WHEELING, W.Va. – Under first-year head coach
Ryan Grandits, the Point Park men's basketball team was voted 10
th in the 2025-26 Mountain East Conference Preseason Poll.
The Pioneers are coming off an 11-19 campaign in 2024-25. Despite lots of turnover in the roster, Point Park returns junior guard
Kaden Warner, and senior guards
Brenden Williams,
Rob Keys and
Aidan Anderson.
As a sophomore, Warner averaged 14.2 points per game, while Williams chipped in 10.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Anderson also averaged just under double figures at 9.4 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Fairmont State has been selected as the Mountain East Conference preseason favorite following a vote of the league's 11 head coaches. Fairmont State received the maximum amount of first-place votes possible — 10 — as head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. The Falcons are coming off a 27-5 season.
The Hilltoppers received the lone remaining first-place vote and are predicted to finish second in the regular season. West Liberty finished last season 30-5 overall and advanced to the Division II Elite Eight at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
The University of Charleston, Glenville State, and Concord round out the top five of the MEC preseason men's basketball poll. West Virginia State is picked to finish sixth, followed by Frostburg State. Wheeling and Davis & Elkins tied for the eighth spot in the poll, followed by Point Park and West Virginia Wesleyan.
The 2025-26 MEC Basketball Media Day was held in the WesBanco Arena, the site of this March's Mountain East Conference basketball championship. The tournament begins Wednesday, March 4 and will conclude with the men's and women's championship games on Sunday, March 8.
The Pioneers will open the season on Wednesday, Nov. 19 with a road game at Edinboro. PPU will play its first six games on the road before opening the home portion of its schedule on Saturday, Dec. 13.
