The last time Kansas University’s soccer team was snubbed in a preseason poll, the Jayhawks took it to heart and steamrolled to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

That was last year, when Big 12 Conference coaches picked KU to finish seventh in league standings. The Jayhawks went on to post a program-best 18-6-1 record, place third in the league and finish with a No. 13 national ranking.

Preseason league and national polls haven’t been released yet, but national recruiting class rankings filtered in during the past few weeks and Kansas was mysteriously absent.

Soccer America ranks the top 10 classes in the country, and KU was not listed among them. Texas A&M took top honors, with Texas ranking third and Nebraska sixth.

SoccerBuzz Magazine tapped KU’s 2004 class as No. 20 in the Central region, but didn’t include the Jayhawks among its top 100 classes nationally.

So, just how will this latest oversight affect the Jayhawks?

“I don’t pay much attention to that stuff, to be honest,” KU sixth-year coach Mark Francis said. “You’ve still gotta go out on the field and play.”

The main reason Francis discounted the rankings is that they are incomplete. Only three of the Jayhawks’ seven newcomers were included, because transfers can’t be publicized until they enroll.

“We have three good freshmen, another one who walked on that’s doing really well, and then we have some good transfers,” Francis said.

The recruiting rankings evaluated freshmen Colorado natives Colleen Quinn, Afton Sauer and Kelsey Archuleta, but left out walk-on Emily Strinden and transfers Erin Ferguson, Nicole Braman and Nicole Cauzillo.

Senior goalkeeper Meghan Miller, a first-team All-Big 12 selection last year, said KU’s classes had been underrated numerous times before — her 2001 class was ranked No. 45 nationally, and the 2002 class with All-America forward Caroline Smith went unranked.

“That’s fine if we don’t have a recruiting class that’s ranked in the top whatever,” she said. “Like Caroline, nobody knew who she was, but look at her now. Nobody knew who I was, either.”

Francis said the three transfers could most affect the lineup. Cauzillo, a sophomore midfielder from Northville, Mich., played significant minutes last season for Sweet 16 qualifier West Virginia. Braman, a junior forward from Niwot, Colo., saw extensive action for NCAA Tournament qualifier Ohio State, and Ferguson, a junior goalkeeper from Glen Ellyn, Ill., started 24 games for Houston U.

With such a talented incoming class, Francis has made it clear that no starting positions were safe.

“All the spots are up for grabs,” said senior defender Stacy Leeper, an Overland Park native who started 24 games last year. “I don’t know for sure if I’m starting. There’s lots of competition this year.”

The Jayhawks will debut Saturday in an exhibition match against Creighton. Game time will be 2 p.m. at SuperTarget Field.