SEC Coaches Vote Florida 1st, USC 2nd

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) -– South Carolina was selected to finish in second place in the Eastern Division in the 2012 SEC Preseason Coaches‘ Poll that was released on Monday, Feb. 13. Carolina has finished in the upper half of the SEC Eastern Division 15 of 20 seasons since joining the league including 12 of 15 years under head coach Ray Tanner. The 2012 season begins on Friday, February 17 as the Gamecocks host a three-game series with VMI at Carolina Stadium. Florida is the choice to win the 2012 SEC championship with Arkansas the choice to win the West. In addition to picking a preseason champion, the head coaches voted a predicted order of finish in the SEC Eastern and Western Divisions. Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. 2012 SEC COACHES PRESEASON POLL RESULTS Eastern Division Team Points 1. Florida 66 2. South Carolina 56 3. Georgia 42 4. Vanderbilt 40 5. Kentucky 25 6. Tennessee 18 Western Division Team Points 1. Arkansas 64 2. LSU 58 3. Alabama 38 4. Ole Miss 34 5. Mississippi State 33 6. Auburn SOUTH CAROLINA‘S SEC HISTORY YEAR RECORD DIV. FINISH 1992 13-11 2nd 1993 15-10-1 2nd 1994 11-15 4th 1995 12-14 3rd 1996 13-17 5th UNDER COACH RAY TANNER 1997 13-17 4th 1998 19-10 2nd 1999 15-15 1st 2000 25-5 1st 2001 17-13 3rd 2002 21-8 1st 2003 19-11 1st 2004 17-13 2nd 2005 16-14 2nd 2006 15-15 4th 2007 17-13 2nd 2008 15-15 5th 2009 17-13 2nd 2010 21-9 2nd 2011 22-8 T1st SEC EAST TITLES (5) 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2000, 2002, 2011 SEC TOURNAMENT TITLE (1) 2004