* Championship Central

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Three-time defending champion West Virginia State has once again earned the top seed for the MEC Women's Tennis Tournament set for this week (Oct. 21-23) at the Brian David Fox Tennis Center in Huntington, W.Va.

The Yellow Jackets went 8-1 this fall, including a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play. West Virginia State has yet to drop a conference match in four years of regular season play as the squad captured its fourth regular season MEC title. The University of Charleston will be seeded second after going 6-1 in the MEC. The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles receive a first-round bye.

West Virginia Wesleyan is the third seed by virture of a narrow 5-4 win over West Liberty back on Oct. 5, giving the Bobcats a 5-2 conference record, just one game better than the Hilltoppers' 4-3 mark in the MEC. UVa-Wise is the fifth seed and Shepherd rounds out the field as the sixth seed.

West Liberty will open play on Friday, Oct. 21, against UVa-Wise at 11 a.m., with the winner getting West Virginia State. West Virginia Wesleyan will take on Shepherd on Friday at 2 p.m., with the winner advancing to face Charleston.

Tournament Schedule

Quarterfinals (Friday, Oct. 21)
11 a.m.	#4 West Liberty vs. #5 UVa-Wise
2 p.m.	#3 West Virginia Wesleyan vs. #6 Shepherd
Semifinals (Saturday, Oct. 22)
11 a.m.	#1 West Virginia State vs. #4/5 Winner
2 p.m.	#2 Charleston vs. #3/6 Winner
Finals (Sunday, Oct. 23)
11 a.m.	TBD