Chad Flack and UNC are ranked in the preseason top seven by Collegiate Baseball for the fourth straight season.

Dec. 21, 2007

TUSCON, Ariz. - Coming off back-to-back appearances in the finals of the College World Series, North Carolina has claimed the No. 5 spot in Collegiate Baseball newspaper's 2008 Fabulous 40 Preseason NCAA Division I Poll, which was released Friday. The Tar Heels, who led the nation with a school record 57 victories a year ago, were the highest ranked of six Atlantic Coast Conference squads in the top 25.

Carolina was the lone ACC team to earn a spot in the top 10 with No. 12 Florida State, No. 13 Clemson, No. 14 Miami, No, 24 Virginia and No. 25 Georgia Tech following the Tar Heels.

Carolina has been ranked in the top seven of the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll in each of the last four seasons, including a No. 5 ranking a year ago.

UNC returns seven position starters, two starting pitchers and 21 letterwinners, including preseason All-Americas Dustin Ackley and Tim Federowicz.

The Tar Heels open the 2008 season Feb. 22 at Florida Atlantic.