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By DON CLEGG
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- The Mountain East Conference hit the gridiron running five short years ago and hasn't stopped since.
Shepherd's run to the NCAA Division II football "Final Four" a year ago marked the third straight season that an MEC team has won a Region One championship and moved on to the national stage.
The 2016 season also marked the second consecutive year that the MEC has produced multiple playoff teams with the Rams being joined by Fairmont State in the postseason field.
Shepherd knocked off three straight nationally ranked teams before falling to No. 7 North Alabama in the national semifinals while Fairmont State's first-round loss to No. 11 Indiana (Pa.) in its NCAA postseason debut did little to dim the luster of the Falcons' 10-win season.
Another first for the MEC in 2016 came Oct. 24 when three teams cracked the NCAA Coaches' Top 25. Shepherd was No. 3 with Fairmont State at No. 20 and Notre Dame checking in at No. 25.
The MEC's gridiron success has been matched across the athletic spectrum since the conference was formed four years ago.
During that time, the league has claimed no less than 97 NCAA postseason berths and 17 regional championships with all 12 MEC schools earning at least one NCAA tournament bid.
Shepherd (football), West Liberty and Fairmont (men's basketball), Charleston (men's soccer), Wheeling Jesuit (volleyball) and Notre Dame (wrestling) have all made national championship game appearances with Jesuit and Notre Dame bringing home the big trophy.
"In just four short years we have proven that the best of the MEC ranks with the best in all of Division II," MEC Commissioner Reid Amos said earlier this month at the league's Football Media Day. "Our coaches and student-athletes have done a tremendous job of raising the MEC's profile not just on a regional but a national basis."
Not surprisingly, Shepherd was picked as the preseason favorite with eight first-place votes and 98 points from the MEC coaches. Notre Dame picked up two first-place votes and was second in the poll with 89 points while Fairmont State grabbed the other first-place vote to round out the top three.
"We graduated a great senior class that went 45-5 over the past four years," Shepherd coach Monte Cater said, "but I guarantee you the cupboard is not completely bare. We're excited about the guys we have coming back and think we have a chance to be in the hunt for another title."
West Liberty was part of a three-way logjam that slotted in behind the frontrunners. A mere three points separated UVa-Wise (54), Charleston (52) and the Hilltoppers (51) in the coaches' balloting.
West Virginia Wesleyan (46) was seventh, followed by Glenville State (45) and Concord (43), with West Virginia State (26) and Urbana (16) rounding out the list.
Here's a quick look at each team's prospects for the 2017 season:
SHEPHERD
Monte Cater heads into his 31st season with the Rams as the winningest active coach in NCAA Division II with 264 career wins. He should pick up quite a few more this fall thanks to a loaded defense and a veteran offensive line. RB Brandon Hlavach, a 1,000-yard rusher, will miss the season due to injury but RB Jabre Lolley - who ran for 2,372 yards and 41 TDs in his first three years - returns after redshirting in 2016. QB Connor Jessop steps in under center with Preseason All-America OL Lavonte Hights anchoring an impressive forward wall. Three All-MEC standouts -- DLs Myles Humphrey and James King along with LB James Gupton -- lead the defense.
NOTRE DAME
After leading the Falcons to a 9-2 record and their first national ranking a year ago, second-year head man Mike Jacobs is aiming even higher. Notre Dame returns two of the MEC's most explosive offensive threats in QB Malik Grove, a run/pass threat who accounted for 3,292 yards and 35 TDs last year, along with 1,000-yard rusher RB D.J. Greene.
FAIRMONT STATE
Jason Woodman lost 16 of his first 22 games at the Fairmont State helm but the fifth-year head coach has his Falcons flying high now after a 10-win season and NCAA postseason berth. Fairmont lost QB Cooper Hibbs and WR Fabian Guerra but RB Terrell Charles is back along with 2016 MEC Offensive Freshman of the Year WR Laurence King. Defense will be the key for FSU as eight starters return on that side of the ball led by 2016 MEC Defensive Player of the Year DL Quincy Redmon.
UVA-WISE
The Highland Cavaliers were one of the MEC's more pleasant surprises a year ago as first-year coach Dane Damron led them to a 6-5 mark - the school's first winning season in nearly a decade. QB Brycen Lee is back after throwing for 2,300 yards and 13 TDs in his freshman season. Twin senior WRs Jacob Cousins and James Cousins combined for 1,100 yards and 10 TDs and workhorse RB Carlton Griffith returns for his senior year. Senior DB Ed Kargbo leads a veteran defensive unit that must replace graduated All-America LB Zach Blair.
CHARLESTON
A series of injuries at the quarterback position dropped UC from the penthouse to the outhouse a year ago as Charleston went from an NCAA playoff berth in 2015 to a 3-8 mark in 2016. The return to health of QBs Jermaine Kelly and Mason Olszewski would be a major boost and both played well in the spring. The Golden Eagle defense is led by returning All-MEC selections DL John Cominsky and DB Zaire Lewis.
WEST LIBERTY
With three one-point losses and two more going down to the final possession, the Hilltoppers were only a few bounces away from a breakthrough season a year ago. Head coach Roger Waialae welcomes back 14 starters and 46 lettermen but must replace record-setting QB Dakota Conwell along with All-MEC WRs Dan Monteroso and Anton McCallum. A veteran offensive line, keyed by All-MEC senior Corey Ernest, coupled with a deep and talented pool of running backs will ease the transition for junior QB Brenton Colabella. A much-improved defense should be even better with MEC Defensive Freshman of the Year DB Logan Deri joined by All-MEC LB Cliff Clark.
W.VA. WESLEYAN
In his first season at the Bobcats helm, Del Smith shared Waialae's pain as Wesleyan's 4-7 mark included four setbacks by margins of a touchdown or less. The Buckhannon-based squad brings back QB Ryan Deal, who passed for 2,200 yards and 15 TDs, but the graduation of MEC Offensive Player of the Year RB Michael Anderson leaves a big hole. DBs Chad Pinson and Nate Simmons provide leadership for a rebuilding defensive unit.
GLENVILLE STATE
After spending the last five seasons as the Pioneers' offensive coordinator, Eric Smith steps up to take the reins this fall. He has some weapons at his disposal in QB Dante Roberts, who threw for 2,700 yards and 26 TDs, along with WR D.J. Williams, whose 41 catches accounted for 666 yards and 10 scores. Leading tackler DB Earon Settles tops the defensive returnees.
CONCORD
Paul Price brought in a lot of new faces after suffering through a 2-9 season in his first year at the helm. Gone is record-setting four-year starter QB Brian Novak with juco transfers Jake Gibson and Jake Pruitt battling for the starting role. RB Jamal Petty should help after redshirting a year ago but the strength of the team should be with a veteran defense. Three-time All-MEC DB Jeremiah Johnson leads the way while junior LB Zach Malone is coming off a 108-tackle season last fall.
W.VA. STATE
Senior QB Matt Kinnick is back at full strength, which could be bad news for the rest of the MEC. The St. Clairsville native led the league in passing two years ago and threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 16 TDs last fall despite missing two full games due to injury. The Yellow Jackets are a veteran group and could surprise if first-year head coach John Pennington can plug a few holes on the defensive side of the ball. State surrendered nearly 40 points and 480-plus yards a game last fall.
URBANA
Third-year coach Tyler Haines has several key players back, including QB Tajuan Green and All-MEC WR Trevon Saunders. Green racked up nearly 1,700 yards of total offense and 18 TDs despite playing in only seven games due to injury while Saunders caught 66 passes for 961 yards and 15 TDs. LBs Duray Hall and Josh Dillard combined for 178 tackles a year ago.
2017 MEC Coaches' Preseason Poll
Team (FPV) Pts
1. Shepherd (8) 98
2. Notre Dame (2) 89
3. Fairmont State (1) 85
4. UVa-Wise 54
5. Charleston 52
6. WEST LIBERTY 51
7. W.Va. Wesleyan 46
8. Glenville State 45
9. Concord 43
10. W.Va. State 26
11. Urbana 16