BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Coach Kelsey Kyle's West Liberty University acrobatics and tumbling team earned the No. 1 ranking Tuesday afternoon when the Mountain East Conference coaches released their annual preseason poll.
    The Hilltoppers, who finished as runners-up to nationally-ranked Fairmont State each of the past two seasons, edged out the Falcons for the top spot in this year's preseason poll by the slimmest of margins.
    West Liberty received four first-place votes and 34 points while Fairmont State took the three remaining first-place votes and finished with 33 points. Frostburg State was a distant third with 24 points followed by Glenville State (18), West Virginia Wesleyan (17), Davis & Elkins (12) and Alderson Broaddus (6).
    Kyle welcomes back nearly its entire roster from last year's MEC runner-up squad, headlined by a trio of returning first-team All-MEC selections in Kenzie Kyle, Lexus Ficca and Sydney Schumacher.
    The Hilltoppers will open the season on the road with a Feb. 10 meet at Davis & Elkins with the home opener set for Feb. 17 against West Virginia Wesleyan.
  1. WEST LIBERTY (4)                     34
2. Fairmont State (3)                     33
3. Frostburg State                          24
4. Glenville State                            18
5. W.Va. Wesleyan                        17
6. Davis & Elkins                             12
7. Alderson Broaddus                   6