MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Southern men's cross country team was predicted to three-peat as conference champions according to the Sunshine State Conference cross country coaches with the release of the 2025 SSC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Moccasins have finished in the top-three in 28 of the last 29 SSC Championship events including winning the conference title 19 times including the two most recent events.
The Moccasins are expected to repeat as SSC champs after receiving 81 points and nine first-place votes in the ranking. Tampa came in second with 69 points while Embry-Riddle ranked third in the voting with 67 points despite landing the final first-place vote. The remaining seven teams included Florida Tech (51 pts./4
th), Palm Beach Atlantic (48pts./5
th), Nova Southeastern (45 pts./6
th), Lynn (32 pts./7
th), Barry (24 pts./T8th), Saint Leo (24 pts./T8th) and Eckerd (9 pts./10
th).
Last season, Florida Southern finished with 27 team points to capture the program's 19th SSC championship and second in a row. Four of the Moccasin's top five runners finished in the Top 10, including the individual champion,
Christian Giller, and runner-up,
Chris Colavita. Tampa finished second with 60 points. The Spartans placed three runners in the Top 10. Embry-Riddle finished third with 73 points.
Giller earned the title of SSC Cross Country Individual Champion after completing the 8K race at Lakeland's Hollway Park in 24:44.1. Giller became the 12th different Moccasin to win an individual SSC title, and first since Mason Jones won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021. Giller's win marked the 16th individual championship for the program.
Florida Southern was the top-placing SSC team at the South Regional, as they finished fourth. Giller finished second in the race to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championship, where he ultimately finished 41st.
Tampa will host the 2025 SSC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, October 25, at Holloway Park in Lakeland. NCAA Division II regional competition will be on Saturday, November 8, also at Holloway Park. Florida Southern will host the South Regional. The National Championship is on Saturday, November 22, at Wayne E Danehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wis.
FSC returns four of its top six finishers from the 2024 SSC Championship run including defending individual champion
Christian Giller along with runner-up finisher
Chris Colavita. Junior
Cole Summers took fifth overall at the 2024 championship and will add to the strong group of returners. The final member of the top-six from last year returning is senior
Caleb Brady. The team added eight newcomers who will bolster the already strong lineup.
Florida Southern will open the 2025 season in just over two weeks on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7:45 a.m. as the Moccasins compete in the Swan City Invitational at Holloway Park.
2025 SSC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| Rank |
School (FPV*) |
Total Votes |
| 1 |
Florida Southern (9) |
81 |
| 2 |
Tampa |
69 |
| 3 |
Embry-Riddle (1) |
67 |
| 4 |
Florida Tech |
51 |
| 5 |
Palm Beach Atlantic |
48 |
| 6 |
Nova Southeastern |
45 |
| 7 |
Lynn |
32 |
| T8 |
Barry |
24 |
| T8 |
Saint Leo |
24 |
| 10 |
Eckerd |
9 |
