Wheeling, W. Va. – Over the last couple seasons, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team has built their success on the backs of a strong defensive game. As they head into 2026, they have a new identity with a team of young and hungry players looking to build on the foundation that has been set before them. On Tuesday, the Mountain East Conference (MEC) released their annual Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, and the Cardinals earned the #8 spot in the conference in a vote of the MEC Women's Basketball coaches.
In her first season as Head Women's Basketball Coach, Ella Skeens continued to build on the strong defenses of the teams she helped coach as a Graduate Assistant. The Cardinals would end the 2025-2026 season with the top defense in the MEC, allowing an average of 59.2 points per game, and holding the fourth-best margin in the conference at 5.3. They used that defense to propel them to a 3-2 start in non-conference play, but after splitting their first four MEC games, and falling in their first-half finale, they would enter the second half sitting at 5-5. After back-to-back losses to start the new year, the Cardinals won five of their next seven games, including an upset over MEC-leading Glenville State that propelled them back into the playoff race. They would end up earning the first-round bye for the third season in a row, taking the #6 seed with a 17-12 overall finish and a 12-8 mark in MEC play. They would draw a quarterfinal match-up with The University of Charleston, but ended up falling 69-55 to bring their season to an end.
Despite losing two of their top starters from a season ago, the Cardinals return a strong veteran presence, led by junior Emilia Sierra Lacosta. Sierra Lacosta was the team's second-leading scorer a season ago, averaging 12.7 points per game, while being the team's top three-point shooter, holding a 31.4% mark from beyond the arc. She would put up a career-best 21 points against Charleston on January 28th, and ended the year with two double-doubles. With the loss of two-time reining MEC Defensive Player of the Year Kenzie Dalton, Sierra Lacosta will look to step up on the defensive side of the ball, while serving as the team leader for the Cardinals on their run back to the MEC Women's Basketball Tournament.
Joining her in their return to the starting lineup will be Layla Merriweather and Emma Reynolds, who each had breakout showings a season ago. Merriweather was the third Cardinal to averaged double-digit points per game, putting up 10.8, and only got better as the season went on. After putting up 10 points against Charleston on December 13th, she went on a run where she scored double digit points in eight of her final 10 games, and she looks to continue to be a top scorer this season. Reynolds will be a big presence under the hoop for the Cardinals, after averaging 5.2 rebounds per game a season ago. After starting all 29 games as a freshman Reynolds, will look to build on her experience as she heads into her sophomore season.
Leading the 2026-27 MEC Women's Basketball poll is Fairmont State, receiving five first-place votes and 113 total points in the vote of the conference coaches. Finishing right behind them are the defending MEC Champions The University of Charleston, also receiving five first-place votes and 111 total points, while Glenville State rounds out the top three with two first-place votes and 101 total points. The rest of the MEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll is listed below:
1. Fairmont State (5) - 113
2. Charleston (5) - 111
3. Glenville State (2) - 101
4. West Virginia Wesleyan - 84
5. Concord - 77
6. Frostburg State - 72
7. West Liberty - 68
8. Wheeling - 50
9. West Virginia State - 46
10. Shawnee State - 32
11. Point Park - 23
12. Davis & Elkins - 15
The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team opens the 2026-2027 season on Monday, November 9, when they host Walsh with tip-off at 5:30 PM.
