BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The University of Charleston has been voted to repeat as Mountain East Conference Women's Cross Country Champions, following a vote by the league's head coaches. The Golden Eagles received the maximum number of points (81) and received nine first-place votes during balloting.
Charleston placed four runners in the top 10 of last fall's MEC Championship and returns all four of those runners in 2022, including Elise Leveel, Mercy Jepleting, Lily Dowdell and Madison Woolwine.
Davis & Elkins received the final first-place vote and finished second in the voting with 69 points, just one point ahead of Concord (68) in the third position. The Senators return their top five runners from a season ago, led by junior Madison Michels. The Mountain Lions also return their top five runners from 2021, led by junior Emily Wallace – a top five finisher at the 2021 MEC Cross Country Championship.
West Liberty was fourth in the poll with 55 points, just ahead of West Virginia Wesleyan (50). Fairmont State was slotted sixth (36), followed by Frostburg State (31), Wheeling (30), Glenville State (18) and Alderson Broaddus (12).
The Women's Cross Country team looks to build off last season where they finished 6th place at the MEC Conference Championships and 19th at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships. Top returning runners are Junior
Carlina Jacquez and Junior
Alexandrea Humphrey.
Carlina Jacquez is coming of a stellar sophomore year where she finished 2nd at the MEC Championships and 18th overall at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships. They open the year at Ohio University September 3rd.
2022 MEC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
- Charleston (9) – 81
- Davis & Elkins (1) – 69
- Concord - 68
- West Liberty – 55
- W.Va. Wesleyan – 50
- Fairmont State – 36
- Frostburg State - 31
- Wheeling – 30
- Glenville State - 18
- Alderson Broaddus - 12
