July 25, 2011
Skeeter Francis Golf Tournament | Monday Photo Gallery
PINEHURST, NC — Georgia Tech was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division by the media attending the ACC Kickoff here Monday.
Virginia Tech was the preseason choice of the media to win the Coastal, while Florida State was the overwhelming pick to win the Atlantic Division. FSU was selected to beat the Hokies in the Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game.
The Yellow Jackets, 6-7 overall and 4-4 in the ACC a year ago, return 11 starters.
“We don’t pay much attention to the preseason polls, whether we are picked high or low,” head coach Paul Johnson said. “In the end, you have to do it on the field.”
Seventy-one members of the media voted in the preseason poll with 66 selected Virginia Tech to win the Coastal Division. Miami, which received four first-place votes, finished second, followed by North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets got one first-place vote and finished fourth, ahead of Virginia and Duke.
In the Coastal, Florida State received 65 of 71 first-place votes. Clemson, which had four first-place votes, finished second, ahead of NC State. Boston College had the other two first-place votes and finished fourth, ahead of Maryland and Wake Forest.
The media also selected Boston College running back Montel Harris as the preseason player of the year. Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel finished second in the voting.
No Georgia Tech player received a vote for ACC preseason player of the year.
