Mount Olive picked to win 2025 Conference Carolinas Men's Outdoor Track & Field crown

3/13/2025 1:00:00 PM

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Conference Carolinas men's outdoor track & field head coaches picked the University of Mount Olive to win an 11th consecutive and 13th overall conference championship in the 2025 preseason poll released on Thursday.

The Trojans collected 151 points and 8-of-13 first-place votes to edge Converse University who received 140 points and the remaining five first-place nods. UNC Pembroke came in third with 137 points, followed by Belmont Abbey College with 125 points. Southern Wesleyan University rounded out the top five with 101 points.

Lees-McRae College earned 94 points to take the sixth spot and was followed by Emmanuel University (84), North Greenville University (82), Shorter University (64), Barton College (55), Erskine College (48), King University (45), Young Harris College (37) and Francis Marion University (20).

The 2025 Conference Carolinas Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held on April 24-26 at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
 

2025 Conference Carolinas
Men's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
 
School Total (First Place)
1 Mount Olive 151 (8)
2 Converse 140 (5)
3 UNC Pembroke 137
4 Belmont Abbey 125
5 Southern Wesleyan 101
6 Lees-McRae 94
7 Emmanuel 84
8 North Greenville 82
9 Shorter 64
10 Barton 55
11 Erskine 48
12 King 45
13 Young Harris 37
14 Francis Marion 20
 

2025 Conference Carolinas Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Athletes to Watch
Barton
  • Jaidan Lee, Sophomore, Charlotte, North Carolina (2024 Conference Carolinas champion in the 200 meter dash and 4x400 meter relay)
  • Jordan Bobbitt, Sophomore, Rocky Mount, North Carolina (2024 Conference Carolinas champion in the 4x400 meter relay)
Belmont Abbey
  • Jeremiah Hines, So., Sprints, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan (third-team All-Conference Carolinas in the 4x400 relay)
  • Kelly Hay, Sr., Pole Vault, Huntsville, Alabama (2024 Conference Carolinas pole vault champion (first team All-Conference Carolinas))
  • Joshua Gulapa, Jr., Multi/Hurdles, Naples, Florida
Converse
  • Gavin McFadden, Sr., Sprints, Rock Hill, South Carolina (2023 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the 100 meter dash)
  • Devron Davis, Jr., Sprints, Columbia, South Carolina (2024 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the 200 meter dash and the 4x400 meter relay, 2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the 100 meter dash)
  • Dorian Bomar, So., Sprints, Spartanburg, South Carolina (2024 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the 4x400 meter relay)
Emmanuel
  • Marcus Purcell, Sr., Sprints, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Nickili Lewis, Fr., Sprints, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Orion Forrest, Jr., Jumps, Saint Thomas
Erskine
  • Nick Jefferson, Jr., 400 M, Sumter, South Carolina
  • Jaden James, So., Triple Jump, Due West, South Carolina
  • Jerry Robertson, Sr., Hammer, Greenville, South Carolina
Francis Marion
  • Ryan Hunter, Sr., Javelin/Sprints, Blythewood, South Carolina
  • Daryl Causey, Fr., Throws, Varnville, South Carolina
  • Larry McCollum, Fr., Sprints, Fayetteville, North Carolina
King
  • Lynden Johnson, Jr., Sprints, Bahamas
  • Jordan Keith, Sr., Distance, Laurel Bloomery, Tennessee
  • Dominick Stevens, Fr., Sprints, Louisville, Tennessee
Lees-McRae
  • Joshua Ehresman, Jr., Throws, Fort Mill, South Carolina (2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the outdoor shot put)
  • Josh Gillis, Jr., Distance, Casselberry, Florida
  • JD Green, Sr., Sprints/Jumps, Pensacola, Florida
Mount Olive
  • Holden Gerth, Gr., Jumps, Independence, Kentucky (2023 All-Big South in the high jump)
  • Dominic Nutter, Gr., Johnstown, Ohio (2024 hammer throw NCAA first team All-American, weight throw NCAA first team All-American, USTFCCCA outdoor hammer throw, G-MAC Outdoor Hammer Throw Champion, 2023 Hammer Throw NCAA first team All-American, weight throw NCAA first team All-American, USTFCCCA outdoor hammer throw)
  • Riley Willcox, Sr., Mid-distance, Garner, North Carolina (2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the indoor mile, third team All-Conference Carolinas in the outdoor 800 meters)
UNC Pembroke
  • Gary Parker, So., Throws, Bladenboro, North Carolina (2024 outdoor second team All-Conference Carolinas in the discus)
  • Mekhi Hayes, Fr., Sprints, Chicago, Illinois (Conference Carolinas Indoor Freshman of the Year, 200m Indoor Conference Carolinas champion, 200m NCAA qualifier)
  • Norman Junker, Sr., Distance, Nordrach, Germany (2025 indoor second team All-Conference Carolinas in the mile and 5000 meters)
North Greenville
  • Austin Simpkins, So., Rock Hill, South Carolina
  • Bryce Hamby, Jr., Seneca, South Carolina
  • Taylor Campbell, So., Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Shorter
  • Deidric Gibson, Jr., Sprinter, Rockmart, Georgia
Southern Wesleyan
  • Ronan O'Neill, Jr., Distance, Pendleton, South Carolina (2024 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters, 2023 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters)
  • Happy Lea, Fr., Jumps/Throws, Woodruff, South Carolina
  • Nate Hill, So., Mid-Distance, Greenwood, South Carolina
Young Harris
  • Brayden Figgins, Fr., Distance Evans, Georgia
  • Noah Mason, Jr., Mid-distance, Raymond, Mississippi
  • Ryland Hunley, Fr., Pole Vault, Locust Grove, Georgia