MELBOURNE, Fla. – Entering the 2020 season ranked No. 16 nationally, the Nova Southeastern baseball team was also picked second in the Preseason Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Coaches Poll, league officials announced Thursday. The Sharks received 87 points, only behind defending National Champion Tampa (100 points, 10 first-place votes).
Heading into the first year with a new coach since 2011, the Sharks return 19 players from last season’s squad for skipper Laz Gutierrez. The 2019 Sharks finished 34-17 and tied for the best league record with Tampa and SSC Champion Eckerd. Nova Southeastern closed out the 2019 season in their fifth consecutive NCAA postseason, battling to the South Regional final before falling to Tampa in a 12th-inning stunner. The Sharks were picked at third in the 2019 preseason predicted order.
“It’s nice that our peers think highly of our team this year, but the reality is that we still need to play the games,” Gutierrez said. “The SSC is such a competitive conference that we need to be prepared to compete every time we step on the field.”
The Sharks will have the opportunity to be well prepared when conference play is in full stream, as NSU will face six opponents ranked in national preseason polls during their formidable 50-game schedule.
Beyond NSU in the poll, perennial contender Florida Southern is in third place at 78 points, while Embry-Riddle (60 points) and Florida Tech (58 points) round out the top-5. They are followed by Saint Leo (54 points), Barry (50 points), Lynn (38 points), Eckerd (31 points), Rollins (26 points) and Palm Beach Atlantic (23 points).
Below are the full results of the 2020 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).
2020 SSC BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL | ||
Rank | School (FPV) | Total Points |
1 | Tampa (10) | 100 |
2 | Nova Southeastern | 87 |
3 | Florida Southern (1) | 78 |
4 | Embry-Riddle | 60 |
5 | Florida Tech | 58 |
6 | Saint Leo | 54 |
7 | Barry | 50 |
8 | Lynn | 38 |
9 | Eckerd | 31 |
10 | Rollins | 26 |
11 | Palm Beach Atlantic | 23 |
The Sharks open up the 2020 campaign in the confines of the NSU Baseball Complex with back-to-back-back dates against No. 7 North Greenville, Tusculum and St. Thomas from Jan. 31 to 2.