ORLANDO, Fla. - The Florida Southern College men's cross country team was predicted as conference champions once again, according to the Sunshine State Conference cross country coaches with the release of the 2026 SSC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Moccasins have finished in the top three in 29 of the last 30 SSC Championship events, including winning the conference title the last three times in a row.
 
The Moccasins are expected to repeat as SSC champs after receiving nine first-place votes in the ranking. Embry-Riddle was second with the final first-place vote taken, followed by Tampa as the top three predicted programs in the conference. The remaining seven teams included Palm Beach Atlantic (fourth), Nova Southeastern and Florida Tech (tied for fifth), Barry (seventh), Lynn (eighth), Saint Leo (ninth), and Eckerd (10^th).
 
Last season, Florida Southern finished with 31 team points to capture the program's 20th SSC championship and third in a row. Four of the Moccasin's top four runners finished in the Top 10, including the individual champion, Christian Giller. Embry-Riddle finished second with 60 points and Palm Beach Atlantic third with 68 points.
 
Giller earned the title of SSC Cross Country Individual Champion for a second year in a row after completing the 8K race at Lakeland's Hollway Park in 24:27.6, marking the 17^th individual championship for the program.
 
Florida Southern was the top-placing SSC team at the South Regional, as they finished second, later placing 19^th of 34 teams in the NCAA National Championship.
 
Lynn will host the 2026 SSC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 7, at Holloway Park in Lakeland. NCAA Division II regional competition will be on Saturday, November 21, at John Hunt Park, hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The National Championship will be in the Kansas/Missouri area as part of the 2026 DII Fall Festival, with the cross country championship taking place at Rim Rock in Lawrence, Kansas on December 4.
 
FSC will have plenty of new faces to lead the pack, with seven newcomers joining top runners Cole Summers, Eli Zuppa, and Andrew Nyland, who were top-15 runners among the conference in last year's championship.
 
Florida Southern will open the 2026 season in just over one week as the Mocs host the Uncle Nick's XC Bagel Run in Lakeland at Holloway Park on Saturday, Sept. 5.

2026 SSC Men's Cross Country Preseason Rankings

1. Florida Southern — 9 (9)
2. Embry-Riddle — 18 (1)
3. Tampa — 24
4. Palm Beach Atlantic — 44
   T-5. Nova Southeastern — 45
   T-5. Florida Tech — 45
5. Barry — 55
6. Lynn — 65
7. Saint Leo — 69
8. Eckerd — 75

First-place votes are listed in parentheses.