The University of Tampa Women’s Softball team is the preseason favorite to win the Sunshine State Conference.

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MELBOURNE, Fla. – Sunshine State Conference coaches have selected the University of Tampa as the preseason favorite in 2024. With 98 points and eight first-place votes in the poll, the Spartans are expected to grab the program’s seventh league title.

Nova Southeastern repeats as the coaches’ pick for runner-up with 89 points and two first-place votes. Saint Leo slides into third with 85 points and the final first-place vote. Rollins takes fourth place with 72 points, while Embry-Riddle receives fifth place with 61 points. Barry occupies sixth place by the slimmest point margin, 48 to 47, over Florida Tech. Florida Southern (39 points), Lynn (27 Points), Eckerd (22 points), and Palm Beach Atlantic (17 points) round out this year’s preseason ranking.

2024 SSC SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Tampa captured the 2023 conference title outright, following a 28-2 (.933) league record, becoming the first SSC team to sport a winning percentage over .900 since the 2011 Rollins squad (.957). Along with UT, Saint Leo and Nova Southeastern represented the SSC in the 2023 NCAA Division II Softball tournament. UT and NSU emerged victorious from South Regionals #1 and #2, meeting in a best-of-three-game super regional in Tampa. NSU advanced to its first NCAA Softball World Series after taking games one and three from the Spartans.

NSU’s final site visit is the 15th in conference history and the first since Saint Leo made the trip in 2018. Florida Southern owns the SSC’s only softball national championship in 1993 and finished as runner-up in 1987 and 2004. Barry claimed the league’s only other runner-up finish in 1998.

The first action of the 2024 season is slated for Friday, February 2nd, with 10 teams in action. League play begins with five contests on Friday, February 16th.

Below are the full results of the 2024 SSC preseason coaches’ poll. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams (points: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).

2023 SSC SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
 

RankSchool (FPV)Total Points
1Tampa (8)98
2Nova Southeastern (2)89
3Saint Leo (1)85
4Rollins72
5Embry-Riddle61
6Barry48
7Florida Tech47
8Florida Southern39
9Lynn27
10Eckerd22
11Palm Beach Atlantic17

SSC Softball History: National Championships | Conference Champions | All-SSC Teams



Previous SSC Softball Polls & Champions

YearPredictedWinnerActualFinishActualWinnerPredictedFinish
2023Tampa1stTampa1st
2022Tampa1stNova Southeastern / Tampa1st / 4th
2021Rollins1stRollins1st
2020RollinsN/ANot Awarded Due to COVID-19N/A
2019Saint Leo4thFlorida Tech5th
2018Saint Leo4thPalm Beach Atlantic3rd
2017Saint Leo1stSaint Leo1st
2016Saint Leo1stSaint Leo1st
2015Rollins4thTampa2nd
2014Tampa1stRollins/Tampa3rd / 1st
2013Tampa2ndSaint Leo7th
2012Rollins2ndTampa2nd
2011Rollins1stRollins1st
2010Nova Southeastern2ndRollins4th
2009Barry5thFlorida Southern/Rollins5th / 4th
2008Florida Southern6thBarry2nd
2007Florida Southern1stFlorida Southern1st
2006Florida Southern1stFlorida Southern1st
2005Florida Southern1stFlorida Southern1st
2004Florida Southern1stFlorida Southern1st
2003Barry1stBarry1st
2002Florida Southern7thBarry1st
2001Florida Southern5thTampa4th
2000  Florida Southern 

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