Barry Picked to Win SSC Men’s Tennis Championship
The Buccaneers are named preseason favorites for 14th year in a row
A.J. Vazquez, Communications Contractor
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA - Barry University was selected as the 2026 Sunshine State Conference preseason Men’s Tennis favorites in a poll voted on by the league’s eight head coaches. The Buccaneers earned 49 points, receiving all seven first-place votes, as coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team.
Barry has been named the conference’s preseason favorite every year since the poll began in 2014. The seven-time national champions enter the season seeking their eighth regular-season title and 21st tournament championship, while aiming for a return to the NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis National Championship. Several teams look to challenge the reigning SSC champions and earn the title as the league’s best.
Florida Southern finished second in the poll with 38 points and one first-place vote. The Mocs advanced to the championship round of last season’s SSC Tournament before falling to Barry, 4-1. They are followed closely by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in third with 36 points. The 2025 SSC regular season runner-up, Saint Leo University, sits in fourth with 32 points, while Rollins College is in fifth with 28 points. Closing the poll is Lynn University at No. 6 (20), Eckerd College at No. 7 (11), and Palm Beach Atlantic at No. 8 (10).
Five SSC programs enter the season ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) preseason Top 25. Barry opens the year as the nation’s top-ranked team, while Saint Leo, Florida Southern, and Embry-Riddle are ranked No. 12, 14, and 15, respectively. Rollins completes the rankings at No. 25.
The Men's Tennis Championship will be held from Thursday, April 30th through Saturday, May 2nd at the Perper Tennis Complex on the campus of Lynn University.
Below are the full results of the 2026 SSC preseason coaches' poll. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams (points: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).
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2026 SSC Men’s Tennis Preseason Coaches Poll
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Place
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Team
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Total
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1
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Barry
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49 (7)
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2
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Florida Southern
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38 (1)
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3
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Embry-Riddle
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36
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4
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Saint Leo
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32
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5
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Rollins
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28
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6
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Lynn
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20
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7
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Eckerd
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11
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8
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Palm Beach Atlantic
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10
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SSC Men’s Tennis History: National Champions | Conference Champions | All-SSC Teams | All-Americans
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Previous SSC Men’s Tennis Polls
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Year
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Predicted Winner (Actual Finish)
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Regular Season Champ (Preseason Prediction)
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Tournament Champ (Preseason Prediction)
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2025
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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2024
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Barry (T3rd)
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Saint Leo (2nd)
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Barry (1st)
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2023
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Barry (2nd)
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Saint Leo (2nd)
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Barry (1st)
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2022
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Barry (T1st)
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Barry (1st) / Lynn (3rd)
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Barry (1st)
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2021
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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2020
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Barry (N/A)
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Not Awarded Due to COVID-19
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Not Awarded Due to COVID-20
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2019
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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2018
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Barry (2nd)
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Saint Leo (3rd)
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Barry (1st)
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2017
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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2016
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Barry (2nd)
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Saint Leo (2nd)
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Saint Leo (2nd)
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2015
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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2014
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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Barry (1st)
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