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

Wesleyan football picked 10th in MEC preseason poll

BRIDGEPORT – The University of Charleston was voted to repeat as Mountain East Conference Football Champions in 2024, following a vote of the league’s head coaches.

Charleston, who is coming off a 10-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in MEC play a season ago, received 77 points and six first-place votes during preseason balloting. UC won the MEC football title in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs with a high-scoring 52-44 win over New Haven in the opening round. The Golden Eagles wrapped up the 2023 season ranked 19th in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll and 18th in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll. UC returns quarterback Javonte Howard and All-American running back Chavon Wright to the lineup in 2024.

The final 2023 MEC football standings featured a four-way tie for second-place, and the next three spots in the preseason poll are occupied by teams that finished in the tie a season ago.

UNC Pembroke was picked second in preseason voting with 73 points and three first-place votes. Under second-year head coach Mark Hall, the Braves return quarterback Colin Johnson, running back Sincere Baines and MEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Jamae Blank to the field in 2024. UNCP went 7-3 (6-3 MEC) a season ago, winning four in a row to end the season.

Frostburg State received 68 points during balloting and tallied the final first-place vote. The Bobcats went 7-3 (6-3 MEC) a season ago and return first-team All-Conference defenders Leonard Scott, Colby Street and Wylan Harich to the field this fall.

Fairmont State was picked fourth with 54 points during preseason balloting. The Falcons went 8-3 (6-3 MEC) a season ago and are under first-year head coach Luke Barker this season. The Falcons return first team All-MEC standouts Joe Petryszak (OL) and Eltayeb Bushra (DB) this fall, in addition to running back LeJay Hatcher and tight end Carter Giacomo.

Glenville State was voted fifth (43) in preseason balloting, followed by Wheeling (39), West Virginia State (36), West Liberty (32), Concord (18) and West Virginia Wesleyan (10).

The 2024 MEC football season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 29 with a slate of non-conference action during Week 0.

2024 MEC Football Preseason Poll
RankSchool (First Place Votes)Voting
1.Charleston (6)77
2.UNC Pembroke (3)73
3.Frostburg State (1)68
4.Fairmont State54
5.Glenville State43
6.Wheeling39
7.West Virginia St.36
8.West Liberty32
9.Concord18
10.West Va. Wesleyan10

* Coaches not permitted to vote for own team

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