Florida Southern College men’s cross country was picked to finish second in the Sunshine State Conference this year as the league released its preseason coaches poll on Thursday afternoon.
The only team picked to finish above the Moccasins (55 points, one first-place vote) are the Eagles of Embry-Riddle, who are expected to repeat as league champions after receiving 63 points and seven first-place votes. Saint Leo comes in third with 48 points and one first-place vote, while Tampa, with 46 points, and Lynn, with 38 points, round out the top five.
The Moccasins are entering their second year under head coach Matt Levassiur, whose first season was highlighted by a third-place finish at the NCAA South Region Championship last November. The USTFCCCA All-Region duo of Mason Jones and Josh Wagner look to bring their team back to the NCAA Championship this November in Sacramento, Calif.
FSC starts the 2019 campaign on their home course as they host the Holloway Park XC Preseason Festival on Sept. 7. Postseason begins on Oct. 26 as Lynn hosts the 2019 Sunshine State Conference Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton. The Mocs will once again host the 2019 NCAA South Region Championships on Nov. 9 in at Holloway Park with the hope for their sixth NCAA Div. II Championship birth in the past decade. The Championship will be held on Nov. 23 in Sacramento, Calif.
2019 SSC MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank | School | Total |
| 1 | Embry-Riddle | 63 (7) |
| 2 | Florida Southern | 55 (1) |
| 3 | Saint Leo | 48 (1) |
| 4 | Tampa | 46 |
| 5 | Lynn | 38 |
| 6 | Nova Southeastern | 26 |
| 7 | Florida Tech | 23 |
| 8 | Palm Beach Atlantic | 17 |
| 9 | Rollins | 8 |
*First Place Votes