Spartans Selected Second In Preseason SSC Men’s Soccer Poll

ORLANDO, Fla. - After capturing the Sunshine State Conference tournament championship, the University of Tampa men's soccer team has been chosen to finish second in the 2011 SSC preseason poll. Barry University has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to capture the 2011 SSC title.

The Buccaneers claimed top billing in a preseason poll conducted among the league's men's soccer coaches and sports information directors. Barry amassed 184 points, including 11 first-place votes.

Tampa was selected second in the rankings, receiving 162 points and four first-place votes. Sitting just one point behind the Spartans was Rollins with a tally of 161. The Tars claimed the final three first-place nods.

"I think it's comical and to be honest I do not think any member of our team from players, coaches and trainers even knew this came out," says head coach Adrian Bush. "Rankings prior to any team even playing a game is ridiculous. You honestly can draw names out of a hat and get a more realistic idea of how this conference will shape up, results are determined on the field - votes are for elections."

Florida Tech came in fourth in the poll with 110 points. Nipping at the Panthers' heels was Lynn, which collected 105 points to place fifth. Nova Southeastern settled into the No. 6 slot with 95 points.

Saint Leo (7th, 81 points), Florida Southern (8th, 44), and Eckerd (9th, 30) rounded out the preseason poll.

Barry returns eight of its 11 starters from last year's squad that shared the SSC regular-season title with a 5-2-1 conference mark and an 11-4-3 overall record.

Head coach Adrian Bush's squad returns seven starters from 2010, plus 19 letterwinners. Senior captain and All-American candidate Ryan Griffin leads the Spartans after scoring seven goal and three assists from his midfield position last season.

Goalkeeper David Niepel also returns following a freshman campaign where he posted a 0.86 GAA with 79 saves.

"We have too much respect for every team in this conference to get caught up in pre-season rankings at the University of Tampa," says Bush. "Our only focus is where we are on Oct. 28 after all the games in the SSC are actually played. There is not one trophy in the Martinez Center for a pre-season poll & if it is a championship my players are looking for - I'm sure we have 8 other teams in this conference that have the same aspirations to be the SSC's best. It's a players game and in the end it is the players who decide where they finish, not some ranking or pre-season poll."

2011 SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
Rank - Team, Points (1st Place Votes)
1 - Barry, 184 (11)
2 - Tampa, 162 (4)
3 - Rollins, 161 (3)
4 - Florida Tech, 110
5 - Lynn, 105
6 - Nova Southeastern, 95
7 - Saint Leo, 81
8 - Florida Southern, 44
9 - Eckerd, 30