Defending champion Linfield was a unanimous choice, taking the No. 1 spot in the preseason NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll
, the association announced Wednesday. Linfield returns all but two starters to a team that finished 2007 with a 45-7 record and the program's first national championship. Wartburg College takes the No. 2 spot after finishing 31-8 and as regional runner-up last year. No. 3 Plattsburgh State returns two all region pitchers to a squad that finished fourth at the Division III national championship.
Louisiana College and St. Thomas share the No. 4 spot, with LC looking to improve upon its 34-11 finish. St. Thomas returns two-time NFCA All-American Maria Bye to a squad that finished 42-4 last year. Moravian and DePauw, national championship participants, take the No. 6 and No. 8 spots, respectively, while Redlands is sandwiched between at No. 7.
Northeast power Ithaca starts at No. 9., while Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a team that finished third at the national championship, rounds out the top 10. No. 11 Lynchburg and No. 12 Tufts look to improve upon regional runner-up finishes, as No. 13 Emory looks to make a return trip to Salem and the national championship.
Chapman finished at 29-13 and shares the No. 14 spot with Coe, while Ramapo and Wisconsin-Stevens Point follow, both after finishing 33-10 a year ago. Perennial Top 25 power Muskingum starts 2008 at No. 18, while Bridgewater and Buffalo State share the No. 19 spot.
No. 21 Central is followed by Montclair State, who finished last season at 38-8. No. 23 Wellesley makes its first appearance ever in the poll, while national runner-up Washington-St. Louis takes the No. 24 spot. Marietta and Mississippi college round out the rankings, beginning the season sharing No. 25.
The first regular season NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll will be released March 5.
