GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas announced the 2026 preseason poll prior to the start of the 2026 Conference Carolinas Football Media Days. North Greenville University was picked to repeat their 2025 crown.
The Trailblazers received five first place votes in the poll while UNC Pembroke received the final two first place votes to take the second spot in the poll. North Greenville earned 35 points while the Braves earned 32 points.
Barton College was picked third with 25 points while Ferrum College came in fourth with 19 points. Chowan University and Shorter University tied for fifth with 15 and Erskine College rounded out the poll with 15 and six points.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, November 14. The regular season champion will host the game.
The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and they can't vote for their own school.
2026 Conference Carolinas
Football Preseason Poll
|
School |
Points (1st Place) |
| 1 |
North Greenville |
35 (5) |
| 2 |
UNC Pembroke |
32 (2) |
| 3 |
Barton |
25 |
| 4 |
Ferrum |
19 |
| 5 |
Chowan |
15 |
| 5 |
Shorter |
15 |
| 7 |
Erskine |
6 |
2026 Conference Carolinas Football
Players to Watch
Barton
- Jaiden Lee, Jr., WR, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Zayvion Brady, Sr., LB, Whiteville, N.C.
- Zyhir Williams, So., DB, Newark, N.J.
Chowan
- Dezmond Randolph, Sr., TE, Mableton, Georgia (2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Cameron Richardson, Sr., LB, Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Malachi Howell, Senior, DE, Monroe, North Carolina (2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
Erskine
- Gary Maddox III, Jr., LB, Commerce, Georgia (2025 All-Conference Carolinas)
- Hart Cushman, Sr., OL, Beaufort, South Carolina
- Ryan Killmer, So., QB, St. Augustine, Florida
Ferrum
- Eli Foutz, Jr., QB, Rocky Mount, Virginia
- Marquise Varner James, Jr., DL, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Omarza Gray, So., Roanoke, Virginia (2025 Conference Carolinas Offensive Freshman of the Year, 2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
UNC Pembroke
- Justin Foreman, Sr., DB, Greenville, North Carolina (2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Laden Ford, Jr., DL, Charlotte, North Carolina (2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Que Kennedy, Jr., WR, Ocala, Florida (2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team)
North Greenville
- Ethan Lett, Sr., OL, Pensacola, Florida (2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team)
- RJ Glasgow, Sr., DB, York, South Carolina
- Sam Washam, Sr., WR, Indian Trail, North Carolina
Shorter
- Mikey Matos, Jr., DE, Jacksonville, Florida
- Sky Niblett, Jr., TE, Gainesville, Georgia
- Andrew Waldrep, Sr., LB, Blue Ridge, Georgia