BAC, UMO to meet in Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Championship final for second straight year

4/18/2026 10:01:47 PM

BELMONT, N.C. – The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men’s Volleyball Championship semifinals concluded with and Belmont Abbey College advancing to Saturday’s championship match.

No. 1 Belmont Abbey def. No. 4 North Greenville, 3-0
The opening set went back-and-forth as Belmont Abbey registered back-to-back points to take a 24-22 lead. However, North Greenville responded with consecutive points, sending the set to extra points. The Trailblazers led 28-27 before Belmont Abbey scored the final three points to take the set 30-28.

Belmont Abbey used a 5-0 run gain control of the second set an take a 22-16 lead en route to the 25-18 victory. The Crusaders hit a blistering .667 in the set with only one error, and nearly matched that feat in the third set. Belmont Abbey hit .533 with one error to take the third set 25-13 and the match 3-0.

Zach Puentes and Caden Day led Belmont Abbey with 11 kills apiece. Puentes hit .524 and added 10 digs while Day hit .733 as neither made an attack error. Joseph Morris handed out 37 assists and Logan Erickson added 10 kills. Yoriano Velez Vega led North Greenville with 13 kills and five digs.

No. 2 Mount Olive def. No. 3 Lees-McRae, 3-0
Mount Olive turned in an impressive performance, hitting nearly .300 for the match and holding Lees-McRae to a .072 attack percentage. Mount Olive registered a .353 attack percentage in the 25-15 opening set win. The Trojans continued the run, taking the second set 25-22 and the third 25-19 to take the match 3-0.

Mount Olive was led by nine kills and five digs from Kory Grant. Jackson Lahey added 24 assists for the Trojans. Davide Nicolini led Lees-McRae with nine kills.

Belmont Abbey and Mount Olive will face off for the championship for the second straight year. The Crusaders topped the Trojans 3-0 a season ago.

2026 Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Championship
Quarterfinals – Wednesday, April 15 (at higher seed)
No. 3 Lees-McRae def. No. 6 Emmanuel, 3-1 BOX SCORE
No. 4 North Greenville def. No. 5 Barton, 3-1 BOX SCORE

Semifinals – Saturday, April 18 (Wheeler Center, Belmont, N.C.)
No. 1 Belmont Abbey def. No. 4 North Greenville, 3-0 BOX SCORE
No. 2 Mount Olive vs. No. 3 Lees-McRae, 3-0 BOX SCORE

Final – Sunday, April 19 (Wheeler Center, Belmont, N.C.)
No. 1 Belmont Abbey vs. No. 2 Mount Olive, 3:00 p.m.