BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- West Liberty and the University of Charleston have been tabbed by the league coaches as the preseason favorites for the 2021 Mountain East Conference softball season.
WLU is the pick to win in the North Division with 65 points, including 10 first-place points. The Hilltoppers return a majority of its squad from the 2019 season that saw a MEC Tournament title and 38 wins.
Fairmont State was next with 53 points (two first-place points), followed closely by Notre Dame (49). Frostburg State was slotted fourth (31 points), followed by Alderson Broaddus (25) and Wheeling (23).
Charleston finished atop the South Division poll with 58 points and five first-place points. Three other teams had multiple first-place votes in the division, with West Virginia State finishing second with 51 points (three first-place votes), Concord finishing third with 47 points (two first-place votes) and West Virginia Wesleyan was fourth with 44 points (two first-place votes). Glenville State (26) and Davis & Elkins (2) completed the poll.
The Golden Eagles look to continue upon their hot start a season ago, when Charleston finished the season 14-2 before the COVID-19 shutdown. Charleston also ranked in the top-25 in the final poll of the season from a year ago.
| MEC North Division |
| 1. |
West Liberty (10) |
65 |
| 2. |
Fairmont State (2) |
53 |
| 3. |
Notre Dame |
49 |
| 4. |
Frostburg State |
31 |
| 5. |
Alderson Broaddus |
25 |
| 6. |
Wheeling |
23 |
|
|
|
| MEC South Division |
| 1. |
Charleston (5) |
58 |
| 2. |
West Virginia State (3) |
51 |
| 3. |
Concord (2) |
47 |
| 4. |
West Virginia Wesleyan (2) |
44 |
| 5 |
Glenville State |
26 |
| 6. |
Davis & Elkins |
20 |
