GREENVILLE, S.C. – Belmont Abbey has been picked seventh in the Conference Carolinas Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll, the league office announced today. Voting was conducted among the 15 head coaches, with each school unable to vote for itself.
The Crusaders received 140 points, just nine behind Lees-McRae for fifth (149) and six behind North Greenville for sixth (146).
Four-time defending Conference Carolinas men's cross country champion UNC Pembroke is the favorite with 200 points and 10 first-place votes. Young Harris is second with 191 points and four first-place votes, while Southern Wesleyan and Converse finished in a tie for third at 172. North Greenville University earned the final first-place vote.
Three Crusaders were listed on the league's Runners to Watch list, led by sophomore
Michael Bullock, who earned third-team all-conference honors in 2025. He is joined by sophomore
Martin O'Rourke and senior
Kolbe Zuniga.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's Cross Country Championship will take place on Saturday, November 7 at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, S.C.
2026 Conference Carolinas
Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll
|
School |
Points (1st place) |
| 1 |
UNC Pembroke |
200 (10) |
| 2 |
Young Harris |
191 (4) |
| t3 |
Southern Wesleyan |
172 |
| Converse |
172 |
| 5 |
Lees-McRae |
149 |
| 6 |
North Greenville |
146 (1) |
| 7 |
Belmont Abbey |
140 |
| 8 |
Mount Olive |
119 |
| 9 |
Barton |
102 |
| 10 |
Emmanuel |
98 |
| 11 |
King |
85 |
| 12 |
Erskine |
73 |
| 13 |
Ferrum |
62 |
| 14 |
Francis Marion |
46 |
| 15 |
Chowan |
26 |
