via SSC press release

Head coaches select the Spartans as the preseason number one for the ninth consecutive yearMELBOURNE, Fla. – For the ninth consecutive season, Sunshine State Conference men’s lacrosse coaches select the University of Tampa as the preseason favorite. With 49 points and seven first-place votes in the poll, the Spartans are expected to repeat as the league’s regular-season champion.

Lynn University is the top challenger to the Spartans in 2022 with 42 points and the final first-place vote in the ranking. Rollins College lands in third place for the second consecutive year with 36 points from the coaches. Florida Southern College and Florida Tech finished neck and neck for fourth and fifth with 27 points and 26 points, respectively. Saint Leo University (24 points), Palm Beach Atlantic University (11 points), and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (9 points) round out this year’s preseason poll.

SSC teams played between eight and 11 games in 2021 due to another COVID-19 shortened season. After finishing undefeated (6-0) in conference play, Tampa emerged as the regular-season champion. It stands as the first title for the Spartans since 2017, fifth overall. No regular-season trophy was awarded in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Tampa’s is the only SSC school with a postseason contest under their belt since 2019, with a bid into the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse Tournament. The Spartans defeated Mount Olive in the opening round before ending their season on a narrow loss to Lenoir-Rhyne in the national quarterfinals. Thanks to the pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 SSC postseason tournaments did not occur, keeping Tampa as the defending SSC tournament champion after winning the 2019 title.

The 2022 season begins on Friday, February 4th, with Embry-Riddle visiting Flagler and Florida Southern at Anderson. Conference play starts on Saturday, March 19th, with Florida Southern hosting Lynn.

Below are the full results of the 2022 SSC preseason coaches’ poll. Coaches may not vote for their teams (points: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).

2022 SSC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll

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

Previous SSC Men’s Lacrosse Polls and Champions