South Carolina put together the best season in program history last spring and now the Gamecocks are favored to win the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference Division I title in 2019 according to the SELC preseason coaches poll released Wednesday.
South Carolina (18-2), which advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour, grabbing four of the 17 first-place votes. This was the first time USC has been preseason favorites in the SELC.
The Gamecocks edged out Virginia Tech (13-5), which also had four first-place tickets, by three points.
Georgia Tech (10-6) was slotted third with one first-place vote even though both Liberty (9-6) and Clemson (14-3) – the fourth and fifth-ranked teams, respectively – each had a pair of first place votes.
The top eight teams in the SELC poll each had at least one first-place vote.
The SELC also conducts “regional” polls that break down the favorites in the four divisions. The top two teams in each poll are the ones that advanced to last year’s SELC tournament in Johns Creek, Ga.
Click on the conference to view the SLC, LSA, PNCLL and WCLL preseason polls.
2019 SELC Division I Preseason Coaches Poll
PLACE TEAM POINTS 1st VOTES
1. South Carolina 40 4
2. Virginia Tech 43 4
3. Georgia Tech 63 1
4. Liberty 65 2
5. Clemson 91 2
6. Florida State 108 1
7. Florida 126 1
8. Georgia 133 1
9. Auburn 196
10. Alabama 197
11. Central Florida 207
12. East Carolina 233
13. N.C. State 242
14. Tennessee 256
15. George Washington 265
16. Elon 274 1
17. Mississippi 289
18. Vanderbilt 301
19. West Virginia 321
20. South Florida 343
21. Miami 349
SELC Division I Preseason Regional Rankings
Northeast
PLACE TEAM POINTS
1. South Carolina 38
2. Clemson 61
3. East Carolina 127
4. N.C. State 128
5. Elon 141
Northwest
PLACE TEAM POINTS
1. Virginia Tech 38
2. Liberty 62
3. George Washington 119
4. Tennessee 121
5. West Virginia 154
Southeast
PLACE TEAM POINTS
1. Florida State 48
2. Florida 55
3. Central Florida 101
4. Miami 144
5. South Florida 147
Southwest
PLACE TEAM POINTS
1. Georgia Tech 42
2. Georgia 68
3t. Alabama 113
3t. Auburn 113
5. Mississippi 177
6. Vanderbilt 180