FAIRMONT, W. Va. -- Shawnee State men's cross country was picked to finish eighth in the Mountain East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Bears finished third at the River States Conference Championship Meet last season. Isaiah Lanoy earned NAIA All-American honors with a 21st-place finish at the NAIA National Championship.

The preseason poll results were compiled via a vote of the conference's 12 head coaches.

The University of Charleston, the reigning Mountain East Conference Champion, topped the 2026 Mountain East Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll. The Golden Eagles received ten first place votes, voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. 

Charleston concluded their 2025 season at the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championships in Kenosha, Wisconsin where they finished 24th overall. Davis & Elkins, who finished second in the preseason poll, also concluded their season at the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championships, where they placed 30th. 

Following the University of Charleston and Davis and Elkins, Concord University rounded out the top three in the preseason poll.
 

2026 MEC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Rank	School (First Place Votes)	Voting
1.	University of Charleston	120 (10)
2.	Davis & Elkins	111 (2)
3.	Concord	84
4.	Point Park	83
5.	Glenville State	79
6.	West Liberty	67
7.	West Virginia Wesleyan	63
8.	Shawnee State	62
9.	Frostburg State	48
10.	Fairmont State	41
11.	Wheeling	23
12.	West Virginia State	11

 

* Coaches were not permitted to vote for own team

Up Next

Shawnee State men's cross country will open its season Friday, Sept. 4, at the Wildcat Twilight Invitational at Indiana Wesleyan. The meet is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.