LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- The Moravian College softball team has been ranked No. 18 in the 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Preseason Poll.

The Greyhounds, led by Head Coach John Byrne, who enters his 25th season with a 786-233 career record, begin the 2018 campaign with 14 returners from last season's 36-6 squad.

"Preseason polls show a good starting point for the season, however; while it is nice to be ranked in the preseason, it really is the NCAA regional ranking at the end of the season that means the most," commented Byrne. "We have a very solid nucleus of returning players and five newcomers that will make up the 2018 squad. We are looking forward to getting the season started later this month especially having been able to get outside a few times since practice began."

Moravian begins its 2018 schedule with a non-conference doubleheader at Gwynedd Mercy University on Saturday, February 24. The Greyhounds will open March with 12 games in Tucson, Arizona including six in the 2018 NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic. Those games include a contest with No. 1 and defending national champion Virginia Wesleyan University as well as games against Whitworth (Wash). College and the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), both of which received votes in the 2018 preseason poll, and 18 of the 34 teams that received hosts in the preseason poll will play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic next month.

To view the entire 2018 NFCA Division III Preseason Top 25 poll, visit https://nfca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7654:national-champion-virginia-wesleyan-opens-no-1-in-nfca-division-iii-top-25-poll&catid=148&Itemid=149.