UNC Pembroke Chosen to Repeat in Conference Carolinas Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

UNC Pembroke Chosen to Repeat in Conference Carolinas Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll

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GREENVILLE, S.C. – UNC Pembroke, led by a trio of returning all-conference honorees, has been picked to repeat in the 2023 Men’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll. 

The conference office officially unveiled the preseason poll on Aug. 25. The preseason poll was voted on by the league’s head coaches.

The Braves were chosen atop the poll by a wide margin with 167 points and 11-of-14 first-place votes. Southern Wesleyan, the third-place finisher in 2022, was picked second with 138 points while Lees-McRae was chosen third with 132 points. Emmanuel, last season’s runner-up, was picked fourth with 127 points and the remaining three first-place votes.

Belmont Abbey was picked fifth with 121 points followed by North Greenville (116), Erskine (90), Converse (87), Mount Olive (68), Barton (63), conference newcomer Young Harris (52), King (46), Francis Marion (38) and Chowan (29).

Teams begin competition on Friday, Sept. 1 and will have 50 days before the 2023 Conference Carolinas Championship on Saturday, Oct. 21 at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
 
2023 Conference Carolinas
Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
 
School Total (First Place)
UNC Pembroke 167 (11)
Southern Wesleyan 138
Lees-McRae 132
Emmanuel 127 (3)
Belmont Abbey 121
North Greenville 116
Erskine 90
Converse 87
Mount Olive 68
Barton 63
Young Harris 52
King 46
Francis Marion 38
Chowan 29

2023 Conference Carolinas Men’s Cross Country
Runners to Watch
 
Barton
  • Justin Marshall, Jr., Nashville, North Carolina (2022 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas) 
  • Kaeden Martin, Fr., Clayton, North Carolina 
  • Lee Thomas, Jr., Clayton, North Carolina
Belmont Abbey
  • Nick Berrios, Sr., Daphne, Alabama (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Elliot Wunder, Sr., Monroe, North Carolina (2022 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Zachary Knott, Jr., Wilmington, North Carolina (2022 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Converse
  • Luis Rios Brena, Jr., Gray Court, South Carolina (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • DreQuan Guyton, Jr., Spartanburg, South Carolina 
  • Alex Sosa, Gr., Gainesville, Georgia (2022 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas; Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas; Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas) 
Emmanuel
  • Demarco Hernandez, Sr., Commerce, Georgia (2022 First Team All-Conference Carolinas; Fall 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas; Spring 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas) 
  • Zachary Wright, Sr., McBee, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Team Champion; Spring 2021 Team Champion) 
Erskine
  • Ángel Galán Redondo, So., Salamanca, Spain (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Joshua Meadows, Sr., Anderson, South Carolina
  • Joey Tindale, So., York, South Carolina
Francis Marion
  • Charlie Hall, Fr., Fort Mill, South Carolina
  • Ethan Hickey, Fr., Hartsville, South Carolina
  • Barry Hardy, R-Fr., Blythewood, South Carolina
King
  • Josh Booher, Sr., Bristol, Virginia (Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Jordan Keith, Sr., Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee (Spring 2021 First Team All-Conference Carolinas) 
  • Mason Sanders, Jr., Kingsport, Tennessee 
Lees-McRae
  • Max Geckler, Jr., Wake Forest, North Carolina (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas) 
  • Isaac Reyna, So., Thomasville, North Carolina
  • Brennen Pierce, Jr., Wilmington, North Carolina (2022 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas; Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Mount Olive
  • Aman Tsegay, Jr., High Point, North Carolina
  • Riley Willcox, Jr., Garner, North Carolina 
  • Ashton Olmstead, Jr., Garner, North Carolina (Spring 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
North Greenville
  • Hayden Goode, Sr., Lyman, South Carolina (Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Mason White, Jr., Cardington, Ohio
Southern Wesleyan
  • Ronan O’Neill, So., Pendleton, South Carolina (2022 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference Carolinas, USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Region)
  • Drew Jones, So., Riverview, Florida (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Thomas Macagg, Jr., Fayetteville, North Carolina (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
UNC Pembroke
  • Norman Junker, So., Nordrach, Germany (2022 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Jack Phieffer, R-Jr., Southport, North Carolina (2022 First Team All-Conference Carolinas; Fall 2021 Third Team All-Conference Carolinas)
  • Delsin Burkhart, R-Sr., Fayetteville, North Carolina (2022 First Team All-Conference Carolinas; Fall 2021 Second Team All-Conference Carolinas)
Young Harris
  • Dylan DiCicco, Jr., Murphy, North Carolina
  • Liam King, Jr., Young Harris, Ga.
  • Noah Mason, So., Raymond, Miss.