WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty University junior running back Hunter Patterson has been named the Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, headlining a group of four Hilltoppers who earned First-Team All-MEC honors.
Joining Patterson on the offensive first team is redshirt sophomore Isaac Tavo, while defensive standouts Grant Thompson and Bre'Andre Horsley were named to the first-team defense.
Senior linebacker Nolan Shimp also earned postseason recognition, being selected to the All-MEC Second Team.
Patterson delivered one of the most prolific seasons in program history. He led the MEC in scoring (120 points, 12.0 ppg), rushing touchdowns (17), and total touchdowns (20), while finishing second in both rushing yards (1,219) and rushing yards per game (121.9).
He capped his remarkable season with a record-tying performance in the Hilltoppers' win over Wheeling, matching school single-game marks with five rushing touchdowns and six total touchdowns. Patterson's 17 rushing TDs this season rank third all-time at WLU, while his 1,219 rushing yards stand as the fifth-highest single-season total in program history.
He also climbs the career charts, finishing fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns and fifth all-time in total touchdowns at West Liberty.
Tavo anchored a much-improved offensive line that played a central role in Patterson's explosive production. His selection is historic—he becomes West Liberty's first First-Team All-Conference offensive lineman since Larry Wriedt earned First-Team All-WVIAC honors in 2010 and 2011. The unit helped the Hilltoppers finish with the fourth-ranked rushing offense in the MEC, averaging 178.5 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry.
On the defensive side, Thompson emerged as one of the league's most disruptive forces. The sophomore from Akron, Ohio led the MEC in tackles for loss (14), TFL per game (1.27), sacks (6), forced fumbles (3), and fumble recoveries (2)—a complete statistical sweep rarely seen in the conference.
Horsley delivered a strong season of his own, finishing with 61 total tackles, three sacks, six tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries, pairing with Thompson to form one of the MEC's most impactful defensive line tandems.
Shimp led the Hilltoppers in tackles with 89, the eighth-highest total in the MEC. He posted 50 solo stops, along with one interception, one forced fumble, and six quarterback hurries, anchoring West Liberty's linebacker corps with consistent, high-level play throughout the season.
