MELBOURNE, Fla. – In the inaugural Sunshine State Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the Saint Leo women's cross country team was selected to finish second among the nine member schools. The Lions earned two of the nine first place votes and finished just four points behind preseason favorite Embry-Riddle who earned five first place tallies.
The Eagles of ERAU edged Saint Leo last season at the SSC Championship by just four points and the same can be said for the 2018 preseason poll where the Eagles finished with 56 total points followed by the Lions who had 52. Tampa finished just one point back in third with 51 points including one first place vote. The final team to earn a first place tally was Florida Southern who took fourth in the poll with 48 points.
Despite finishing second to the Eagles at the SSC Championships, the Lions claimed the 2017 NCAA South Region Championship by defeating ERAU along with 14 other teams before advancing to the NCAA Championships. Seniors
Alyssa Bayliff and
Laura Tobin, who both finished among the top-10 at the 2017 SSC Championships, return to lead the Lions this season.
The Lions open the 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Holloway Park Preseason Festival hosted by Florida Southern.
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's cross country team be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
2018 SSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank |
School (FPV*) |
Total Votes |
| 1 |
Embry-Riddle (5) |
56 |
| 2 |
Saint Leo (2) |
52 |
| 3 |
Tampa (1) |
51 |
| 4 |
Florida Southern (1) |
48 |
| 5 |
Florida Tech |
35 |
| 6 |
Lynn |
30 |
| 7 |
Nova Southeastern |
26 |
| 8 |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
18 |
| 9 |
Rollins |
8 |
