BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The 2024 Mountain East Conference Preseason Poll was released on Friday afternoon. West Virginia State was picked to finish third in the MEC South Division with 49 points and three first-place votes.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 2023 campaign in which they finished third in the South Division with a 22-10 league record and a 28-22 overall record. They qualified for the MEC Tournament after a one-year hiatus. 

Head Coach Sean Loyd returns for his 10th season at the helm of the WVSU baseball program. He has compiled a 230-154 (.599) overall record and 167-93 (.642) conference record since taking over as head coach. State has won two MEC Championships, in 2015 and 2021, and made two appearances in the NCAA DII Tournament under his direction.

The Yellow Jackets return eight of their starting position players, four starting pitchers, and two key relievers from last season. All seven All-MEC honorees from a year ago will be back in 2024 including starting pitchers Tyler Lafferty and Chase Norris, catcher Tyler Overaitis, left fielder Ryan Kay, first baseman Mike Huber, third baseman Connor Fizer and center fielder Nathan Paulsen. The slew of returnees led to WVSU being ranked 10th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer Association's Preseason Atlantic Region rankings.

Concord was chosen to top the MEC South Division in the annual preseason poll with 54 points and five first-place votes. Charleston placed second with 50 points and three first-place votes. West Virginia State was close behind in third place with 49 points and three first-place votes. Glenville State (33 points), Davis & Elkins (23 points) and West Virginia Wesleyan (16 points) made up the fourth through sixth place spots, in that order.

In the North Division, Frostburg State was the clear frontrunner with 49 points and nine first-place votes. Wheeling (37 points) and West Liberty (33 points) were picked second and third respectively. Interestingly, the Hilltoppers received the other two first-place votes. Fairmont State landed in fourth place with 27 points while Notre Dame rounded out the poll in fifth place with 14 points.

The Yellow Jackets will begin their 2024 campaign with a home doubleheader versus Malone on Saturday, Feb. 17th. The full 2024 schedule can be viewed here.

2024 Mountain East Conference Baseball Preseason Poll
NORTH DIVISION
1. Frostburg State (9) – 49
2. Wheeling – 37
3. West Liberty (2) – 33
4. Fairmont State – 27
5. Notre Dame – 14
 
SOUTH DIVISION
1. Concord (5) – 54
2. Charleston (3) – 50
3. West Virginia State (3) – 49
4. Glenville State – 33
5. Davis & Elkins – 23
6. West Va. Wesleyan – 16
 
( ) – First-place votes
* Coaches unable to vote for own team