GREENVILLE, S.C. – Back-to-back Conference Carolinas champions, North Greenville University is picked atop the 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll.
The Trailblazers received 13 first place votes and 209 points to sit atop the pole ahead of 2023 champion Converse University. The Valkyries earned the final two first place votes and 198 points as they are followed by Lees-McRae College who accumulated 172 points to come in third. The University of Mount Olive (155) and King University (150) rounded out the top five.
Southern Wesleyan University came in sixth with 140 points while Belmont Abbey College followed in seventh with 134 points. UNC Pembroke and Young Harris College came in eighth and ninth with 128 and 110 points, respectively. Ferrum College rounded out the top 10 with 89 points.
Emmanuel University (85), Erskine College (65), Barton College (63), Francis Marion University (57), and Chowan University (22), round out the poll.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country Championship will take place on Saturday, November 7 at 9:00 a.m. at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, 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 Cross Country Preseason Poll
|
School |
Points (1st Place) |
| 1 |
North Greenville |
209 (13) |
| 2 |
Converse |
198 (2) |
| 3 |
Lees-McRae |
172 |
| 4 |
Mount Olive |
155 |
| 5 |
King |
150 |
| 6 |
Southern Wesleyan |
140 |
| 7 |
Belmont Abbey |
134 |
| 8 |
UNC Pembroke |
128 |
| 9 |
Young Harris |
110 |
| 10 |
Ferrum |
89 |
| 11 |
Emmanuel |
85 |
| 12 |
Erskine |
65 |
| 13 |
Barton |
63 |
| 14 |
Francis Marion |
57 |
| 15 |
Chowan |
22 |
2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Cross Country
Players to Watch
Barton
- Lena Warren, So., Clayton, North Carolina
- Marisa Garvin, Fr., Charlotte, North Carolina
- Colby McKethan, Fr., Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Belmont Abbey
- Dasha Averkamp, So., Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- Gianna Scoville, Fr., Pottstown, Pennsylvania
- Elizabeth Young, Jr., Frederick, Maryland (Two-time All-Conference Carolinas second team)
Chowan
- Alexis Denham, Sr., Hampton, Virginia
- Dusabe Uware, So., Wilmington, North Carolina
- Salimata Kone, Fr., New York City, New York
Converse
- Evie De Roos, So., De Bilt, Utrecht, The Netherlands (2025 All-Conference second team)
- Peyton MacMillan, Jr., Fort Mill, South Carolina
- Paisley Stepp, Sr., Hendersonville, North Carolina (2025 All-Conference third team, 2024 All-Conference second team)
Emmanuel
- Aubrey Barnett, So., Monroe, Georgia
- Caitlin Frison, Fr., Sugar Hill, Georgia
- Rose Reardin, Jr., Cochran, Georgia
Erskine
- Raleigh Faulkner, Gr., Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Pressley Grier, So., Donalds, South Carolina
- Kinley Hooker, So., Piedmont, South Carolina
Ferrum
- Carly Carwile, So., Rustburg, Virginia
- Riley Waldron, Fr., Moneta, Virginia
- Sarah Hudgins, So., Norfolk, Virginia
Francis Marion
- Emma Steen, Jr., Hartsville, South Carolina
- Rowan Hearn, Jr., Summerville, South Carolina
- Alia Turcios, Jr., Los Alamitos, California
King
- Ermay Vazquez-Adame, Sr., Commerce, Georgia (2025, 2024, and 2023 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Lexie LaDuc, Sr., Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Kailee-Ann Conner, So., Kingsport, Tennessee
Lees-McRae
- Megan Knapp, Jr., Seville, Ohio (2025 Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year, 2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team, 2024 All-Conference Carolinas third team)
- Rebecca Kleiber, Jr., Schenectady, New York
- Veronica Cheechov, Fr., West End, North Carolina
Mount Olive
- Alex White, Sr., Longview, Washington (2025 All-Conference Carolinas second team)
- Clarie Aponte, Fr., Burke, Virginia (USTFCCCA All-Southeast Region second team)
- Danielle Johnston, Jr., Pikeville, North Carolina
UNC Pembroke
- Malea Bennewitz, Sr., Aichwald, Germany (2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team)
- Lizzy Laurine, Jr., St. Louis, Missouri
- Sophia Olszak, So., Virginia Beach, Virginia
North Greenville
- Cecily Anderton, Sr., Sullivans Island, South Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas)
- Elle Timmons, Jr., Charleston, South Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas)
- Riley Shope, Sr., Fort Mill, South Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas)
Southern Wesleyan
- Ellie Adams, So., Hickory, North Carolina
- Elise Foster, So., Pendleton, South Carolina (2025 All-Conference Carolinas third team)
- Freda Ruiz, Jr., Pickens, South Carolina
Young Harris
- Natalie Payne, Jr., Blairsville, Georgia
- Lexi Greene, Fr., Thomaston, Georgia
- Julie Black, Fr., Cleveland, Georgia