KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After securing its second national championship in the last three years, Martin Methodist (Tenn.) is ranked No. 1 in the 2008 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, announced today (Aug. 19). With 639 total points and 15 of a possible 23 first-place votes, the RedHawks start 2008 in defense of their 2007 national title. Senior defender Marcia Silva is slated to return for the RedHawks after she was named the 2007 Brine-NAIA Player of the Year.

Azusa Pacific (Calif.), a club who lost to Martin Methodist in the championship bout last year by a 2-1 score, is right behind at No. 2 with 632 total points. At No. 3 is Lee (Tenn.), who held the No. 1 slot last year for six straight weeks including the final poll. The 2007 Preseason No. 1 team, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), begins this campaign at No. 4 after going 17-3-3 last year. Concordia (Ore.) rounds out the Top 5 after finishing 18-2-2 last season. The Cavaliers finished the 2007 season strong being rated at No. 4 the final four weeks.

Three programs not being rated in the final 2007 regular season Top 25 Poll enter the ratings this time. Houghton (N.Y.) is at No. 17, Kansas Wesleyan sits at No. 24 while Spring Arbor (Mich.) wraps it up at No. 25.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The first regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Sept. 9.

2008 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll - (Aug. 19)

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RANK	LAST YEAR*	SCHOOL	1st PLACE VOTES	2007 Final Record	FINAL POINTS
1	5	Martin Methodist College (Tenn.)	15	20-4-0	639
2	2	Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)	3	20-2-1	632
3	1	Lee University (Tenn.)	4	20-2-0	611
4	3	Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.)	1	17-3-3	598
5	4	Concordia University (Ore.)		18-2-2	575
6	6	Carroll College (Mont.)		17-2-2	529
7	8	California Baptist University		13-5-2	510
8	14	Northwood University (Fla.)		15-2-0	505
9	9	Saint Xavier University (Ill.)		19-4-2	484
10	17	Graceland University (Iowa)		14-3-1	426
11	7	Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.)		12-4-1	384
12	16	Simon Fraser University (B.C.)		8-3-5	375
13	24	Westmont College (Calif.)		9-7-2	349
14	10	William Jewell College (Mo.)		16-3-0	348
15	T12	William Carey University (Miss.)		19-1-1	331
16	15	King College (Tenn.)		17-4-1	327
17	RV	Houghton College (N.Y.)		13-3-3	313
T18	T12	Indiana Wesleyan University		21-2-1	254
T18	19	Bethel College (Tenn.)		15-5-0	254
20	21	John Brown University (Ark.)		14-5-0	244
21	23	Berry College (Ga.)		12-6-3	238
22	18	Concordia University (Calif.)		12-5-1	212
23	22	Trinity Christian College (Ill.)		19-6-2	205
24	RV	Kansas Wesleyan University		21-2-1	157
25	NR	Spring Arbor University (Mich.)		17-3-3