The anticipation is building as the Sunshine State Conference coaches have spoken, selecting the Tampa Spartans as the team to beat in the upcoming 2024 season. With an impressive 98 points and securing eight first-place votes, the Spartans are primed to capture their seventh league title.
In a repeat performance, Nova Southeastern has been chosen as the coaches’ pick for runner-up, earning 89 points and two first-place votes. Saint Leo follows closely in third place, receiving 85 points and the final first-place vote. Rollins secures fourth place with 72 points, while Embry-Riddle claims fifth place with 61 points. A fierce battle for sixth place ensues, with Barry narrowly edging out Florida Tech by a single point, 48 to 47. Florida Southern (39 points), Lynn (27 points), Eckerd (22 points), and Palm Beach Atlantic (17 points) round out this year’s preseason ranking.
The Spartans’ dominance in the 2023 conference season, finishing with an impressive 28-2 (.933) league record, solidified their position as the team to watch. They became the first SSC team since the 2011 Rollins squad to achieve a winning percentage above .900. Alongside Tampa, Saint Leo and Nova Southeastern represented the SSC in the 2023 NCAA Division II Softball tournament, with both teams making their mark in the South Regionals.
The journey to the NCAA Softball World Series was a thrilling one, as Nova Southeastern emerged victorious from South Regionals #1 and Tampa triumphed in South Regionals #2. The two powerhouses clashed in a best-of-three-game super regional in Tampa, with Nova Southeastern ultimately advancing to their first-ever NCAA Softball World Series after clinching games one and three against the Spartans.
This year marks NSU’s 15th final site visit in conference history, the first since Saint Leo’s trip in 2018. Florida Southern proudly holds the SSC’s only softball national championship title, earned in 1993, and has finished as runner-up in 1987 and 2004. Barry also boasts a runner-up finish in 1998.
The 2024 season kicks off on Friday, February 2nd, with ten teams taking the field. The excitement continues to build as league play begins on Friday, February 16th, with five thrilling contests set to showcase the talent and determination of the SSC teams.
Get ready to witness the Spartans’ relentless pursuit of victory as they aim to add another remarkable chapter to their storied softball legacy. The stage is set, the competition is fierce, and the Spartans are poised to conquer the SSC once again.
