The Vikings were ranked 25th in the preseason poll, which is voted on by eight coaches representing the eight Division III regions.
"I don't know what it means for us," Lawrence coach Kim Tatro said. "We still have to play."
Lawrence, which finished 31-7 a year ago, received 18 points. Simpson College received the No. 1 ranking with 198 points.
The Vikings have been ranked regularly in the Great Lakes Region in recent years, but this is the first time Lawrence has cracked the top 25. The highest ranking the Vikings had previously attained was 26th at the end of last season.
Lawrence is coming off a second consecutive season in which it reached the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings are also the three-time defending Midwest Conference champions. Lawrence went 11-0 against MWC competition a season ago, including a 7-0 win over Monmouth to claim the conference title.
Lawrence is the lone private college from Wisconsin to be represented in the poll. Three schools from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, UW-Whitewater, and UW-Stevens Point, are also ranked. The Blugolds are No. 2, Whitewater is No. 7, and Stevens Point in No. 17.
Lawrence faces a challenging nonconference schedule that includes Eau Claire, Whitewater and UW-Oshkosh, which was among other receiving votes in the poll.
"We play as many UW (System) schools as we do Midwest Conference schools, and we did quite well against them," Tatro said. "The season should be a good test for us."