Tampa Heads to Postseason Play as Nation’s No. 19 Team
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The University of Tampa men's soccer team is now No. 19 in the NSCAA Division II national poll, which was announced Tuesday. The Spartans have risen four spots heading to postseason play.
The Spartans are now 10-4-1 on the season and have won six of their last seven matches down the stretch to clinch the No. 2 spot in the Sunshine State Conference after been tabbed at No. 5 in the preseason poll.
Tampa is one of three Sunshine State Conference schools in the top-25, joined by Lynn (7) and Rollins (11).
This marks the fifth consecutive season that Tampa has been represented in the national rankings and the sixth week this season where UT has been in the top-25 after opening the season unranked. The Spartans top showing of 2012 was No. 7 in the third installment of the rankings.
In the NCAA Division II national rankings, Tyler Blackwood is 34th in points per game (1.6), 39th in points (24) and 20th in goals per game (0.73).
Tampa will travel to Boca Raton, Fla., for the 2012 Florida Blue Sunshine State Conference Tournament at Lynn. The Spartans will meet the winner of Tuesday's Rollins-Florida Tech match on Friday at 11 a.m., with a spot in the finals at stake.