The Ohio Northern football team received votes in the 2017 D3football.compreseason poll, released on Monday.

This marks the 14th time in the last 16 seasons that the Polar Bears have been been mentioned in a national poll.

A year ago, Northern was ranked No. 22 in the preseason D3football.com poll.

The Polar Bears went 5-5 overall, tied for fourth in the OAC with a 5-4 mark in 2016.

Ohio Northern returns 12 starters, seven All-Conference honorees and 34 lettermen from last year's squad and will open its 2017 season on Sept. 2 at Adrian (Mich.) under 14th-year head coach Dean Paul.

RankSchool2016
RecordTotal
Points2016
Final

1.Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.)15-06061

2.Mount Union12-25704

3.Wisconsin-Whitewater 
12-15615

4.Wisconsin-Oshkosh13-25562

5.Saint Thomas (Minn.)12-15076

6.Wheaton (Ill.)11-24568

7.North Central (Ill.)11-145210

8.John Carroll12-240693

9.Linfield (Ore.)9-24017

10.Saint John's (Minn.)10-23629

Others receiving votes: Coe 80; Wabash 71; Whitworth 44; Monmouth 40; Washington & Jefferson 39; St. Lawrence 30; Berry 24; Huntingdon 18; Franklin 13; Salisbury 12; Westminster (Pa.) 12; Ohio Northern 11; Cortland 10; Illinois Wesleyan 10; Muhlenberg 10; Washington U. 8; East Texas Baptist 7; Bridgewater State 5; Rose-Hulman 5; Albright 4; Kean 4; UW-La Crosse 4; Carthage 2; Trinity (Conn.) 2; Bethel 2; Maryville (Tenn.) 1.