Tampa Picked Third in 2014 SSC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll

WINTER PARK, Fla. - The 2013 Sunshine State Conference Tournament Champion and preseason NSCAA Division II No. 14 Rollins Tars narrowly received the nod as the favorite to win the 2014 SSC women's soccer title, with the University of Tampa receiving a third-place billing.

The Tars received 60 points and four of the nine first-place votes, while the 2013 regular-season champion Barry Buccaneers earned 59 points and collected the remaining five first-place votes to sit in the second position in a preseason poll conducted among the conference head women's soccer coaches.

The Buccaneers captured the 2013 regular-season championship before falling to Rollins in the SSC tournament final in double overtime by a score of 3-2. Both teams, along with the Tampa Spartans and Florida Tech Panthers advanced to the NCAA South Regional in 2013. The Tars advanced to the regional final where they fell to West Florida.

Tampa, ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA preseason top-25, received 51 points to be placed third, where they finished the 2013 season. Saint Leo (39 points) and Florida Tech (38 points) rounded out the top-five. Concluding the poll was Florida Southern (30 points), Nova Southeastern (22 points), Lynn (15 points) and Eckerd (10 points), respectively.

Rollins returns 10 of 11 starters from a season ago, including all seven of its 2013 All-SSC honorees. The Tars return five seniors from its starting lineup including Brenna Mckee, Emma Jones, Taylor Thigpen, Azure Dorsey and Mary Spring in goal. Two sophomores, and All-SSC First-Team honorees as freshmen, Mora Johnson and Paxton Sickler both return.

Barry returns eight starters, including SSC Defensive Player of the Year and All-SSC First Team member Becca Rogers. The goalkeeper is one of four returning seniors in the starting lineup for Barry. All five of the 2013 All-SSC honorees from the Buccaneers squad return for a chance at second-straight regular-season title under reigning SSC Coach of the Year Denise Brolly.

2014 Sunshine State Conference Preseason Women's Soccer Poll

Rank - Team, Points (1st-place votes)
1 - Rollins, 60 (4)
2 - Barry, 59 (5)
3 - Tampa, 51
4 - Saint Leo, 39
5 - Florida Tech, 38
6 - Florida Southern, 30
7 - Nova Southeastern, 22
8 - Lynn, 15
9 - Eckerd, 10