Tampa Picked First in SSC Volleyball Preseason Poll

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference volleyball coaches have picked the University of Tampa to capture the 2021 league championship. With 98 points and eight first-place votes in the preseason poll, the Spartans are expected to lift the league trophy for the 27th time in program history.

Lynn University finished second in the ranking with 92 total points and the remaining three first-place votes. Barry University and Nova Southeastern University tied for third in the ranking at 68 points, while Saint Leo University rounds out the Top-5 after receiving 65 points from league coaches. Palm Beach Atlantic University settles in the middle of the poll with 59 points and is followed the voting by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (51 points), Eckerd College (44 points). Florida Southern College (30 points), Rollins College (20 points), and Florida Tech (10 points) hold the final three positions in the ranking.

SSC volleyball returns to the court for the first time since 2019 due to COVID-19 causing the cancelation of the 2020 season. Lynn stands as the defending conference champion after finishing 2019 with an 18-2 record in league play. Lynn, Tampa, Barry, Embry-Riddle, and Saint Leo saw action in the 2019 NCAA Postseason Tournament. Saint Leo and Barry matched up in the regional final, with the Lions capturing the program's first regional title. Saint Leo went on to compete in the National Quarterfinals, where their season came to an end.

SLU's performance in 2019 marked the 27th consecutive season where the SSC has sent a team to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. During that run, league teams have reached the national semifinals 19 times, the championship final 12 times, and walked away with the title six times. Barry and Tampa account for all six of the conference's titles, the last of which came by way of the Spartans in 2018.

The 2021 season opens up with all SSC teams in action on Friday, September 3rd. Conference play begins on Tuesday, September 14th, with Lynn hosting Nova Southeastern. Tampa (No. 5) is the lone SSC representative in the 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division II preseason poll, which was released on Monday, August 23rd.

Below are the full results of the 2021 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).

 2021 SSC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL

See Also: All-SSC Teams | SSC National Champions |SSC Champions |2019 SSC Standings

Previous SSC Volleyball Polls