Melbourne, Fla. – Lynn University’s 12th-ranked men’s soccer team was tabbed to finish second in the 2019 Sunshine State Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll, as announced on Tuesday. This marks the eighth consecutive year the Fighting Knights were selected to finish in the top-three of the league. Palm Beach Atlantic was picked for a third consecutive regular season title.
The 10th-ranked Sailfish earned 96 points and seven first-place votes in the poll voted on by SSC head men’s soccer coaches. Lynn edged out the defending national champions and top-ranked Barry for second place by two points, 83 to 81, respectively. Both squads received one first-place vote in the preseason ranking. Fourth-place Nova Southeastern University tallied 76 points as well as the final two first-place votes, while Florida Tech rounds out the Top-5 following 71 points from conference coaches.
Florida Southern College sits in the middle of the poll with 53 points and is followed closely in the voting by the University of Tampa (45 points) and Rollins College (43 points). Saint Leo University (23 points), Eckerd College (21 points), and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (13 points) occupy the final three positions in the ranking.
Along with the 2018 regular-season championship, Palm Beach Atlantic claimed the SSC tournament title, a first for the Sailfish program. PBA fell to the Blue and White by way of penalty kicks in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Lynn then advanced to meet Barry in the second round, in which the Buccaneers advanced following penalty kicks en route to the national title. Lynn (3), Tampa (3), Florida Tech (2), and Barry (1) boast all nine of the SSC’s men’s soccer national championships.
The Fighting Knights have only been picked outside the top-three once since 2007, earning a fifth-place nod in 2010 following an 8-8 season.
Lynn will be one of eight SSC institutions to open up the season on Thursday, Sept. 5th, as the Blue and White hosts Florida Memorial at 6 p.m.
About the Fighting Knights
Lynn University’s national champion Fighting Knights compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball. The university’s 19 intercollegiate teams are home to nearly 300 student athletes. Lynn is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution and winner of 25 national championships and 42 Sunshine State Conference titles. Representing spirit, service and strength, the Fighting Knights strive for greatness through athletic performance and academic excellence. For more information, visit: lynnfightingknights.com.
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