MELBOURNE, Florida - The Sunshine State Conference office released the 2022 Women's Lacrosse preseason poll on Thursday, and the Embry-Riddle Eagles are slotted fifth in the eight-team ranking. Head Coach Leah Peppelman begins her first season at the helm of the program that enters its fourth season of competition after not playing in 2021 due to COVID.

ERAU garnered 26 points, just three behind fourth-place Saint Leo. The league coaches were split in their opinion of who would win the conference in 2022 with both Florida Southern (45) and Rollins (45) tied at the top. Tampa (39) received one first-place vote to come in third, followed by Saint Leo (29), ERAU (26), Florida Tech (14), Palm Beach Atlantic (14), and Lynn (12).

The Eagles went 5-2 in the truncated 2020 season, but no SSC games had been played yet. ERAU tied for fourth in 2019, and placed sixth in its inaugural 2018 campaign.

30 student-athletes, including nine upperclasswomen, will take on a 17-game slate in 2022, starting on Feb. 12 when the Eagles take on preseason No. 18 Mount Olive on the road. Seven total opponents ranked in the IWLCA preseason poll await the Blue and Gold, and the Eagles will play 10 contests at home at the Embry-Riddle Lacrosse Field.

2022 SSC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank	School (FPV)	Total Points
T1	Florida Southern (4)	45
T1	Rollins (3)	45
3	Tampa (1)	39
4	Saint Leo	29
5	Embry-Riddle	26
T6	Florida Tech	14
T6	Palm Beach Atlantic	14
8	Lynn	12