ROHNERT PARK, Calif-  The defending Far West region champion Sonoma State men's soccer team will open up the 2008 season as the west's top ranked team at No. 6 in the NSCAA/adidas national poll.  The Seawolves return five All-Region players, including First Team All-American Andrew Bailey, from last year's squad.

"It's an honor to be recognized as one of the top teams going into the season, but we are taking nothing for granted," said head coach Marcus Ziemer.  "We all know that we have a lot of work ahead of us before we accomplish our goal.  It is much more important where we are ranked at the end of the season."

Sonoma State advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals last year before falling on penalty kicks to Midwestern State.  At 19-3-3 overall, the Seawolves completed the first perfect conference season (14-0-0) in the CCAA in seven years.  Sonoma State also enjoyed a school-record 17-game winning streak, from September 7th to November 4th.

In addition to Bailey, the Seawolves return Nathan Medina, Brook Johnson, Doug Carr, and Scott Preckwinkle, all of whom earned All-Far West Region honors in 2007. 

Other Far West region teams ranked in the Top 25 include Cal State Dominguez Hills (11th) and Grand Canyon (20th).  Defending national champion Franklin Pierce was slotted in the top spot.

The Seawolves open up their pre-season this Sunday with an exhibition match against the Sonoma County Sol.  The regular season kicks off on August 28th when the Seawolves head to Hawaii to take on BYU-Hawaii in the first of a three game island road trip. 

NSCAA/adidas Pre-Season National Rankings
1.	Franklin Pierce
2.	Lincoln Memorial
3.	Midwestern State
4.	Montevallo
5.	Northern Kentucky
6.	SONOMA STATE
7.	Metro State
8.	East Stroudsburg
9.	Dowling
10.	Lees-McRae
11.	Cal State Dominguez Hills
12.	West Texas A&M
13.	Lewis
14.	Tampa
15.	Gannon
16.	Fort Lewis
17.	UMass-Lowell
18.	Lander
19.	West Florida
20.	Grand Canyon
21.	Incarnate Word
22.	Rockhurst
23.	Regis
24.	Davis and Elkins
25.	Wingate