UT Men's Soccer Ranked Fifth in SSC Preseason Coaches Poll

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference men's soccer coaches have chosen Lynn University as the preseason favorite in 2021. With 97 points and seven first-place votes in the poll, the Fighting Knights are expected to repeat as regular-season champions.

Palm Beach Atlantic University holds second place in the poll with 90 points and two first-place votes. Nova Southeastern University garners the final two first-place votes along with 72 points to land in third. Florida Tech and the University of Tampa round out the Top-5 following 68 and 65 points, respectively.

Rollins College touches down in the center of the poll with 60 points and is followed in the voting by Barry University (46 points) and Florida Southern College (44 points). Saint Leo University (32 points), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (16 points), and Eckerd College (15 points) occupy the final three positions in the poll.

The 2020 season was canceled with the onset of COVID-19, which keeps Lynn as the defending conference regular season and postseason tournament champs. Along with Lynn, Florida Tech and Palm Beach Atlantic gained entry into the NCAA Division II Postseason Tournament. PBA opened up the tournament with a win against Francis Marion University before falling to Wingate University in the regional final. Florida Tech took down West Florida University before falling to Lynn in the regional final. Lynn defeated Wingate in the super regional, marking the SSCs third consecutive year with a national semifinalist. Lynn finished the season with a loss to the eventual national champions, the University of Charleston.

Since 2010, SSC men's soccer teams have reached the national quarterfinals and semifinals seven times. Those teams have advanced to the national title game six times, walking away with a total of three trophies. 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. 

Six teams open up the SSC non-conference season with matches on Thursday, September 2nd. The conference schedule kicks off with four games on Saturday, September 18th. Lynn (No. 3) and PBA (No. 13) represent the SSC in the 2021 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II preseason men's poll. The ranking was announced Wednesday, August 4th.

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 MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL