Chris Richardson led Wheeling to a winning record for the first time in his six seasons as head coach.
Emily Stoller helped get Glenville State back into the NCAA Tournament in her third season as Pioneers’ head coach.
For their efforts, Richardson and Stoller have named MetroNews Joe Retton Mountain East Conference Coaches of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
The awards were chosen by MEC media members and each coach will be presented a traveling trophy.
The Cardinals finished 19-9 and greatly exceeded expectations. Wheeling was third in the league with a 14-6 mark after being chosen in a two-way tie for eighth place in the MEC Preseason Poll.
Wheeling hadn’t won more than 14 games in any of the previous seven seasons dating back two years prior to the start of Richardson’s tenure, and the Cardinals had a winning record only once over that time.
Stoller’s third season proved to be her most successful to this point as a head coach.
The Pioneers were 3-2 through their first five contests before rattling off nine consecutive wins to start a stretch of 16 victories in a 17-game stretch.
Glenville was MEC regular season champion with a 16-4 league mark and finished 24-7 with a loss to Winston-Salem State in the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
The Pioneers were picked third in the MEC Preseason Poll.
Stoller had a 37-23 record over her first two seasons as head coach.
Retton was head coach of Fairmont State’s men’s program from 1964-81, during which time he had a record of 478-94 with 12 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season titles and eight WVIAC Tournament Championships.