Florida SouthWestern State Tops NJCAA DI Preseason Poll

Portions of the following release information was issued by Florida SouthWestern State and information and photo courtesy of Florida SouthWestern State…

NJCAA Preseason Poll

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– For the fourth straight season the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers will open the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I preseason poll.

Florida SouthWestern State, which has won three straight national championships, was a unanimous choice to defend its crown as the Buccaneers received all seven first-place votes and finished with 140 points.

Northwest Florida State finished second in the preseason poll with 133 points and was followed by Wallace State Community College-Hanceville (126 pts), Odessa College (119 pts) and Grayson College (112 pts).

McLennan Community College, the College of Central Florida, Walters State Community College, Seminole State College (Okla.) and Indian River State College round out the preseason top 10.

FSW finished last season 54-5, culminating in their third consecutive NJCAA title. The Bucs eclipsed the 50-win mark despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, defeating 18 ranked foes in 2023 including four straight top 10 teams to win their third straight crown in Oxford, Ala.

Offensively the Bucs return All-American outfielder Sydney McCray who hit .410 and stole 26 bases for FSW last season as well as D’Yani McKinley, Sietske Driivers and Maddy Golka who were all all-conference selections as freshmen in 2023.

In the circle FSW returns Lea Chevrier who was the Most Outstanding Pitcher at the 2023 Florida College System Activities Association State Tournament and who was the winning pitcher in the Bucs national championship game victory over Northwest Florida. Esmee Ames also returns after posting a 1.87 ERA as a freshman last season.

FSW opens up their title defense on Jan. 27 when it travels to Clearwater, Fla., for the 2024 JUCO Kickoff Classic where they will take on Georgia Military and St. John’s River on opening day before returning home to play New College of Florida in their home opener on February 1.

Northwest Florida State, the College of Central Florida, Indian River and Seminole State (Fla.) will also participate in the JUCO Kickoff Classic.

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