players
Georgia Tech
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are the defending ACC baseball champions and are expected to be one of the top contenders in the conference again this season.
North Carolina
The North Carolina Tar Heels are a perennial power in ACC baseball and were narrowly edged out by Georgia Tech in the preseason poll.
Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles received 1 first-place vote and came in third in the preseason poll, continuing their status as an ACC baseball powerhouse.
The takeaway
The narrow margin between Georgia Tech and North Carolina at the top of the ACC preseason poll suggests the conference race could be wide open this season, with several teams having a legitimate shot at the title. Fans can look forward to an exciting ACC baseball season filled with competitive matchups between the league's top contenders.
