Wheeling, W. Va. - The 2025-2026 Mountain East Conference (MEC) basketball season officially kicks off on Tuesday afternoon at WesBanco Arena. All 11 MEC teams will be in attendance for MEC Basketball Media Day, where each of the conference's 11 Head Men's and Women's Basketball coaches will come together to preview their seasons. Wheeling University Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Richardson and Head Women's Basketball Coach Ella Skeens will be among the attendees as they represent Cardinal basketball at the event.
The event will be held at WesBanco Arena, the sight of the 2026 MEC Men's and Women's Basketball tournament for the second year in a row, with coaches taking the podium at 1 PM. The event will begin with opening comments from MEC Commissioner Reid Amos, before each of the conference coaches are introduced. Once each coach is introduced, they will head to the podium to provide a season preview for their teams as they prepare for the 2025-2026 season. Following comments, all MEC Head Coaches will be available for one-on-one interview opportunities for media members in attendance. Both Cardinal basketball programs are coming off strong showings during the 2024-2025 season and look to continue building on their success.
The women are coming off a season that saw them finish 17-12 overall and 13-7 in MEC play, while earning the conference's #3 seed in the tournament. It was their highest conference seeding since the 2020-2021 tournament, but they would bow out in the first round after a 58-49 loss at the hands of Glenville State. As they enter this season, the Cardinals are under new leadership, with the promotion of Ella Skeens to head women's basketball coach as she enters her first season at the helm. Leading the group of returning players is the defending MEC Defensive Player of the Year Kenzie Dalton, who led the team with 90 steals and 124 assists a season ago while averaging 8.9 points per game. Joining her will be senior guard Graci Fairman and sophomore guard Emilia Sierra Lacosta, who averaged 9.4 PPG last season and shot 31.7% from beyond the arc.
On the men's side, the Cardinals would finish 11-18 overall and finished 6-14 in MEC play thanks to a strong second half. With the team sitting on the outside looking in for the MEC Tournament, Wheeling turned it on down the stretch, winning four of their five games between mid-January and the start of February as they claimed the #9 seed in the tournament field. Head Coach Chris Richardson returns for his sixth season at the helm of the Cardinals, with what he has called one of his most talented teams top to bottom. Leading the way is junior Tee Harris, who is coming off a career year that saw him average 10.2 points per game, while sitting second on he team with 6.2 rebounds per game. He will be joined by redshirt junior Alex Smith, who led the team with 8.9 REB/G, and Caleb Murray, who was the team's top option off the bench last season.
MEC Basketball Media Day is set to begin with the Women's Press Conferences beginning at 1 PM. You can watch the event live by clicking HERE.
