BALTIMORE, Md. – One season after advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history and winning a school record 19 games, Florida Southern opens the 2016 campaign ranked fifth in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Division II Preseason Top 15 poll that was announced Wednesday on LaxMagazine.com. The Moccasins finished last season ranked sixth in the final Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association (IWLCA) Coaches’ Poll following a 19-4 campaign that saw the program not only earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, but also capture the inaugural Sunshine State Conference regular season championship after going a perfect 4-0 in league play. Adelphi, who are the two-time reigning Division II National Champions, opens the 2016 season as the team to beat as they are ranked No. 1. Le Moyne, who is led by Preseason Division II Player of the Year Erica Geremia, is ranked second, while Lindenwood, who defeated the Mocs in the first round of last season’s NCAA Tournament, is ranked third. New Haven is ranked in front of the Mocs as they are ranked fourth. Rollins is right behind the Mocs in the poll at No. 6, while Mercyhurst is seventh and West Chester (Pa.) is eighth. The top 10 is rounded out by Lock Haven at No. 9 and LIU Post at No. 10. The final five of the Preseason Top 15 poll features Seton Hill at No. 11, Stonehill at No. 12, Mount Olive at No. 13, Limestone at No. 14 and Grand Valley State at No. 15. Seven of FSC’s 2016 opponents are ranked in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll, including three of its first four opponents. The Mocs will open the season on Feb. 18 against No. 15 Grand Valley State, before hosting top-ranked Adelphi on Feb. 22 and meeting No. 13 Mount Olive on March 5. FSC will then face No. 14 Limestone on March 12, No. 3 Lindenwood on March 31 and then face No. 11 Seton Hill in Annapolis, Md., on April 10 and playing at No. 6 Rollins on April 21. Florida Southern returns an IWLCA All-American in senior defender Gabby Barowski (Alexandria, Va.), and also welcomes back sophomore midfielder Emily Santoli (Fort Salonga, N.Y.), who was named a Third-Team IWLCA All-South Region selection a year ago. Fifth year head coach Kara Reber and the Mocs open the 2016 season with a 6 p.m. exhibition game on Feb. 16 against Wales at Bryant Stadium and will open the regular season two days later on Feb. 18 at Bryant Stadium against Grand Valley State. The GVSU game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Click here to view the complete Nike/Lacrosse Magazine Division II Women’s Preseason Top 15 Poll