WHEELING – The Fairmont State men’s basketball team has been selected as the Mountain East Conference preseason favorite following a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches.

The MEC men’s basketball preseason poll was announced Tuesday afternoon here at WesBanco Arena, the site of this year’s Basketball Media Day.

Fairmont State received the maximum amount of first-place votes possible — 10 — as head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. The Falcons are coming off a 27-5 season overall that included a thrilling triple overtime win against top seed West Liberty in the MEC Championship game. Fairmont State fell in the NCAA Atlantic Regional to Fayetteville State.

The Hilltoppers received the lone remaining first-place vote and are predicted to finish second in the regular season. West Liberty finished last season 30-5 overall and advanced to the Division II Elite Eight at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The Hilltoppers reached the Elite Eight for the eighth time in program history, and have reached the national tournament and NCAA record 16 consecutive seasons.

The University of Charleston, Glenville State, and Concord round out the top five of the MEC preseason men’s basketball poll. West Virginia State is picked to finish sixth, followed by Frostburg State. Wheeling and Davis & Elkins tied for the eighth spot in the poll, followed by Point Park and West Virginia Wesleyan.

The 2025-26 MEC Basketball Media Day was held in the WesBanco Arena, the site of this March’s Mountain East Conference basketball championship. The tournament begins Wednesday, March 4 and will conclude with the men’s and women’s championship games on Sunday, March 8.