West Liberty men, West Virginia State women voted MEC basketball favorites

West Liberty received eight first-place votes and 98 points during preseason balloting. Under head coach Ben Howlett, the Hilltoppers went 33-4 a season ago, winning the MEC regular season and tournament championships.

West Liberty also won the NCAA Atlantic Regional at IUP and advanced to the national title game in Evansville, Indiana, eventually falling to Nova Southeastern in the championship game.

In 2023-24, the Hilltoppers return senior guard Christian Montague, junior forward Ben Sarson and junior guard Zach Rasile.

West Liberty also added impact transfers John Korte (Wheeling) and Darren Fergus (Malloy).

Fergus was the East Coast Conference Player of the Year last winter.

Charleston received the final three first-place votes and were picked preseason runner-up with 90 points during balloting. The Golden Eagles also return an experienced roster this winter with Eddie Colbert, Tyler Eberhart and CJ Meredith back in the lineup.

UC also welcomes a trio of transfer guards this season in Freddie Word, DeAirius Barker and Dwaine Jones.

Fairmont State was voted third in the preseason poll with 85 points. The Falcons will be led by senior guard Zyon Dobbs and senior forward Seth Younkin this season.

West Virginia State was fourth in the preseason voting with 66 points, and will be led by redshirt senior forward Anthony Pittman in 2023-24.

Following a historic campaign in 2022-23, Davis & Elkins was picked fifth (65 points) this season. The Senators will be led by first team All-MEC guard Sam Rolle IV.

Concord was voted sixth (52), followed by Notre Dame (50), Glenville State (41), Wheeling (27), Frostburg State (21) and West Virginia Wesleyan (10).

On the women's side, West Virginia State received eight first-place votes and 98 points during balloting.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 22-7 campaign and returns three All-MEC standouts this winter, including forwards Anysa Jordan and Destiny Field and guard Shelby Harmeyer.

West Virginia State earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2004 last season and ended the year ranked first in the nation in scoring offense (91.2) and rebounds per game (51.7).

The University of Charleston was picked second in preseason voting with 82 points and one first-place vote. Charleston went 24-9 a season ago and returns Haley Moore, Clarrissa Francis and Jamia Nesmith to the lineup this winter.

UC is coming off its fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Glenville State was voted third during preseason balloting with two first-place votes and 79 points.

After a national championship in 2022 and a final four appearance in 2023, the Pioneers are under first-year head coach Emily Stoller this season.

The Pioneers went 33-3 a season ago and return All-MEC standout Hya Haywood to the lineup this season.

GSU also added transfers Lauren Calhoun (Wheeling) and Dejaan Schuler (Stetson) to the lineup during the offseason.

Fairmont State was voted fourth with 73 points. The Falcons went 23-9 a season ago and return nearly 84 percent of its scoring from a season ago, including All-MEC standouts Alyssa DeAngelo and Katy Darnell.

West Liberty is fifth in the preseason poll with 71 points.

The ‘Toppers return plenty of familiar faces in 2023-24, including Karly McCutcheon, Corinne Thomas, Grace Faulk and Bailee Smith at the guard position.

The Hilltoppers ranked second in the country in assists (19.1) and 3-point field goal percentage (.386) last season. 

Concord was voted sixth with 59 points, followed by Frostburg State (44), Notre Dame (34), Wheeling (33), Davis & Elkins (20) and West Virginia Wesleyan (12).