Bridgeport, W.Va. -- Notre Dame and West Virginia Wesleyan have been selected by the league coaches as the preseason favorites for the 2019 Mountain East Conference women's soccer season.
In the North Division, Notre Dame finished atop the poll with 55 points, including six first-place votes. The defending North Division champs posted a 10-6-1 record last season, making it to the MEC Tournament Semifinals where they were defeated by Concord. Although NDC graduated top scorer Katarina Doncevic, the Falcons return Na'pier Ramsey, Katja Josipovic, Saige Ackerman and Stine Austad who together contributed eight goals and eight assists in last years' campaign.
With its three top scorers back from last season, Fairmont State was picked second in the North with 53 points and received five first-place votes. After posting just nine wins from 2015-17, the Fighting Falcons achieved an 8-6-4 record in the 2018 campaign behind the efforts of rising senior Abigail Johnson (7 goals, 2 assists) to earn their first trip to the MEC Tournament. The Hilltoppers of West Liberty were picked to finish third in the division with 45 points after advancing to the Tournament Semifinals a year ago. Rounding out the rest of the North Division is Frostburg State (29 points), Urbana (23 points), and Wheeling (20 points).
West Virginia Wesleyan topped the poll in the South Division with 46 points, including seven first-place votes. The Bobcats, winners of the MEC regular season and tournament titles for two straight seasons, have won four of six tournament titles since the emergence of the Mountain East in 2013. WVWC went 13-2-6 last year, including a perfect 10-0-3 in conference play. The Bobcats posted 15 shutouts on the year and advanced to the NCAA Atlantic Region championship.
Concord, which set the league record for goals last year with 57, was picked second with 43 points and had the remaining four first-place votes. The Mountain Lions bring back a lot of the offensive talent including Leah Foster (9g, 6a), Courtney Wallace (9g, 4a), Mira Kontio (6g, 1a), and Yasmin Mosby (3g, 4a). Charleston was tabbed third in the league with 34 points, followed by Davis & Elkins (23) and Glenville State (14).
MEC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
North Division
1. Notre Dame -- 55 (6)
2. Fairmont State -- 53 (5)
3. West Liberty -- 45
4. Frostburg State -- 29
5. Urbana -- 23
6. Wheeling -- 20
South Division
1. West Virginia Wesleyan -- 46 (7)
2. Concord -- 43 (4)
3. Charleston -- 34
4. Davis & Elkins -- 23
5. Glenville State -- 14
