Defending SSC Champs Tabbed 2nd in Preseason Poll

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference men's soccer coaches have chosen Nova Southeastern University as the preseason favorite in 2022. With 96 points and seven first-place votes in the poll, the Sharks are expected to win the program's first regular-season title.

The University of Tampa holds second place in the poll with 90 points and three first-place votes. Palm Beach Atlantic University garners the final first-place vote along with 84 points to land in third. Lynn University and Rollins College round out the Top-5 with 76 and 59 points, respectively.

2022 SSC MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE 

Barry University touches down in the center of the poll with 49 points and is followed in the voting by Florida Southern College (45 points) and Florida Tech (41 points). Saint Leo University (31 points), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (18 points), and Eckerd College (16 points) occupy the final three positions in the poll.

Palm Beach Atlantic and Tampa shared a claim of the 2021 SSC regular-season title after both programs finished the season with 27 points in conference play. The Spartans now have 15 regular-season titles in program history, and the Sailfish own three league trophies. Nova Southeastern bested PBA in the conference semifinals and UT in the finals to capture the postseason crown. It was the first SSC title for NSU's men's soccer program.

NSU, PBA, and UT earned a berth into the 2021 NCAA Division II Postseason Tournament. Nova Southeastern opened up the tournament with a 3-2 win against Coker before blanking PBA 1-0 in the second round. Next, the Sharks defeated Chowan, 1-0, to advance into the national quarterfinals. In the elite eight, NSU took down an Auburn - Montgomery squad (3-1) that had previously eliminated Tampa in the second round. Nova Southeastern was eliminated by the eventual national champion, Cal State Los Angeles, in penalty kicks following 110 minutes of scoreless play in the national semifinals.

Since 2010, eight men's soccer teams have reached the national quarterfinals, and all eight have advanced to the national semifinals, including NSU in 2021. Six teams have advanced to the national title game, with three walking away with a championship trophy. Lynn (3), Tampa (3), Florida Tech (2), and Barry (1) boast all nine of the SSC's men's soccer national championships. The most recent of which came by way of Barry in 2018.

Ten teams open up the SSC non-conference season with matches on Thursday, August 25th. The conference schedule kicks off with four games on Saturday, September 10th. NSU (No. 3), PBA (No. 13), and Tampa (No. 21) represent the SSC in the 2022 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II preseason men's poll. The ranking was announced Tuesday, August 2nd.

Below are the full results of the 2022 SSC preseason 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).

2022 SSC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL

See Also:SSC All-Americans | All-SSC Teams | SSC Champions | 2021 Standings

Previous SSC Men's Soccer Polls