NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Western Connecticut State University women’s soccer team is ranked fourth in the nation according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III national preseason coaches’ poll. The Colonials’ grueling schedule features seven clubs that qualified for 2007 postseason tournament play, including three teams currently ranked in the NSCAA top-25.

Under the direction of Head Coach Joe Mingachos, Western Connecticut enjoyed the program’s most successful season in 2007, boasting an overall record of 21-3-1. The Colonials established a new single-season wins mark, putting an additional victory between the previous standard. Western Connecticut captured its second straight and fifth overall Little East Conference Championship Tournament, edging intra-state rival Eastern Connecticut State University, 2-1.

The Colonials made the program’s seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earning the right to host the first two rounds. Western Connecticut strung together four postseason victories to advance to the national semifinal round for the first time in the program’s history before bowing out to the eventual national champion.

Offensively, the Colonials will be paced by senior striker Catherine Nathans (New Fairfield, Conn.). A two-time NSCAA All-American, Nathans became the first Western Connecticut women’s soccer student-athlete to earn first-team honors last fall. She sat atop the conference standings in points (41), goals (17), and game-winning goals (8), while sharing the No. 3 ranking in assists (7). In two seasons on the pitch in Danbury, Nathans has recorded 93 career points, on 39 markers and 15 helpers. She has been selected the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year the past two campaigns.

Western Connecticut opens its slate at 7 p.m. on Sept. 2, when the Colonials host WPI. Four days later, Mingachos leads his charges against their first ranked opponent, traveling to No. 12 Wheaton (Mass.). Western Connecticut will also host No. 11 Williams College (Sept. 23) and No. 21 Worcester State College (Oct. 9).

Husson College (Sept. 13), Western New England (Oct. 23), Steven’s Institute of Technology (Oct. 29), and Keene State College (Nov. 1) each qualified for postseason action last fall.

Wheaton (Ill.), the defending national champion, tops the preseason rankings, while Messiah College and The College of New Jersey round out the top-three.