FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Point Park men's soccer was picked to finish second in the north division in the Mountain East Conference Preseason Poll, the league office announced on Thursday. The Pioneers secured four of the 10 first-place votes.

The Pioneers, who clinched the third seed in the 2025 MEC Tournament last season before being upset in the quarterfinals, totaled 33 points in the poll, 3 shy of Davis & Elkins. Point Park will return its fifth-highest pointscorer from last season in Lorenzo Grispello, in addition to goalkeeper Gregorio Capponi who recorded 85 saves (.739 save percentage) over his 18 games in 2025.

Davis & Elkins was picked as the favorite in the north division, receiving five first-place votes. The University of Charleston was selected to lead the south. 

Davis & Elkins finished the 2025 season with an overall record of 8-7-4, with a mark of 7-5-4 in conference play. The Senators fell to south division favorite Charleston in last year's MEC Championship Semifinals match. D&E returns this season with all-conference selections Francisco Lopez Kreik, Hugo Fauli, Charlie Phillips and Souleymane Baal.

2025 MEC Coach of the Year Daniel Smee and 2025 MEC Champions, Charleston concluded their season at the NCAA DII Men's Soccer Sweet Sixteen with an overall record of 17-1-4. Additionally, the Golden Eagles finished 11-0-3 in MEC play. Charleston returns this year with the 2025 MEC Freshman of the Year, Martin Echarren alongside all-MEC selections Martin Echarren, Caio Moraes and Tomas Petrungaro. 

West Liberty received the final first-place vote in the north division and rounds out the podium in the north division. Frostburg State and Wheeling were picked fourth and fifth, respectively.

Concord was picked second in the south, followed by Salem, MEC-newcomer Shawnee State and West Virginia Wesleyan.

Point Park will open the 2026 season on Aug. 27 against Seton Hill at F.N.B. Stadium. The Pioneers open MEC play on Sept. 6 when they host Wheeling.