FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Glenville State Volleyball has been tabbed 5
th in the Mountain East Conference South Division Preseason Poll, the league announced today. The poll is constructed through the votes of the conference's 12 head coaches.
First-year head coach
Kris Kern's squad logged 21 total points in the South Division, finishing ahead of the MEC's newest member, Shawnee State (13 points). The University of Charleston, the reigning conference champion, is picked to win the division once again with 57 points and six first-place votes. West Virginia Wesleyan (49 points, three first-place votes), West Virginia State (42 points, one first-place vote) and Concord (34 points, one first-place vote) were picked to finish ahead of the Pioneers.
Up north, perennial power Wheeling is charted to win the division once again with 56 points and six first-place votes. Fairmont State is just behind the Cardinals with the remaining five first-place votes and 53 total points. West Liberty (44 points), Frostburg State (30 points), Point Park (21 points) and Davis & Elkins (12 points) round out the poll.
Kern and his staff brought in 19 newcomers and retained just six from the 2025 roster, including two of the top three assist leaders on last year's team,
Elitsa Peneva (385) and
Irmak Bezek (218).
Mikayla Curry and Deniz Selen-Yazar, who accounted for over 300 combined kills last season, are also back for the first year head coach.
|
2026 MEC Volleyball Preseason Poll
|
|
Rank
|
Team (1st Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
NORTH DIVISION
|
|
1.
|
Wheeling (6)
|
56
|
|
2.
|
Fairmont State (5)
|
53
|
|
3.
|
West Liberty
|
44
|
|
4.
|
Frostburg State
|
30
|
|
5.
|
Point Park
|
21
|
|
6.
|
Davis & Elkins
|
12
|
|
SOUTH DIVISION
|
|
1.
|
Charleston (6)
|
57
|
|
2.
|
West Virginia Wesleyan (3)
|
49
|
|
3.
|
West Virginia State (1)
|
42
|
|
4.
|
Concord (1)
|
34
|
|
5.
|
Glenville State
|
21
|
|
6.
|
Shawnee State
|
13
|
* Coaches not permitted to vote for own team
The Pioneers open up the 2026 campaign on Friday, August 28
th, against King (Tenn.) and Bluefield State. GSU will be home for the first time on September 8
th against WVU Tech.
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