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SSC WLAX Preseason Poll
Alexis Cavallo

SSC Women's Lacrosse Coaches Predict Third Place Finish for Saint Leo in Preseason Coaches' Poll

Jan 21, 2025

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Coming off the best finish in program history the Sunshine State Conference women's lacrosse coaches have selected the Saint Leo University women's lacrosse team to repeat with a third place finish in 2025. The SSC coaches voted for the defending National Champion Tampa Spartans as the league's top squad entering the new season. Saint Leo garnered 31 votes for third place.
 
Last year's regular-season champs, Florida Southern, landed in second place with 43 points and the remaining first-place vote. Saint Leo took third place with 31 points, while Rollins (27 points) edged out Lynn (26 points) for fourth place. Embry-Riddle (23 points), Florida Tech (18 points), and Palm Beach Atlantic (7 points) rank 6-7-8 in this year's poll.
 
Saint Leo's 2025 season begins on Friday, February 7 as the Lions travel to North Carolina for a contest at Belmont Abbey. The Lions open SSC play on March 22 at Florida Tech.
 
Saint Leo's 2025 roster features an experienced core, including three of its top four scorers from 2024: Jana NussSophia Wood, and Ava Valenti. The Lions will also have standout draw specialists Maria Palomba, Brianna Bellando, and Emma Hayhurst back in action. Both goalkeepers, Jessica Harclerode and Makayla Goetz, return to anchor the defense.

Adding to the team's leadership is graduate assistant coach Fiona McLaughlin, a former Lion who led the 2024 team in goals and ranked second in points.
With a strong roster and a competitive schedule, the Lions are set to make another push for SSC and national success in 2025.
 
Below are the full results of the 2025 SSC preseason coaches' poll. Coaches may not vote for their teams (points: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).
 
2025 SSC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank School (FPV) Total Points
1 Tampa (7) 49
2 Florida Southern (1) 43
3 Saint Leo 31
4 Rollins 27
5 Lynn 26
6 Embry-Riddle 23
7 Florida Tech 18
8 Palm Beach Atlantic 7
 
 
SSC Women's Lacrosse History: National Champions | Conference Champions | All-SSC Teams | All-Americans | Record Book
 
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