BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Fresh off their seventh straight NCAA Division II Regional tournament berth, the West Liberty University men's golf team has been picked to make a run at the top of the Mountain East Conference charts in the annual preseason poll of the league's golf coaches.
     Coach Thadd Obecny's Hilltoppers received two first-place votes and 69 points to slot in at No. 2 when the results of the coaches' balloting were released on Thursday. Davis & Elkins, which held off West Liberty down the stretch to claim the Spring 2021 MEC title, was the No. 1 pick with 79 points and seven first-place votes after advancing to the NCAA national quarterfinals in the spring.
     Charleston, another NCAA Regional qualifier, picked up the remaining first-place vote and was all alone at No. 3 with 65 points. Concord (54) and Fairmont State (53) rounded out the top five.
     West Virginia Wesleyan was No. 6 with 38 points, followed by Wheeling (31), Notre Dame (29), Glenville State (23) and West Virginia State (9).
     The 2021 MEC Championship is set for Oct. 4-6 at Avalon Lakes GC in Warren, Ohio.
  Team                                                     Pts
  1. Davis & Elkins (7)                         79
  2. WEST LIBERTY (2)                        69
  3. Charleston (1)                               65
  4. Concord                                         54
  5. Fairmont State                             53
  6. W.Va. Wesleyan                           38
  7. Wheeling                                       31
  8. Notre Dame                                  29
  9. Glenville State                              23
10. W.Va. State                                   9