SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference Preseason Poll released on Thursday polled the Saint Leo men's tennis team to finish the regular season third in the conference. The poll predicted Barry to clinch its fifth regular season title with 49 points. Lynn filled the second place slot with 41 points followed by the Lions with 38. Saint Leo out ranked Rollins (28), Embry-Riddle (26), Palm Beach Atlantic (18), Florida Southern (17), and Eckerd (7).
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Saint Leo wrapped up the 2018-19 season with a 16-10 overall mark, going 5-3 in the SSC. The Green and Gold edged Rollins and Embry-Riddle, who also went 5-3 in the conference, for the third seed in the SSC Tournament Championship. Saint Leo concluded the SSC Tournament falling to fourth-seeded Rollins in the championship consolation match. The Lions' season continued as they advanced to the NCAA South Region postseason as the seventh seed. The Green and Gold's run ended at second-seeded Valdosta State.
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Fourth year head coach
Chad Berryhill returns eight players, including Intercollegiate Tennis Association
(ITA) All-American, Bruno Faletto. Berryhill also welcomes four new faces in the form of
Kayne Trustfull,
Christopher Traut,
Alexander Parker, and
Athanasios Bilis.
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In January, the ITA announced its first Oracle Division II Men's Rankings, naming the Saint Leo Lions as one of the top five promising programs in the nation. The Lions jumped seven spots between the 2019 end-of-year rankings to claim the No. 5 spot in the 2020 preseason rankings. One other fellow Sunshine State Conference team joined Saint Leo in the top-10, No. 1 Barry who received eight first place votes.
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