University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Picked Ninth in SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll
August 11, 2016 | Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The league’s 14 head coaches have picked Tennessee to finish ninth in this season’s Southeastern Conference Preseason Poll as released by the SEC earlier today.
2016 SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)- Florida (10) – 165 Points
- Texas A&M (4) – 154 Points
- Auburn – 141 Points
- South Carolina – 135 Points
- LSU – 108 Points
- Missouri – 105 Points
- Kentucky – 98 Points
- Ole Miss – 85 Points
- Tennessee – 84 Points
- Vanderbilt – 56 Points
- Georgia – 52 Points
- Arkansas – 35 Points
- Alabama – 29 Points
- Mississippi State – 27 Points
Defending SEC regular-season and tournament champion Florida was tabbed as the favorite to win the league, garnering 165 points and 10 of the 14 first-place votes. Last year’s SEC Tournament runner-up, Texas A&M, earned the other four first-place votes and was chosen to finish second in the league with 154 points. Auburn (141), South Carolina (135) and LSU (108) rounded out the top five.
Points were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, and each coach was not allowed to vote for their own team. The Vols received 84 points, coming in one point behind Ole Miss. View the entire poll in the sidebar.
The Big Orange are coming off their fifth winning season in the past six years after finishing with a 7-5-6 record in 2015 despite losing some key players to injury. UT returns 19 players from last year’s roster and has added six talented newcomers. The Vols should also benefit from the return of Hannah Wilkinson, the program’s active leader in goals and points, after she missed all of last season with an injury.
Tennessee hosts No. 14 Clemson in an exhibition game this Saturday at 7 p.m., immediately following the 2016 Meet & Greet at Regal Soccer Stadium. View all the info for Saturday’s Meet & Greet and exhibition game HERE.
Admission is FREE for all home games at Regal Soccer Stadium, so make sure to come out and support the Vols this season. Check out this year’s entire schedule HERE.
