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Magruder: No MEC tourney locally for now at WesBanco Arena

WHEELING — WesBanco Arena manager Dennis Magruder admits to having exploratory conversations with the Mountain East Conference a couple years ago, concerning the possibility of his building playing host to the conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament. It turns out it wasn’t feasible then and still won’t be in the immediate future.

The Charleston Civic Center Coliseum has been the host of the tournament for years and will be again in 2017. But beyond that things begin to get tricky.

This is the final year of the contract and the tournament will be put out to bid. The MEC could have packed up shop and headed to another venue this year, but neglected to take that route. The ability to exit early is due to a clause in the contract that states that if ticket revenue for the event falls below $60,000 — it was $52,511 in 2016 — the conference is free to do as it wishes.

Of course when anything like this hits the mainstream, rumors begin to swirl. One of the more popular ones has intimated the MEC Tournament could find its new home to be at what amounts to a brand-new WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

Not happening, at least not until after 2018.

”We are under contract with Monster Trucks the same weekend they need,” Magruder said Thursday. ”We are under contract with Monster Trucks until 2018, I believe.

”They are one of our more profitable events, so we would not ask them to change dates.”

Not that Magruder is opposed to having further dialogue with the MEC.

”Would we be interested in talking to them? Sure,” Magruder added.

There’s also the issue of the Wheeling Nailers, which of course is the arena’s main tenant. They’re on the road for most of month of February on an almost annual basis. It would be tough to ask them to also remain away from home during the first weekend of March.

So the main issue is the date, which has been the same weekend each year for the Mountain East and previously the West Virginia Conference. Is it imperative for the conference to do it that first weekend in March?

”The last time we talked, the answer to that would be yes,” Magruder said. ”You have to remember they’re tied into other tournaments.

”I won’t ever say it’s impossible, but a lot of different things would have to be worked out.”

There will be changes to the tournament, though. Beginning this year only the top 10 teams in the standings during the regular season will qualify. That means no first-round games on campus before everyone descends south.

The top six teams will receive a bye, with seeds 7-10 playing first-round games. In 2017, the first-round games for both men and women will be played Wednesday, March 1. The women’s quarterfinals will be played Thursday, March 2, followed by the men’s quarterfinals Friday, March 3. The tournament will conclude during the weekend with all semifinal games being played Saturday, March 4 and the championship games played Sunday, March 5.

“The shift from opening-round games on campus to all tournament games at one centralized location will allow the MEC to significantly enhance marketing efforts,” Commissioner Reid Amos said. “This approach allows teams and their fans to have a much longer period of time to make plans for the event as teams clinch spots and will additionally enhance opportunities for institutions to engage with their alumni.

“There is significant value in having regular-season performance determine the teams that qualify for and receive byes in our postseason tournament,” Amos continued. “The tiers in the standings provide added motivation for every team throughout the season to either make the tournament field, maintain a qualifying berth or claim a bye. Our goal is to further increase competitiveness while enhancing the experience for student-athletes and fans.”

Additionally, the MEC supported an exit free structure for departure from the league. The league requires an advance notification of exit from the league of three years or is subject to exit fees up to $150,000.

In women’s volleyball, the league will switch from Hudl to Krossover for its video exchange platform.

In men’s and women’s soccer, the league will institute mandatory game video exchange and will use InStat as its exchange platform. Additionally, all-conference awards will now be presented at the conclusion of the semifinals at the MEC Tournament. With the addition of women’s soccer at Glenville State, the MEC will adopt divisional play beginning in 2017.

All this was announced following meetings with the league’s Committee of Athletic Administrators (CAA) and the Board of Directors.

Central’s Magruder

Honored

Congratulations are again in order for Wheeling Central softball coach Rick Magruder. On Thursday it was learned that he was named MaxPreps 2016 Small Schools Softball All-American Team Coach of the Year.

It’s not at all surprising, considering the Maroon Knights went 33-0 and captured a West Virginia Class A state championship.

Rick is a good guy and deserving of everything he gets, and that includes national recognition.

Monteroso, WLU Good Fit

When news of former St. Clairsville star Dan Monteroso’s transfer to West Liberty began to surface some time ago, I couldn’t help but think about what he would look like in black and gold. We only have a few more weeks before we find out.

The former Division-I receiver graduated Purdue in three years, which is more impressive than anything he’s accomplished athletically. And that’s saying something considering he was a 2,400-point scorer in high school and was unguardable on the football field.

Monteroso will team with Anton McCallum at receiver to give QB Dakota Conwell a duo that will rival just about anyone in the MEC. On the hardwood, Monteroso seems a perfect fit for Coach Jim Crutchfield’s uptempo style.

Shawn Rine can be reached via email at: srine@theintelligencer.net

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