FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State University men's basketball team was voted in a tie for second in the Mountain East Conference preseason poll, according to a vote of the league's 12 head coaches.

The MEC men's basketball preseason poll was announced Tuesday afternoon at the WesBanco Arena, the site of this year's basketball media day.

Fairmont State earned 101 points in this year's poll. The Falcons, lead by first-year head coach Dan Mondragon, are coming off a 26-win season and advancing to the first round of the NCAA Atlantic Regional.

West Liberty received 11 of 12 total first-place votes, the maximum allowed since league head coaches cannot vote for their own team. 

Glenville State University received the remaining first place vote, tying Fairmont State University for second place as both teams received 101 points. The University of Charleston and Wheeling University rounded out the top-five of the poll, with 98 and 84 points, respectively. 

The 2026-27 MEC men's basketball season begins on Nov. 4, as West Virginia Wesleyan faces off against Penn State Greater Allegheny at the Rockefeller Center in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Additionally, West Liberty will travel to the Small College Basketball Tip-off on Nov. 7 in Lakeland, Florida. 
 

MEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points
1	West Liberty (11)	121
T-2	Glenville State (1)	101
T-2	Fairmont State	101
4	Charleston	98
5	Wheeling	84
6	Concord	61
7	Frostburg State	56
8	West Virginia State	47
9	Shawnee State	46
10	Davis & Elkins	43
11	Point Park	23
12	West Virginia Wesleyan	11