ORLANDO, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference released its 2026 Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll and Lynn University was selected as the preseason favorite with 16 points and five first-place votes.
 

The Fighting Knights enter the 2026 season as back-to-back SSC Tournament champions, capturing the conference title in both 2024 and 2025. Lynn finished the 2025 campaign with a 15-2-2 record and also returns 2025 SSC Offensive Player of the Year Dominik N'gatie, who led the conference with 14 goals and 31 points.
 

Palm Beach Atlantic, the defending SSC regular-season champion, was picked second with 19 points and four first-place votes. Rollins received the remaining two first-place votes and was selected third after advancing to the NCAA Division II men's soccer championship match last season. Florida Tech and Nova Southeastern rounded out the top five.
 

The Fighting Knights were one of three SSC programs to earn a berth in the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament, joining Palm Beach Atlantic and Rollins.
 

The 2026 SSC men's soccer regular season begins on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 3:00pm against Mississippi Christian at Bobby Campbell Stadium.