ORLANDO, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference has released the 2026 Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Friday.
Embry-Riddle was selected eighth in the poll with 43 points. All league head coaches participated in the poll and were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
The Eagles are coming off a 29-18 overall record while going 15-15 in SSC action for the program's 11th consecutive winning season. In addition, ERAU has produced a .619 (281-173) winning percentage since the Kelsi Diaz era began in 2015.
Five of the wins from a season ago came over ranked opposition including a series win over No. 17 Nova Southeastern and a doubleheader sweep of No. 11 Wilmington.
Nine returners headline the roster for the Eagles with two-time All-SSC selection
Emma Wood is poised to lead the team in her senior campaign. In addition, ERAU returns two other All-SSC selections in
Shelby Morse and
Leah Oberkehr.
Tampa and Saint Leo were tabbed the preseason favorites with 90 points each. The Spartans picked up 5 first-place votes with the Lions receiving four. Nova Southeastern was selected third with 81 points and one first-place vote followed by Barry in fourth with 77 points and the final first-place vote.
Eckerd landed at fifth (64 pts) followed by Rollins in sixth (57 pts), and Florida Tech in seventh (46 pts). Lynn, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Florida Southern rounded out the poll in ninth (24 pts), 10th (22 pts), and 11th (11 pts), respectively.
The 2026 softball season is set to begin on Jan. 30 with the Embry-Riddle Invitational.
Sunshine State Conference Preseason Softball Poll
Place Team Total (First-Place Votes)
T1 Tampa 90 (5)
T1 Saint Leo 90 (4)
3 Nova Southeastern 81 (1)
4 Barry 77 (1)
5 Eckerd 64
6 Rollins 57
7 Florida Tech 46
8 Embry-Riddle 43
9 Lynn 24
10 Palm Beach Atlantic 22
11 Florida Southern 11
