The Mountaineers earned their first national No. 1 ranking in 2016 and held the position for eight weeks. After qualifying for its first NCAA College Cup, WVU finished the year ranked No. 2 nationally.
Stanford follows WVU at No. 2, while reigning NCAA champion USC ranks No. 3, South Carolina sits at No. 4 and Georgetown ranks No. 5. The Mountaineers open their 2017 campaign against the Hoyas on Friday, Aug. 18, with first kick from Shaw Field in Washington, D.C., set for 4 p.m.
North Carolina ranks No. 6, Florida ranks No. 7 and BYU follows at No.