Charleston Tops MEC Preseason Poll
August 12th, 2024 12:00pm
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The University of Charleston was voted to repeat as Mountain East Conference Football Champions in 2024, following a vote of the league’s head coaches.
The MEC will feature each of its 10 head football coaches during the 2024 MEC Football Preseason Countdown from Aug. 14-27 on the league’s social media channels and YouTube page. During the countdown, the league will post an exclusive daily interview to preview each MEC football program entering the 2024 season (additional information available below).
Charleston, who is coming off a 10-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in MEC play a season ago, received 77 points and six first-place votes during preseason balloting. UC won the MEC football title in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs with a high-scoring 52-44 win over New Haven in the opening round. The Golden Eagles wrapped up the 2023 season ranked 19th in the AFCA Coaches' Poll and 18th in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll. UC returns quarterback Javonte Howard and All-American running back Chavon Wright to the lineup in 2024.
The final 2023 MEC football standings featured a four-way tie for second-place, and the next three spots in the preseason poll are occupied by teams that finished in the tie a season ago.
UNC Pembroke was picked second in preseason voting with 73 points and three first-place votes. Under second-year head coach Mark Hall, the Braves return quarterback Colin Johnson, running back Sincere Baines and MEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year Jamae Blank to the field in 2024. UNCP went 7-3 (6-3 MEC) a season ago, winning four in a row to end the season.
Frostburg State received 68 points during balloting and tallied the final first-place vote. The Bobcats went 7-3 (6-3 MEC) a season ago and return first-team All-Conference defenders Leonard Scott, Colby Street and Wylan Harich to the field this fall.
| 2024 MEC Football Preseason Poll |
| Rank | School (First Place Votes) | Voting |
| 1. | Charleston (6) | 77 |
| 2. | UNC Pembroke (3) | 73 |
| 3. | Frostburg State (1) | 68 |
| 4. | Fairmont State | 54 |
| 5. | Glenville State | 43 |
| 6. | Wheeling | 39 |
| 7. | West Virginia St. | 36 |
| 8. | West Liberty | 32 |
| 9. | Concord | 18 |
| 10. | West Va. Wesleyan | 10 |
* Coaches not permitted to vote for own team
