All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Tennis ‘Cats selected third in MEC preseason poll

WVWC Tennis

BRIDGEPORT – The University of Charleston men’s tennis team has been voted as the favorite in the 2025 Mountain East Conference preseason poll, per a vote of the MEC’s seven head coaches.

UC, the defending MEC team champion, finished 19-3 last season and 5-0 in conference play before advancing to the NCAA Championships as the No. 10 seed. After ousting No. 7 seed Azusa Pacific University, the Golden Eagles fell to second-seeded Valdosta State. Charleston returns MEC Player of the Year Jorge Perez, a junior from Spain, as well as All-MEC first team selections Omar Elsamahy (sophomore, Egypt) and Vicente Garcia (junior, Spain).

Fairmont State, which lost to UC in the 2024 men’s tennis championship final, finished second in the preseason poll, followed by West Virginia Wesleyan, Davis & Elkins, West Virginia State, Frostburg State, and newcomer West Liberty. W. Va. Wesleyan, which received the only other first-place vote in the poll, returns 2024 MEC Freshman of the Year Takuya Kobayashi, a sophomore from Japan.

2025 MEC Men’s Tennis Preseason Poll
1. Charleston (6) — 36
2. Fairmont State — 30
3. West Virginia Wesleyan (1) — 27
4. Davis & Elkins — 19
5. West Virginia State — 15
6. Frostburg State — 14
7. West Liberty — 6

( ) — First-place votes
* Coaches unable to vote for own team

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Annette Reel

Annette Reel, 67, of Hurricane, WV, an FBI analyst and Christian Fellowship Church member, died January 18, 2026; she is survived by two children, five grandchildren, four siblings, and will be cremated with a later celebration of life.

Blanche Grace (Helmick) McCartney

Blanche Grace (Helmick) McCartney, 99, a former West Buckhannon Methodist Church choir member and longtime resident of the Buckhannon area, died January 18, 2026, leaving three sons, multiple descendants, and a large extended family.

Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board Agenda: January 22, 2026

The Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board will meet January 22, 2026; this agenda outlines items to be considered at that session.

City of Buckhannon calendar for the week of January 19, 2026

Buckhannon’s week of Jan. 19 includes MLK Day closures (waste collection still on schedule), curbside recycling pickup Tuesday at 6 a.m., and a Consolidated Public Works meeting Thursday with in-person and virtual options.

Upshur County Sports Calendar

This week’s Upshur County sports calendar lists middle and high school basketball, wrestling, and college matchups for Jan. 19–25, highlighted by multiple Buckhannon-Upshur and West Virginia Wesleyan contests.

Basketball ‘Cats gain first win off the year as they beat West Virginia State, 97-91

West Virginia Wesleyan earned its first win of the season, defeating West Virginia State 97-91 behind Jerell Jean-Baptiste’s 32 points, hot three-point shooting, and a 30-of-37 performance from the free-throw line.

Wesleyan women use strong second half to pull away from Yellow Jackets for 86-67 win

Wesleyan erupted for 33 third-quarter points and shot 55.2 percent overall to defeat West Virginia State 86–67, led by Emma Witt’s 31 points, as the Lady Bobcats improved to 8–4 (6–3 MEC).

Buckhannon honors 99-year-old Rosie the Riveter with key to the city

Buckhannon honored 99-year-old Neva Lee Reed Snyder, a WWII Rosie the Riveter who helped keep American aircraft flying, with the city’s highest honor: the key to the city. Unable to attend, family accepted as Mayor Robbie Skinner praised her courage, patriotism and legacy.

This week’s Hank Ellis All-Stars: Olivia Blonn and Xavier Robinette

Olivia Blonn and Xavier Robinette have been named Hank Ellis All-Stars for their outstanding performances in wrestling and basketball.