West Liberty University Athletics

Lady Hilltoppers No. 3 in MEC Coaches' Poll

Women's Basketball | 11/1/2016 12:31:00 PM

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Coming off back-to-back Mountain East Conference championships and a run to the NCAA Division II "Sweet 16," the West Liberty University women's basketball team were slotted in at No. 3 in the MEC coaches' annual preseason poll.
Coach Lynn Ullom's Lady Hilltoppers received 96 points in the voting by the league coaches, which was released here Tuesday afternoon during the MEC's Basketball Media Day festivities.
Fairmont State was No. 1 with nine first-place votes and 118 points. Wheeling Jesuit garnered a first-place vote and held down second place with 110 points before West Liberty rounded out the top three.
The Falcons return all five starters from last year's 20-win team while the Cardinals have four starters back from the team that upset the Hilltoppers in last year's MEC Tournament championship game.
West Liberty rebounded from that disappointment to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, rolling all the way to the first "Sweet 16" appearance in school history before falling to No. 4-ranked Virginia Union in the championship game of the Atlantic Region Tournament.
Ullom, who passed a major milestone with his 500th career victory last winter, heads into his 26th season facing perhaps the biggest rebuilding challenge of his career. The veteran head man must find a way to fill the holes left by the graduation of record-setting All-Americans Kiki Simpson and Kailee Howe along with two-time All-Region standout and 2,000-point scorer Liz Flowers.
The Hilltoppers return two starters, senior Emily Bucon and sophomore Johnie Olkosky, along with a handful of returning letterwinners. Ullom will need significant contributions from a pair of transfers and the largest recruiting class of his tenure, a bumper crop of seven talented freshmen.
Charleston picked up the lone remaining first-place vote and collected 78 points to hold off Glenville State (76) for the No. 4 spot. Notre Dame and Shepherd tied for sixth place with 62 points, just ahead of Urbana (59) at No. 8. West Virginia State (50), UVa-Wise (45), W.Va. Wesleyan (24) and Concord (12) rounded out the list.
The Hilltoppers open the season on Nov. 11 when they take on host Mercyhurst in the MEC/PSAC Challenge. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. in Erie, Pa.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
2016-17 MEC Preseason Poll
Team Pts
1. Fairmont State (9) 118
2. Wheeling Jesuit (2) 110
3. WEST LIBERTY 96
4. Charleston (1) 78
5. Glenville State 76
6. Notre Dame 62
(tie) Shepherd 62
8. Urbana 59
9. W.Va. State 50
10. UVa-Wise 45
11. W.Va. Wesleyan 24
12. Concord 12

Print Friendly Version