By Tim Glon

The Ohio Northern softball team is ranked No. 18 in the first 2013 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll released on Wednesday.

The Polar Bears received 8392 points in the poll, nine less than the 92 they received in the preseason poll, when they were ranked No. 15.

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

Montclair State (N.J.) is No. 1 with five first place votes and 197 points overall, Luther (Iowa) is second with 188 points and Tufts (Conn.) is third with 180 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.

Northern will open its 2013 season MArch 8-10 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic at Columbus, Ga.