Florida Southern College women’s cross country was picked to finish third in the league this year as the Sunshine State Conference released its preseason coaches poll on Friday.
The University of Tampa has been voted to repeat as the league champion after receiving 61 points and six first-place votes in the ranking. Embry-Riddle was marked to finish second in the voting with 55 points and two first-place votes. Saint Leo University was voted into a tie with the Moccasins with 49 points, however FSC received one first-place vote. Lynn rounds out the top five with 36 points.
The Moccasins are entering their second year under head coach Stephanie Bylander, whose first season was highlighted with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA South Regional Championships, the teams best since 2007. The USTFCCCA All-Region duo of Addison Cantor and Hannah Flemming are looking to help drive their program to their first NCAA Division II National Championships in 13 years.
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 while the NCAA Div. II Championship will be held on Nov. 23 in Sacramento, Calif.
2019 SSC WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank | School | Total |
| 1 | Tampa | 61 (6) |
| 2 | Embry-Riddle | 55 (2) |
| T3 | Florida Southern | 49 (1) |
| T3 | Saint Leo | 49 |
| 5 | Lynn | 36 |
| T6 | Nova Southeastern | 23 |
| T6 | Palm Beach Atlantic | 23 |
| 8 | Florida Tech | 20 |
| 9 | Rollins | 8 |
*First Place Votes