FAIRMONT, W. Va. -- Shawnee State men's basketball was voted to finish ninth in the Mountain East Conference by the 2026 MEC Preseason Coaches Poll.
The MEC men's basketball preseason poll was announced Tuesday afternoon at the WesBanco Arena, the site of this year's basketball media day.
West Liberty received 11 of 12 total first-place votes, the maximum allowed since league head coaches cannot vote for their own team.
The Hilltoppers claimed the Mountain East Conference crown last year, marking the program's fifth conference championship title and 17th straight NCAA DII Men's Basketball Tournament appearance. West Liberty posted a 27-5 overall record and 18-2 conference mark, concluding their season during the opening round of the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament against Virginia Union in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Glenville State University received the remaining first place vote, tying Fairmont State University for second place as both teams received 101 points. The University of Charleston and Wheeling University rounded out the top-five of the poll, with 98 and 84 points, respectively.
Shawnee State received 46 points, which was the ninth-most in the conference.
The Bears are coming off their final season in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the River States Conference (RSC), finishing with a 24-7 overall record and a 15-1 mark in conference play.
Shawnee State claimed its first River States Conference regular-season championship in program history, while also earning an automatic bid to the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament as a No. 11 seed.
First-year head coach Fred Lymas was named River States Conference Coach of the Year, while the Bears placed a league-high six players on the all-conference list.
Returning for Shawnee State this season are First-Team All-RSC selection Jason Steele, Second-Team selection Kiante Williams and Third-Team selection Ahmadou Aw, along with Damon Charles and Tyson LaLonde.
2026-27 MEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
(First-Place votes) Total Points
West Liberty: (11) 121
Glenville State: (1) 101
Fairmont State: 101
Charleston: 98
Wheeling: 84
Concord: 61
Frostburg State: 56
West Virginia State: 47
Shawnee State: 46
Davis & Elkins: 43
Point Park: 23
WV Wesleyan: 11
Up Next
Shawnee State will begin the 2026-27 season on Saturday, Nov. 14, against Kentucky State at the William Exum Center in Frankfort, Kentucky. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
