Sept. 30, 2002

WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- The Soccer America weekly poll was released on Monday and Wake Forest received its highest ever ranking, checking in at number two behind St. John's, a team the Deacons tied just nine days ago.

Wake Forest, listed third last week by the publication, defeated UNC Greensboro 3-0 and defeated then-fourth-ranked Maryland 3-0 to stay undefeated at 6-0-2.

The Deacons (6-0-2, 2-0 ACC) are the highest-ranked of the seven remaining undefeated teams around the country. The other teams are Loyola Marymount (8-0-0), Yale (5-0-0), Bradley (8-0-2), Coastal Carolina (8-0-1), UC Santa Barbara (7-0-0) and Holy Cross (7-0-1).

At 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the team is off to its best start against league competition since 1991.

Wake Forest will put its unbeaten record and number two ranking on the line in two games this week. The first of which is Wednesday at home against William & Mary. On Saturday night, the Deacons will play NC State at the SAS Complex in Cary, N.C. Both games are 7:00 p.m. kickoffs.

Five of the ACC's seven schools that sponsor men's soccer are ranked in the top 25.

SOCCER AMERICA TOP 25 (Sept. 30, 2002)

   Team	            W-L	    Last Week
1  St. John's 	    (7-1-1)	2
2  Wake Forest 	    (6-0-2) 	3
3  Indiana 	    (6-1-2) 	4
4  Clemson 	    (6-1-1) 	6
5  Stanford 	    (8-1-0) 	1
6  UCLA             (5-1-0) 	7
7  Connecticut 	    (6-2-0) 	9
8  San Diego 	    (9-1-0) 	8
9  South Carolina   (7-1-1) 	5
10 Furman 	    (7-1-1) 	12
11 SMU 	            (7-1-1) 	15
12 Loyola Marymount (8-0-2)	14
13 Maryland 	    (8-2-0) 	10
14 Yale 	    (5-0-0) 	17
15 Bradley 	    (8-0-2) 	20
16 Portland 	    (7-3-0) 	11
17 Boston College   (5-1-0) 	NR
18 Duke 	    (5-2-1) 	25
19 California 	    (6-2-1) 	NR
20 Creighton        (5-2-1) 	21
21 North Carolina   (6-3-0) 	13
22 Coastal Carolina (8-0-1) 	23
23 UC Santa Barbara (7-0-0) 	24
24 Davidson 	    (5-2-1) 	NR
25 Notre Dame 	    (4-2-3)	NR