GREENVILLE, S.C. – The women's lacrosse coaches have picked Belmont Abbey College as champions in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, the conference office announced on Thursday.
The Crusaders received 96 points and six first place votes to edge the University of Mount Olive's 95 points and five first place votes. The teams split the 2025 regular season title with Mount Olive winning the last five tournament titles. Young Harris College is picked third with 81 points with Barton College coming in fourth with 73 point. North Greenville University rounded out the top five with 60 points.
Emmanuel University (57), Converse University (49), Shorter University (31), Southern Wesleyan University (29), Lees-McRae College (18), and Ferrum College (16) rounded out the poll.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Lacrosse Championship starts with quarterfinal games on campus sites on Monday, April 20. The semifinals will take place at the Young Harris Lacrosse Field at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia on Thursday, April 23. The championship game will be on Saturday, April 25 in Young Harris.
The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and they can't vote for their own school.
2026 Conference Carolinas
Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
|
School |
Votes (first place) |
| 1 |
Belmont Abbey |
96 (6) |
| 2 |
Mount Olive |
95 (5) |
| 3 |
Young Harris |
81 |
| 4 |
Barton |
73 |
| 5 |
North Greenville |
60 |
| 6 |
Emmanuel |
57 |
| 7 |
Converse |
49 |
| 8 |
Shorter |
31 |
| 9 |
Southern Wesleyan |
29 |
| 10 |
Lees-McRae |
18 |
| 11 |
Ferrum |
16 |
2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Lacrosse
Players to Watch
Barton
- Berghan Balparda, So., M, Melbourne, Florida
- Julia Erickson, Sr., A, Sunderland, Maryland
- Danielle Lester, Sr., M, Columbus, Georgia
Belmont Abbey
- Triniti Cassidy, Jr., M, Snellville, Georgia (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas, 2024 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Summer Eddinger, Sr., GK, Fallston, Maryland (2025 third team All-Conference Carolinas, 2023 and 2024 first team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Taylor Tobin, Jr., D, Golden, Colorado
Converse
- Hailey Obenchain, Sr., Newburgh, Indiana (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas, 2024 and 2023 second team All-Conference Carolinas, 2023 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Sammy Sparks, Sr., Cazenovia, New York (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas, 2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Becky Reinhard, Jr., Mdle Island, New York (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
Emmanuel
- Kristie Fisher, Sr., M, Thornton, Ontario, Canada
- Demi Czynski, Jr., M, Greenwood West, Australia
- Meghan Jennings, Sr., A, Evans, Georgia
Lees-McRae
- Saige Jones, Sr., M/D, Corona, California
- Crystal Johnson, Sr., D, Gloucester City, New Jersey
- Courtney Bednarz, Sr., A, Fulton, New York
Mount Olive
- Simone McCraw, Jr., D, Columbus, Ohio (USA Lacrosse All-American, Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year, first team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Lily Mahoney, So., GK, Warwick, New York (First team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Madison Dow, Sr., D, White Hall, Maryland (Third team All-Conference Carolinas)
North Greenville
- Kami Straub, So., D, Kingsport, Tennessee (2025 third team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Isabella Ortiz, So., M, Greenville, South Carolina
- Aubree Mayse, So., M, Moore, South Carolina
Shorter
- Cassidy Jones, Sr., A, Memphis, Tennessee
- Kaitlyn Dwyer-Peppers, Sr., M, Cumming, Georgia
- Maggie Wallace, Sr., A, Cumming, Georgia
Southern Wesleyan
- Fianna Steves, Sr., M, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Ava Lombardi, So., GK, Cary, North Carolina
- Caelyn Little, Fr., A, Anderson, South Carolina
Young Harris
- Megan Magil, Jr., Center Moriches, New York
- Riley Parker, Jr., Woodstock, Georgia (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Mary Troyer, Sr., Johns Creek, Georgia (2025 third team All-Conference Carolinas)