Sunshine State Conference Releases 2006 Pre-Season Polls

The Sunshine State Conference released its pre-season baseball and softball polls on Friday.  Florida Southern College was picked in both polls to win the 2006 SSC Championships.  NSU’s baseball team was tied with Barry University for fifth-place, while the Sharks softball team was predicted to finish eighth in the nine-team league.

The NSU baseball team finished the 2005 season with an impressive 32-21 record overall and was 13-11 in its first year of SSC play, which earned the Sharks a fifth-place finish in the league standings.  Key returners to this year’s team include seniors Sean McFadden (Hollywood, Fla.) and Gregg Burrows (Nassau, Bahamas).

During the past three years, the Sharks have been ranked as high as 15th in the NCAA Division II, have averaged 30+ wins, and have been ranked in the top-10 annually in the South region.

NSU will open its 2006 season with the Nike/OTS Challenge Tournament at the NSU Baseball Complex February 2-5.  The Sharks will face Lynn University, Presbyterian College and Palm Beach Atlantic University during the weekend.

Florida Southern earned 14 of a possible 18 first-place votes in the SSC’s pre-season baseball poll.  The University of Tampa claimed the remaining four first-place votes and was picked to finish second.  Lynn University and Rollins College were chosen third and fourth, respectively.  Barry and NSU were picked in a tie for fifth place.  Saint Leo University, Florida Tech and Eckerd College rounded out the poll.

The Sharks softball team was 25-29 in 2005 and was tied for sixth in the SSC with a conference mark of 9-15.  NSU will face a challenging schedule with the likes of several top-10 ranked opponents including perennial national power Alabama-Huntsville and defending NCAA Division II national champion Lynn University.

NSU will open the 2006 season on February 11 with a home doubleheader against Northwood University.  First pitch for game one is set for 5:00 p.m. at the A.D. Griffins Sports Complex.

Florida Southern earned 14 of 18 possible first-place votes in the preseason poll.  Saint Leo University was chosen to finish second, while Lynn University, the defending SSC champion was selected third.  Both Saint Leo and Lynn received two first place votes.  Barry University, Rollins College and the University of Tampa were chosen fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.  Florida Tech, NSU and Eckerd College rounded out the poll.