Aurora University ranked No. 17 in DIII News Preseason Top 25

Northern Athletics Conference, Sports Information Department

VERONA, Wis. -- Aurora University's men's basketball team has been ranked No. 17 in the 2007 DIII News Preseason Top 25. The announcement was made in the publication's special Preseason Preview issue, which was released on Friday, October 12.

The Spartans (25-3, 16-2 NAC) are coming off a 2006-07 campaign in which they won the Northern Athletics Conference regular season and tournament championships. They also earned a NCAA Division III Championship berth where they lost 69-68 to Calvin College in the first round of the championship tournament.

Aurora is led by senior forward and All-American Larry Welton (20.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg) who was also the Northern Athletics Conference Player of the Year last season.

DIII News Preseason Top 25

1. Washington (Mo.)
2. Amherst
3. Wisconsin Stevens Point
4. Virginia Wesleyan
5. Keene State
6. Scranton
7. Wooster
8. Loras
9. Hope
10. Augustana
11. Guilford
12. Ramapo
13. Calvin
14. King's
15. Brockport
16. St. John Fisher
17. Aurora
18. Capital
19. Centre
20. Rowan
21. Plattsburgh
22. Ursinus
23. Cal Lutheran
24. Manhattanville
25. WPI