WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Coming off a Mountain East Conference championship season and another trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament, the West Liberty University men's basketball team enters its 100th season in 2026-27 with high expectations and a veteran core ready to make another run.

The milestone campaign begins with the Hilltoppers ranked No. 4 nationally and selected as the Mountain East Conference preseason favorite.

West Liberty opens the season Saturday, Nov. 7, against Florida Southern at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Lakeland, Florida. The Hilltoppers received 283 points in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll, finishing just seven points behind third-ranked Gannon and ahead of fifth-ranked Dallas Baptist. West Liberty is one of two MEC programs in the preseason Top 25, with Fairmont State checking in at No. 24.

The conference coaches also placed West Liberty at the top of the MEC preseason poll, awarding the Hilltoppers 121 points and 11 of the 12 possible first-place votes. Glenville State and Fairmont State tied for second with 101 points apiece.

The recognition follows a 2025-26 season in which West Liberty finished 27-5 overall and 18-2 in conference play, winning both the MEC regular-season and tournament championships. The Hilltoppers defeated Fairmont State, 93-88, in the MEC Championship Game to secure their fifth tournament title and eighth consecutive appearance in the conference championship game.

West Liberty then earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Atlantic Regional, extending its Division II-record streak to 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. The season ended with a 52-46 loss to Virginia Union in the regional's opening round.

Head coach Mike Lamberti enters his second season at West Liberty after guiding the program through its championship campaign. Unlike last season, when he arrived in June and had to quickly assemble a staff and roster, Lamberti has had a full offseason to work with the returning players and build on the foundation established during his first year.

"It's been going well. I think our guys have been pretty focused," Lamberti said. "When you have the returners that we have coming back from a successful season with a little bit of a salty taste in their mouth, losing in the first round, they've been pretty fired up to come to work every day and be process-oriented to get ready for the season."

Lamberti said the team's early NCAA exit has remained in the players' minds, but it has not overshadowed the accomplishments of a 27-win season and an MEC championship.

"We're not dwelling on that one result," Lamberti said. "It is in the back of everybody's mind that we had a first-round exit. The common conversation, both with our returners that wanted to come back and the freshmen and transfers that were joining us, was ready to work, ready to keep this thing rolling."

West Liberty returns seven players who played significant roles in last year's championship run, along with graduate student Judson Coan, who was with the program last season but missed the campaign after taking a medical redshirt.

The returning group is headlined by All-MEC First Team selections Jamie Muldowney and Myles Montgomery, along with All-MEC Honorable Mention guard Cameron Williams.

Muldowney, a senior forward, averaged 14.1 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game last season. He scored 451 points while shooting 44.0 percent from the field and knocking down 51 3-pointers.

Montgomery emerged as one of the conference's top players during his freshman season, averaging 13.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He led the MEC with 89 steals, setting a new West Liberty freshman record while ranking among the top defensive players in NCAA Division II. Montgomery was also named MEC Tournament Most Valuable Player after helping lead the Hilltoppers to the conference championship.

Williams added 12.1 points per game and contributed 60 steals, giving West Liberty another proven scoring option and disruptive presence on the defensive end.

The Hilltoppers also welcome back Aiden Davis, Landon Butler, Peter Lattos and Terrance Pankey. Each played a part in last year's success, providing Lamberti with valuable experience and depth throughout the lineup.

Lamberti said the experience of having so many key contributors return has made a difference throughout the offseason. He pointed to the relationships within the program and the players' commitment to continuing to compete for championships as important factors in keeping the group together.

"I think it's how we operate on a day-to-day basis," Lamberti said. "We believe our culture is pretty good and people enjoy being around what we're doing here and are all on the same page with the vision we have."

He added that the returning players have continued to grow beyond their production on the court.

"Each and every one of those guys has gotten better, not just as a basketball player, but as a teacher, as a leader, as a student, as an ambassador for this university," Lamberti said. "It's been pretty cool to see those guys' growth."

Coan is another important part of that returning group. After taking a medical redshirt last season, the graduate student is back on the court and looking to contribute to the Hilltoppers' frontcourt. Before arriving at West Liberty, Coan averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game at Coker University during the 2024-25 campaign.

Lamberti praised Coan's commitment to rehabilitation and his work to return to the lineup.

"I haven't been around many people that took their rehab as serious as he has," Lamberti said. "It's good to see him back out on the court, and we're excited about him adding to the mix after sitting last season out."

West Liberty added two transfers and four freshmen to the roster, giving the Hilltoppers a blend of collegiate experience, scoring ability and size.

Senior guard Kai Spears joins the program after spending two seasons at Marshall and beginning his collegiate career at Alabama. Spears was part of Alabama's 2024 Final Four team and experienced championship-level basketball in the SEC before continuing his career with the Thundering Herd.

A 6-foot-3 guard from Pittsburgh, Spears brings experience from two Division I programs and the ability to contribute in multiple areas. Lamberti said Spears stood out during the recruiting process because of his team-first approach and desire to join a winning program.

"With Kai, it wasn't about, 'Look at me, I'm coming from this Division I program,'" Lamberti said. "It was, 'I just want to be a part of a winning program, and I want to do what I've got to do to help impact the team to win.'"

Junior guard Cody Schmitz transfers from Northern Michigan, where he was part of teams that won the 2025 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship and the 2026 GLIAC regular-season title. The Wildcats reached the NCAA Division II Tournament in both seasons.

The 6-foot-5 guard from Galesville, Wisconsin, was a prolific scorer at Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School, averaging more than 30 points per game in each of his final three seasons. Lamberti sees Schmitz as a versatile addition who can bring both size and scoring ability to the Hilltopper lineup.

"He just has a knack of getting that ball in the hoop and he's a versatile guy at 6-foot-5 that can do a little bit of everything," Lamberti said. "That guy is high, high energy."

The four freshmen include guards Josh Huffman, a local product from Wheeling Park; Enzo Khalil, who played at Pittsburgh Central Catholic; and Maddox Bennett, a 6-foot-8 guard from DuBois, Pennsylvania. Forward Owen Hill arrives from Beaver Local High School in East Liverpool, Ohio.

Hill averaged 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a senior, while Bennett finished his high school career as DuBois Area's all-time leading scorer with 1,504 points and set a school record with 263 3-pointers. Khalil was a 1,000-point scorer at Central Catholic, and Huffman earned All-State Honorable Mention and All-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference recognition at Wheeling Park.

Lamberti sees different strengths among the four first-year players, with Bennett and Hill adding size and versatility to the frontcourt while Huffman and Khalil provide additional options in the backcourt.

"Maddox and Owen give us some size. You can stretch the floor. Maddox is a big stretch shooter, and Owen is a physical bruiser, kind of like Pete," Lamberti said. "Josh and Enzo are versatile guards."

The coach said all four freshmen have made a smooth transition into the program, embracing the team's culture while competing for opportunities.

"They have not come in to college as, 'Look at me. I'm a big-time high school recruit. I'm ready to roll,'" Lamberti said. "They have bought into our West Liberty culture and bought into what the leadership and returners have done, but also competing to earn their stripes on a daily basis."

The Hilltoppers will face a demanding schedule from the outset, beginning with two nationally prominent opponents at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. West Liberty meets host Florida Southern on Nov. 7 at 5:45 p.m. before facing Washburn on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

Lamberti said the opportunity to compete in a nationally respected event was an important part of building a schedule that will prepare West Liberty for the challenges of conference play and postseason basketball.

"The better your schedule is, the more prepared it gets you for the grind of what is February and March with late conference runs and hopefully an NCAA Tournament appearance," Lamberti said.

The opening weekend will be followed by the Atlantic Region Crossover at the ASRC, where West Liberty hosts Pitt-Johnstown on Nov. 13 and California (Pa.) on Nov. 14. The Hilltoppers then hit the road for matchups at Shepherd on Nov. 21 and West Chester on Nov. 23.

West Liberty begins its 22-game MEC schedule at home against Shawnee State on Dec. 2. The conference slate features home-and-home matchups against the league's 11 other programs following the addition of Shawnee State to the 12-team alignment.

Lamberti expects another competitive conference race, pointing to the experience returning at several programs and the addition of Shawnee State, which enters the MEC after a successful run in the NAIA.

"The Mountain East has proven that anybody can beat anybody on a given night," Lamberti said. "We take it one game at a time and know that the next opponent is what's most important."

One of the season's marquee events will take place Dec. 18-19 when West Liberty hosts the inaugural West Liberty Christmas Tournament. The Hilltoppers open against Adelphi on Dec. 18 before facing Nova Southeastern the following afternoon.

The matchup with Nova Southeastern brings a special connection to the Hilltopper program, as the Sharks are led by former West Liberty head coach Jim Crutchfield.

Lamberti said hosting the event gives the program an opportunity to bring high-level competition to campus while welcoming Crutchfield back to West Liberty.

"To bring an event to West Liberty and bring some big-time talent here to give our fans something new and to host this Hilltopper Classic is a cool start," Lamberti said. "And to bring Coach Crutchfield, who helped get this program off the ground and doing what it's doing, back after being gone for a decade ... I think that's creating a lot of buzz in the Valley."

The Hilltoppers will resume conference play in January and continue through February, with their regular-season finale scheduled for Feb. 28 at home against Wheeling. The MEC Tournament is set for March 3-7 at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, followed by the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional, scheduled for March 13-16.

West Liberty's national ranking and preseason conference selection bring expectations, but Lamberti said the team understands those honors reflect past accomplishments. The focus now is on the work required to defend its championships.

"It's definitely nice to be recognized both in the conference and at a national level," Lamberti said. "But those are the rankings of the past. Last year is last year. Nobody cares what we did last year if there's a bigger target on your back."

With a veteran group, added depth and another challenging schedule, West Liberty enters its 100th season with its sights set on defending its conference championships and making another postseason push.

The Hilltoppers will begin that pursuit Saturday in Lakeland, looking to turn preseason recognition into another successful season on the court.
 


West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.