Spartans Picked Third in SSC Preseason Poll

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference men's soccer coaches' have chosen Lynn University as the preseason favorite in 2017. The Fighting Knights received 97 total votes and eight first place votes in the poll.

Lynn claimed both the SSC regular season title and postseason title in 2016. The Fighting Knights have a total of nine SSC regular season titles and five conference tournament championships.

Palm Beach Atlantic University earned second with 87 total votes from league coaches. The University of Tampa garnered 78 total votes for a third place finish and received two first place votes. Rounding out the top five in the poll are Florida Tech and Barry University with 65 and 64 total votes, respectively. The final first place vote went to Eckerd College. The Tritons finished seventh in this year's voting.

Tampa, Lynn, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Florida Tech represent the SSC in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II preseason men's poll. The ranking was announced Thursday, August 3rd.

Last season, Lynn defeated Tampa in penalty kicks to win the 2016 SSC championship. The Spartans returned the favor by taking down the Fighting Knights in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Tampa then defeated Palm Beach Atlantic in the third round before falling to the eventual national champions, Wingate University, in the Elite Eight.

SSC teams open up with non-conference matches on August 31st. The conference schedule begins on September 13th when Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University travels to Nova Southeastern University.

Tampa will open the season with a pair of road games at West Florida (9/1) and Spring Hill (9/3) before facing off against Florida National for the home opener on Sunday, September 10th at 11 am.

2017 SSC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL-

*First Place Votes

For full details, click here