GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Two-time defending Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball champion Belmont Abbey has been picked for a third straight title in the 2026 Conference Carolinas preseason poll, the league office announced today. Voting was conducted among the conference's eight head coaches, with each not allowed to vote for his own team.
The Crusaders earned six first-place votes and 48 points to hold a four-point advantage over 2025 runner-up Mount Olive. The Trojans received the final two first-place votes
Barton was picked third with 35 points ahead of North Greenville (31 points) and Erskine (24 points). King is sixth with 20 points, followed by Lees-McRae (13) and Emmanuel (9).
Three Crusaders were named to the conference's Players to Watch list. Junior
Zach Puentes (OH/Wellington, Fla.) was named AVCA honorable mention All-America and first team All-Conference Carolinas honors last year, while senior
Jibriel Elhaddad (MB,/Jupiter, Fla.) and junior
Joseph Morris (S/Bethesda, Md.) earned first and second-team league honors, respectively.
The poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and coaches, can't vote for their team.
2025 Conference Carolinas
Men's Volleyball Preseason Poll
|
School |
Votes (first place) |
| 1 |
Belmont Abbey |
48 (6) |
| 2 |
Mount Olive |
44 (2) |
| 3 |
Barton |
35 |
| 4 |
North Greenville |
31 |
| 5 |
Erskine |
24 |
| 6 |
King |
20 |
| 7 |
Lees-McRae |
13 |
| 8 |
Emmanuel |
9 |
