GREENVILLE, S.C. – Belmont Abbey has been picked 10th in the Conference Carolinas Preseason Women's Volleyball poll, the league office announced today. Voting was conducted among the 16 head coaches in the conference.
The Crusaders received 98 points, nine ahead of King in 11th place. Lees-McRae was 22 points ahead in eighth place.
Defending champion Emmanuel was picked to repeat, totaling 216 points and 10 first-place votes, a single point ahead of Francis Marion, who received the other six first-place votes. UNC Pembroke comes in third with 181 points, narrowly ahead of Northwest Division members North Greenville (180 points) and Converse (174 points).
Three Crusaders were listed among the league's Players to Watch --
Renata Bolado (Jr., OH, Sugar Land, Texas),
Lola Sultenfuss (MB, Sr., Hendersonville, N.C.) and
Emma Youngblood (S, Jr., Fletcher, N.C.)
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Championship is scheduled to start with the first round on November 6 or 7 with the quarterfinals to follow on November 10 or 11. The semifinals and final will be competed at the Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court at UNC Pembroke in Pembroke, North Carolina on November 14-15.
2026 Conference Carolinas
Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll
|
School |
Points (1st Place) |
| 1 |
Emmanuel |
216 (10) |
| 2 |
Francis Marion |
215 (6) |
| 3 |
UNC Pembroke |
181 |
| 4 |
North Greenville |
180 |
| 5 |
Converse |
174 |
| 6 |
Shorter |
148 |
| 7 |
Mount Olive |
139 |
| 8 |
Southern Wesleyan |
122 |
| 9 |
Lees-McRae |
120 |
| 10 |
Belmont Abbey |
98 |
| 11 |
King |
89 |
| 12 |
Barton |
73 |
| 13 |
Young Harris |
67 |
| 14 |
Erskine |
48 |
| 15 |
Chowan |
34 |
| 16 |
Ferrum |
16 |
