KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Union College will start the season ranked 34th as the 2009 NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 poll was announced by the organization Monday.

The Lady Bulldogs received a total of 28 points in the poll, 12 behind Vanguard (Calif.) University. Saint Ambrose (Iowa) University was next with 21 points.

Union was the only team from the Appalachian Athletic Conference to garner any points. The Lady Bulldogs open the season as the AAC coaches' favorite to win the league. The last time Union collected votes in the national poll was also during the preseason poll before the start of the 2004 season.

Lee (Tenn.) University, the defending national champion, took 20 of the 21 first-place votes en route to the preseason No. 1 spot. Concordia (Ore.) University followed in second. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) College was given the other first place vote and was placed third. Azusa Pacific (Calif.) University and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) University were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Union starts the 2009 season with the Lady Bulldog Classic August 28-29. Union play Tennessee Temple University August 28 at 11 a.m. The classic's championship and consolation games are scheduled for August 29. The Lady Bulldogs finished 2008 with a 14-5 record.

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. 8.

To view the entire poll, click here.