Sunshine State Conference

Tampa Holds Top Spot in 2023-24 SSC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll

10.31.23

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference women's basketball coaches select Tampa as the conference's top team heading into the 2023-24 season. The Spartans are expected to win a fourth consecutive regular-season title following 95 total points and six first-place votes in the preseason poll.

 

Nova Southeastern finished second in the preseason ranking with 85 points and four first-place votes. The Sharks are hunting a fifth regular season title, last winning the trophy in 2015-16. Eckerd lands in third with 82 points and the final first-place vote. The Tritons seek a second regular season championship after winning it all in 2016-17. Lynn and Florida Southern round out the Top-5 by receiving 72 and 63 points, respectively. Embry-Riddle and Palm Beach Atlantic tied for sixth place with 63 points and were followed in the voting by Barry (38 points), Saint Leo (35 points), Rollins (30 points), and Florida Tech (17 points).

 

2023-24 SSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

 

Tampa finished the 2022-23 season at 19-1 in the conference standings, claiming the program's eighth overall SSC regular season title. Eckerd finished in second place with an 18-2 mark in SSC play, while Lynn finished third at 14-6. In the SSC postseason tournament, UT bested Lynn, 63-43, to capture the program's eighth title.

 

Tampa, Lynn, Nova Southeastern, and Eckerd earned NCAA Division II tournament bids in 2022-23. Tampa bested Tuskeegee and Lee to earn a place in the South Region championship. Eckerd joined the Spartans after defeating Nova Southeastern and Union. UT defeated the Tritons, 76-53, in the title game and advanced to the Elite 8. Tampa's season ended with a 33-2 record at the hands of Glenville State, 78-68, in the national quarterfinals. UT's tournament run stands as the eighth Elite 8 run for the SSC and the first for the Spartans.

 

Florida Tech and Tampa get the 2023-24 season started in Billings, Montana, in the CCA Tip-Off at the Trailhead Tournament from November 3rd through 5th. The remaining nine league teams begin the season on Friday, November 10th. SSC play begins Wednesday, November 15th, with Saint Leo visiting Tampa and runs through Saturday, March 2nd.

 

Below are the full results of the 2023-24 SSC preseason women's basketball coaches' poll. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams (points: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).

 

2023-24 SSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

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See Also: SSC All-Americans | All-SSC Teams | SSC Champions | Elite 8 Appearances | Record Book

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