2015 SSC Men's Soccer Outlook; Lynn Favored to Repeat
MELBOURNE, Fla.– Defending National Champion, Lynn University, has been selected No. 1 in the 2015 Sunshine State Conference preseason men’s soccer coaches' poll. The Fighting Knights received 62 total votes and seven first place votes in the poll. Lynn has been crowned SSC regular season champions eight times, including three of the last four seasons.
Saint Leo University finished second in the poll with 57 votes and a first place nod. The Lions last won the SSC regular season championship in 2013. Florida Institute of Technology finished third, receiving 46 votes and the final first place vote.
In 2014, Lynn claimed their third men’s soccer NCAA Division II National Championship. The Fighting Knights won both the 2014 Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament championship, gaining a bye into the NCAA South Regional. The Fighting Knights dispatched Saint Leo (3-0), Young Harris (4-1), Quincy (4-1), and Charleston (3-2) to hoist the trophy.
Saint Leo finished the 2014 season 10-4-4 overall, 6-2-0 in SSC Play. The Lions concluded a remarkable season in which the program tied its highest ever finish, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Tournament.
Florida Tech is coming off a season with their most wins since 1997. FIT went 11-5-2 overall, 6-2 in the SSC and advanced to the league’s championship game for the first time since the 2010 season.
The 2015 Sunshine State Conference men’s soccer season opens up on September 3rd. Conference play begins on September 16th.
2015 SSC MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
T8
T8 |
School (FPV)
Lynn (7)
Saint Leo (1)
Florida Tech (1)
Rollins
Tampa
Barry
Nova Southeastern
Eckerd
Florida Southern |
Total Votes
62
57
46
44
27
26
22
15
15 |
Order of Presenters:
0:00 - Steve McCrath, Barry
2:08 - Keith Buckley, Rollins
3:36 – Ryan Sniegoski, ,Florida Southern
6:15 – Adrian Bush, Tampa
7:33 – Giuseppe DePalo, Nova Southeastern
10:50 – John Rootes, Lynn
13:32 – Robin Chan, Florida Tech
16:39 – Keith Fulk, Saint Leo
20:20 – Cristian Neagu, Eckerd
Note: Order was chosen at random