GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Conference Carolinas women's outdoor track & field head coaches picked the University of Mount Olive to win a 12th consecutive and 14th overall conference championship in the 2026 preseason poll released on Thursday.
The Trojans collected 192 points and 13-of-15 first-place votes to slot the Trojans ahead of Converse University’s 170 points and one first-place vote. North Greenville University who received 160 points was picked third, followed by Belmont Abbey College’s 152 points in fourth. Lees-McRae College rounded out the top five with 132 points.
UNC Pembroke earned 123 points to take the sixth spot and was followed by Francis Marion University (114), Southern Wesleyan University (110), Barton College (81), King University (80), Emmanuel University (76) Ferrum College (69), Shorter University (46), Young Harris College (42) and Erskine College (28). Francis Marion received the final first place vote.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held on April 23-25 at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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 Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll
|
School |
Votes(First Place) |
| 1 |
Mount Olive |
192 (13) |
| 2 |
Converse |
170 (1) |
| 3 |
North Greenville |
160 |
| 4 |
Belmont Abbey |
152 |
| 5 |
Lees-McRae |
132 |
| 6 |
UNC Pembroke |
123 |
| 7 |
Francis Marion |
114 (1) |
| 8 |
Southern Wesleyan |
110 |
| 9 |
Barton |
81 |
| 10 |
King |
80 |
| 11 |
Emmanuel |
76 |
| 12 |
Ferrum |
69 |
| 13 |
Shorter |
46 |
| 14 |
Young Harris |
42 |
| 15 |
Erskine |
28 |
2026 Conference Carolinas Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Athletes to Watch
Barton
- Keiarra Tutt, Sr., Sprints/Jumps, Bayboro, North Carolina
- Angel Agyeman, So., Sprints, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Juliana Duke, Fr., Sprints, Greensboro, North Carolina
Belmont Abbey
- Elizabeth Woodruff, Sr., Throws, Mascoutah, Illinois (2025 third-team All-Conference Carolinas in the discus)
- Mia Williams, Jr., Multis/Hurdles, Woodstock, Georgia
- Lizzie Young, So., Steeple/Distance, Frederick, Maryland (2025 third-team all-conference in 3000m Steeple
Converse
- Kamille Cunningham, Jr., Columbia, S.C. (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas in the heptathlon and high jump; 2025 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the 4x100 meter relay; 2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the high jump)
- Grace Davis, Fr., Greenville, South Carolina
- Evie De Roos, Fr., De Bilt, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Emmanuel
- France Smith, Fr., Ludowici, Georgia
- Gracie Woods, Sr., Royston, Georgia
- Macy Moore, Fr., Franklin Springs, Georgia
Erskine
- Shamya Hudson, Jr., Calhoun Falls, South Carolina
- Raleigh Faulkner, Sr., Spartanburg, South Carolina
- McKenna Phillips, Sr., Elgin, South Carolina
Ferrum
- Nadiyah Abdussalaam, Jr., Appomattox, Virginia
- Zenallah Hatcher-Simmons, Fr., Sacramento, California (2026 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the shot put)
- Camille Vaughn, Fr., Norfolk, Virginia
Francis Marion
- Aukeyonna Sims, So., Long Jump/High Jump, Darlington, South Carolina (2026 first and third team All-Conference Carolinas Indoor, 2025 third team All-Conference Carolinas Outdoor)
- Rileigh Lacy, Sr., pole vault, Darlington, South Carolina (2026 and 2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas in indoor and outdoor)
- Jazmine McDonald-Craft, So., Throws, Columbia, South Carolina (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas Outdoor)
King
- Emily Ward, Sr., Distance, Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Ermay Vazquez-Adame, Jr., Mid-Distance, Commerce, Georgia (2026 indoor 800 meters Conference Carolinas runner-up)
- Savannah Darnell, Fr., Multis, Maryville, Tennessee (2026 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the pentathlon at 2026 indoor championships)
Lees-McRae
- Lora Dillon, Sr., Clayton, North Carolina
- Megan Knapp, So., Seville, Ohio (2024 third team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Jocelyn Walker, Sr., Yorktown, Virginia (2026 third team All-Conference Carolinas in the indoor pole vault)
Mount Olive
- Haniyyah Johnson, Sr., Jumps/Sprints, Farmville, Virginia, (2025-26 season, ranked first in long jump and 10th in 60 meter hurdles in NCAA Division II by USTFCCCA)
- Alexandria White, So., Distance, Longview, Washington
- Cynthia Thomas, Sr., Throws, Reidsville, North Carolina
UNC Pembroke
- Sofia Skidmore, So., Distance, Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom
- Malea Bennewitz, Jr., Distance, Aichwald, Germany
- Janaya Davis-Gainer, Gr., Sprints, St. Petersburg, Florida
North Greenville
- Bre’Asia Robinson, Sr., Sprints, Greenville, South Carolina (Three-time All-Conference Carolinas)
- Ellie Timmons, So., Throws, Charleston, South Carolina (Six-time All-Conference Carolinas; two-time Conference Carolinas champion)
- Lauren Baker, So., Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Shorter
- Savannah Welch, So., Sprints, Griffin, Georigia
- Tracy Yelegoiyee, So., Distance, Decatur, Georgia
- Alexis WIlliams, Jr., Shot Put, Hillsboro, Kentucky
Southern Wesleyan
- Merritt Smith, Sr., Distance, St. Petersburg, Florida (2026 Conference Carolinas Indoor Track & Field champion in 3000 and 5000 meters, Conference Carolinas Track Athlete of the Year)
- Ellie Adams, Fr., Distance, Hickory, North Carolina
- Elise Foster, Fr., Distance, Pendleton, South Carolina
Young Harris
- Lexi Greene, Fr., Thomaston, Georgia
- Brynley Walraven, So., Calhoun, Georgia
- Emmi Proctor, Fr., Stuart, Florida