BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Frostburg State and Concord were voted preseason favorites to win division championships in the 2024 Mountain East Conference Preseason Baseball Poll.
 
Frostburg State (49 points) received nine of the 11 first-place votes in the north division and is picked to repeat as the division’s champions. The Bobcats are coming off a 33-win season, which included a 22-8 mark in league play. Frostburg State also advanced to the MEC Tournament Championship game a season ago. The Bobcats will be led this season by a trio of NCBWA Preseason All-Region selections in pitcher/utility Ethan Kiple, outfielder Danny Estrada and second baseman Randy Steen.
 
Wheeling was voted second in the preseason poll with 37 points. The Cardinals will be led this season by preseason All-Region selection Braden Killens. West Liberty received the remaining first-place votes and finished third in preseason voting with 33 points. Reigning MEC Freshman of the Year Will Balgo will lead the Hilltoppers into the 2024 campaign.
 
Fairmont State was picked fourth in the north division with 27 points, followed by Notre Dame with 14 points during voting.
 
In a close vote in the MEC South Division, Concord received 54 points and five first-place votes to be the division’s preseason favorite. Under the direction of 2023 MEC Coach of the Year Kevin Garrett, the Mountain Lions will be led by a pair of NCBWA preseason selections in pitcher Andrew Neff and infielder Chris Satcher this season.
 
Charleston, last season’s MEC South Division and Tournament Champions, was voted second in the south this season with 50 points and three first-place votes. UC is under first-year head coach Dean Peterson and returns infielder Drew Klaserner and pitcher Owen MacNeil to the lineup this season. West Virginia State was picked third in the south division poll with 49 points and three first-place votes. The Yellow Jackets will be led this spring by catcher Tyler Overaitis, a preseason All-Region selection by the NCBWA.
 
Glenville State was voted fourth with 33 points, followed by Davis & Elkins (23) and West Virginia Wesleyan (16).
 
The MEC Preseason Baseball Poll is selected by a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches.
 
2024 Mountain East Conference Baseball Preseason Poll
NORTH DIVISION
1. Frostburg State (9) – 49
2. Wheeling – 37
3. West Liberty (2) – 33
4. Fairmont State – 27
5. Notre Dame – 14
 
SOUTH DIVISION
1. Concord (5) – 54
2. Charleston (3) – 50
3. West Virginia State (3) – 49
4. Glenville State – 33
5. Davis & Elkins – 23
6. West Va. Wesleyan – 16
 
( ) – First-place votes
* Coaches unable to vote for own team