By Tim Glon

The Ohio Northern softball team, under third-year head coach Kim Burke, is ranked No. 15 in the 2013 preseason NCAA Division III poll by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

The Polar Bears received 92 points in the poll.

ONU has now been nationally ranked in five consecutive seasons and finished the year ranked No. 11 in 2012.

Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) was unanimous No. 1 choice after winning the NCAA III Tournament title, receiving all eight first place votes and 200 points overall.

Montclair State (N.J.) was second with 185 points, Luther (Iowa) was third with 179 points and Tufts (Conn.) was ranked fourth with 177 points.

The Polar Bears won their fourth consecutive OAC Regular Season title and made their fourth consecutive NCAA III Tournamernt appearance in 2012, finishing with a 31-14 overall record and a 14-3 OAC mark.

Click here for complete poll results.