MELBOURNE, Fla. – Sunshine State Conference women’s basketball coaches selected Florida Southern College to win a second consecutive regular-season championship as the University of Tampa is third.

The Moccasins take the top spot following 100 total votes and ten first-place votes in the preseason poll. Along with the regular season title, FSC captured the league’s postseason championship in 2017-18. UT came in at 73 points, trailing FSC and Eckerd (88).

Tampa is coming off a 17-11 season where it finished SSC play with a 10-10 overall record. Head coach Tom Jessee returns just one starter as leading-scorer Staja Tyghter leads the Spartans after averaging 12.9 points per game as a junior in 2017-18. Classmates Emily Eshoo (8.1 PPG, 11 GS) and Lauren Kotey (2.3 RPG, 3 GS) both started games last season and expect to provide leadership this season.

The Spartans welcome six newcomers, including USF transfer Dori Nagy, junior college transfers Tyra Cormier and Kris Nelson and freshmen Melijah Sullivan, Amaya Lasley and Tatiana Toledo.

Eckerd College and the University of Tampa finished second and third in the poll, with 88 and 73 points, respectively. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Nova Southeastern University are tied for fourth in the preseason ranking at 66 total votes, with Barry University right behind them in sixth place with 65 total votes.

Click here for SSC Preseason Interview with UT head coach Tom Jessee

2018 – 19 SSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL

Rank 1 2 3 T4 T4 6 7 8 9 10 11

School (FPV) Florida Southern (10) Eckerd (1) Tampa Embry-Riddle Nova Southeastern Barry Rollins Florida Tech Saint Leo Lynn Palm Beach Atlantic

Total Votes 100 88 73 66 66 65 45 37 31 24 10