After a strong start to the season, the West Liberty Hilltoppers men’s basketball team suffered its second conference loss in a row recently.
The 100-96 defeat to West Virginia State inside the ASRC dropped the No. 9 Hilltoppers to 4-2 heading into a tough game today on the road with Charleston, which was won five in a row after dropping its first two.
Might the rest of the MEC finally be catching up to the Hilltoppers? Perhaps, the league is getting stronger.
But State shot lights out in the second half, hitting a ridiculous 70 percent (21 of 30) of its second-half attempts after trailing 45-37 at halftime. The Yellow Jackets also were clutch at the line, hitting all but three of their 20 second-half attempts.
West Liberty won the turnover battle (12-20), the rebounding battle (45-43) and had a sizable advantage (26-11) in second change points. But when a team is hitting 70 percent of its shots, it’s hard to beat.
The Hilltoppers are the gold standard for men’s hoops in the conference and will get the opposition’s best effort every time out.
“This is a very good basketball league and State is a very good team,” West Liberty coach Ben Howlett said following the loss. “If you don’t’ bring your ‘A’ game every night, you’re not going to come away with a win.
“We’re struggling a little bit as a team right now and it’s up to me to get us back on track.”
Hilltoppers Mat Men Rolling
The No. 7 West Liberty wrestling team entered today’s West Liberty Open with an unblemished 7-0 head-to-head team record.
The Hilltoppers were supposed to host rival Wheeling in a dual match but MEC safety protocols forced a postponement of that. Instead, West Liberty invited No. 13 Notre Dame and Alderson Broaddus to the ASRC for the event.
This open event was originally slated to be held at Fairmont State, but the MEC made the adjustment and West Liberty was willing to host.
Two-time All-American Cole Laya is the reigning MEC Wrestler of the Week and is one of seven Hilltoppers’ grapplers ranked nationally. That list also includes seniors Ty Warner (No. 4 at 133), Connor Craig (No. 2 at 184), and Logan Kemp (No. 7 at 197), along with junior Chase Morgan (No. 16 at 165), sophomore Francesco Borsellino (No. 13 at 285) and redshirt freshman Alec Cook (No. 14 at 149). Cook is a Madonna High School product.
Cardinals Receive Preseason Ranking
The Wheeling University volleyball team opened the preseason ranked No. 24 in the American Volleyball Coaches of America (AVCA) Division II preseason poll.
That’s the same spot the Cardinals finished ranked last season after a 33-4 season which saw head coach Christy Benner’s squad capture the MEC Championship and advance to the Atlantic Region finale before falling to Gannon in straight sets. It was the Cards eighth-straight appearance in the regional.
Wheeling will be led by All-American and MEC Libero of the Year senior Audrey Francis along with junior middle blocker Allonda Watkins. The Cardinals roster features nine freshmen, including two OVAC products in Oak Glen’s Hannah Rogers and Cambridge’s JayLynn McClarren. The Cards did pick up three transfers from Urbana along with junior college All-American Kayla Bekier.
Wheeling opens the season Tuesday at Fairmont State
West Liberty Just Misses Top 25
Head coach Herb Minch’s Lady Hilltoppers softball team received 18 votes and just missed cracking the NFCA Division II Preseason Top 25.
Two seasons ago, the Hilltoppers captured the MEC tournament and finished runner-up in the regional to Shepherd after posting a program-best 38 wins. The majority of the squad is back to lead West Liberty this season, which opens March 1 against Salem University.
Offensively, the Hilltoppers will be led by all-Region and all-MEC catcher Kat Donzella, a junior from Wheeling Park. In 14 games in 2020, Donzella hit .378 with 14 hits and 11 RBI before the season was canceled. The year prior, she hit .346 with 16 home run and 50 RBI.
WU Needs a Coach
Before the 2020 season was canceled, then head coach Tiffany Buckmaster took a roster of only 11 softball players and quickly rounded them into shape. The Cardinals started the season 5-5 and showed promise of what could have been.
Now Wheeling’s roster has ballooned to more than 20, bolstered by a large recruiting class that includes Toronto’s Jamie Anderson and redshirt freshman Natalie Stoner of Bellaire, who transferred after a season at Clarion University.
But a quick look at the coaching staff and you’ll see “to be announced” as head coach. Graduate Assistant Kaitlyn Mills is currently the only coach on staff, per WUCardinals.com.
According to Sports Information Director Andrew Woodley, no one has been hired yet, but an announcement could be made soon. Wheeling opens with a doubleheader at Philippi against Alderson Broaddus on March 20.
