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Defending National Champions Tampa Favored by SSC Coaches in 2023 Preseason Men’s Lacrosse Poll

via SSC press release

Head coaches select the Spartans as the preseason number one for the 10th consecutive yearMELBOURNE, Fla. – For the 10th consecutive season, Sunshine State Conference men’s lacrosse coaches select Tampa as the preseason favorite. With 49 points and seven first-place votes in the poll, a third consecutive regular-season championship is anticipated for the Spartans.

Coaches vote Rollins as the top contender to the Spartans in 2023, with 41 points and the final first-place vote in the ranking. Florida Southern follows in third place with 37 points, while Florida Tech and Lynn round out the top five with 32 and 22 points, respectively. Saint Leo (21 points), Embry-Riddle (13 points), and Palm Beach Atlantic University (9 points) round out this year’s preseason poll.

Last season marked the first year the SSC recognized a regular-season and tournament champion in men’s lacrosse since COVID-19 ravaged college sports. Tampa picked up its second consecutive, sixth overall regular-season title in 2022 following a 7-0 record in league play. The Spartans maintained a stranglehold on the league’s postseason title, improving to seven-of-seven in the SSC tournament.

Following the conference tournament, the Spartans earned a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II national tournament. UT hosted and defeated Lenoir-Ryne, 13-11, in the national quarterfinals and Limestone, 19-8, in the national semifinals. Tampa defeated Mercy, 11-7, to capture the NCAA title and complete a perfect season (21-0). It stands as the first men’s lacrosse title for Tampa and the Sunshine State Conference. Along with UT (No. 1), Florida Southern (No. 11), Rollins (No. 12), and Florida Tech (No. 14) ended the year ranked by the USILA.

The 2023 season begins on Wednesday, February 1st, with Embry-Riddle visiting Flagler. Conference play starts on Wednesday, March 8th, with Embry-Riddle hosting the defending National Champion Spartans. US Lacrosse Magazine’s 2023 preseason ranking has Tampa at the top of the list, and Florida Tech, Florida Southern, and Rollins ranked 15, 17, and 19, respectively. Fans can find the composite schedule for 2023 here.

Below are the full results of the 2023 SSC preseason coaches’ poll. Coaches may not vote for their teams (points: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).

2023 SSC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll

RankSchool (FPV)Total Points
1Tampa (7)49
2Rollins (1)41
3Florida Southern37
4Florida Tech32
5Lynn22
6Saint Leo21
7Embry-Riddle13
8Palm Beach Atlantic9

SSC Men’s Lacrosse History: National Champions | Conference Champions | All-SSC Teams | All-Americans | Record Book


Previous SSC Men’s Lacrosse Polls and Champions

YearPredicted Winner
(Actual Finish)
Regular Season Champ
(Preseason Prediction)
Regular Season Champ
(Preseason Prediction)
2022Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)
2021Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Not Awarded Due to COVID-19
2020Tampa (N/A)Not Awarded Due to COVID-19Not Awarded Due to COVID-19
2019Tampa (2nd)Lynn (3rd)Tampa (1st)
2018Tampa (3rd)Saint Leo (2nd)Tampa (1st)
2017Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)
2016Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)
2015Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)
2014Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)Tampa (1st)

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