Wheeling, W. Va. – Following the conclusion of the 2026 regular season, the Mountain East Conference (MEC) announced the seedings and Quarterfinal match-ups for the 2026 MEC Volleyball Championships. The Wheeling University Volleyball team claimed the #2 Seed in the MEC North Division, and will take on the #3 seed from the MEC South, The University of Charleston, in their MEC Quarterfinal match on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:30 AM. The tournament will run from Wednesday, November 11, through Friday, November 13, with the MEC Champion being crowned on Friday.
The Cardinals enter the tournament after finishing the regular season 12-4 in conference play. They wrapped up the regular season on Thursday night when they battled West Liberty in what was a classic five-set match. The Hilltoppers would take the first two sets, including a 30-28 set two win in a win-by-two scenario, and the Cardinals would have to battle back. The Cardinals would bounce back in style, hitting a match-best .390 in the third set and they would take a 25-22 set three win. It would give them the momentum they needed for the rest of the night, as they earned a 25-21 set four win to send the match into a decisive fifth set. The Cardinals would jump out to a 7-3 lead and, despite West Liberty coming back to tie the set, the Cardinals would hold on for the 15-10 set five win. The Cardinals would earn the 3-2 win, claiming their 12th conference win and heading into the tournament with four straight conference wins.
Throughout the 2026 season, sophomore Camryn Matus has been the offensive leader, splitting between attacking and setting. She leads the Cardinals with 251 kills, averaging 2.64 kills/set, while sitting second on the team with 342 assists. She has racked up nine double-doubles on the year to lead the Cardinals, with two of those being triple-doubles. As the season has gone on, Wheeling has seen contributions from freshman Ava Green, who rides into the postseason with 73 kills over her last five matches, averaging 3.32 kills/set during that time. She has hit double digit kills in five of those six matches, and hit .300 or better twice during that run. On the defensive end, Mara McDougal is coming off a career-best effort on the back line, seeing her set a career-high with 32 digs. She currently sits fourth in the MEC in dogs and digs/set (4.90) this season and looks to continue her success into the postseason.
Fairmont State would earn the #1 seed in the MEC North Division, and claimed home court advantage with a win over Point Park on Monday. They will be the host site for the 2026 MEC Volleyball Championships, with all three rounds being played in the Feaster Center. The other #1 seed in the tournament is Concord, who earned the MEC South title with a record of 12-4 in conference play. Wheeling earned the #2 seed in the North, followed by #3 West Liberty and #4 Frostburg State, while the MEC South will add #2 Glenville State, #3 Charleston, and #4 West Virginia State.
Wheeling will begin their run in the 2026 MEC Volleyball Tournament on Wednesday, November 11, when they take on #3 S Charleston with first serve at 11:30 AM.
