SPOKANE, Wash. -- Two-time defending Northwest Conference champion Whitworth College is picking up in 2006 exactly where the Pirates left off 2005, according to a pair of NCAA Division III preseason men's soccer polls. Whitworth is ranked third in both the NSCAA/adidas poll and the new D3kicks.com poll.

The Pirates finished last season ranked third in the final NSCAA/adidas poll after advancing to its first NCAA Division III final four.

NSCAA/adidas preseason poll / d3kicks.com preseason poll.

The Pirates return nine starters from 2004, when they finished 16-3-1 overall and 12-1-1 in the Northwest Conference on the way to advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Whitworth will open the 2005 season against defending Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference champion University of Redlands on September 3rd at the Linfield College Classic.

The Pirates' first home match will be September 10th at noon against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the Whitworth Invitational.