By Tim Glon
The Ohio Northern men's soccer team is ranked No. 12 in the 2012 Continental Tire/NSCAA Men's Division III preseason poll in voting conducted by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
The Polar Bears were ranked No. 11 in the final 2011 NSCAA poll.
ONU has now been nationally ranked in four of the past five seasons.
Ohio Wesleyan is ranked No. 1 after winning the 2011 NCAA III Tournament title, Saint Lawrence (N.Y.) is second and Messiah (Pa.) is third.
Northern will open its 2012 campaign at the Penn State-Behrend Tournament against Geneseo State (N.Y.) on Sept. 1 at 2:30 pm.