From Press Release PERRY, N.Y. – Florida Southern received votes in this year’s Preseason United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association/NIKE Division II Coaches’ Poll that was released Monday afternoon. In the Preseason USILA/NIKE Coaches’ Poll, the Moccasins are one of 13 teams receiving votes, including one of three schools from the Sunshine State Conference receiving votes. Along with having three schools receiving votes in the preseason poll, the SSC also has two teams, Tampa and Florida Tech ranked in the Top 20 of the poll. In addition to FSC, the other teams receiving votes are Saint Leo and Lynn, while two-time defending SSC Champion opens the season ranked 10th as the Spartans earned 229 points in the poll, while Florida Tech is ranked 13th as the Panthers earned 142 points. Two-time defending Division II National Champion Limestone opens the season ranked No. 1 as the Saints earned 19 first place votes and 380 points. LeMoyne College is ranked second, while LIU Post is third. Merrimack (Pa.) is ranked fourth and Adelphi rounds out the preseason Top 5. NYIT is ranked sixth, while Lake Erie is seventh and Seton Hill is ranked eighth. Lindenwood opens the year ranked ninth and Tampa rounds out the Top 10. Mercyhurst opens the final 10 of the preseason poll at No. 11, while Mount Olive is 12th and Florida Tech is followed at No. 14 by Mercy College. Pfeiffer and Colorado Mesa are tied for 15th, while Pace and Dowling are tied for 17th. Molloy is ranked 19th and Queens (N.C.) rounds out the preseason poll at No. 20. FSC is schedule to play five teams that are ranked and five others receiving votes in the Preseason USILA Coaches’ Poll. The Mocs will host No. 1 ranked Limestone on March 12, No. 5 Adelphi on Feb. 22, No. 15 Colorado Mesa on March 17 and No. 13 Florida Tech on March 26 and will play at No. 10 Tampa on April 1. The Mocs will also host Mars Hill (Feb. 26), Lenoir-Rhyne (Feb. 28), Chestnut Hill (March 3) and Saint Leo (April 23) and will play at Lynn on April 16. All those teams received votes in the preseason poll. FSC returns five starters and 22 lettermen from last season’s 6-8 squad that went 2-3 in the SSC. Among the key returners for the Mocs is junior attackman Cody Dyer (Slingerlands, N.Y.), who scored 31 goals and had 20 assists for 51 points last season. In addition to Dyer, the Mocs also welcome back its No. 3 scorer from a season ago in sophomore midfielder Lucas Claude (Calgary, Alberta) and junior goalie Matt Lalli (New Milford, Conn.), who played in all 14 games and made 12 starts in the pipes in 2014. Head coach Marty Ward and the Mocs open the 2016 slate at home on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 12 p.m. against Queen’s (N.C.). Click here for the complete USILA/NIKE Division II Preseason Coaches’ Poll