GREENVILLE, S.C. - The University of Mount Olive women's volleyball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office Thursday afternoon.

The Trojans earned 139 points to place seventh overall. Defending Conference Carolinas champion Emmanuel topped the poll with 216 points and 10 first-place votes, narrowly edging Francis Marion, who received six first-place votes and 215 points. UNC Pembroke followed in third with 181 points, while 2025 tournament runner-up North Greenville was fourth with 180 points. Converse rounded out the top five with 174 points.

Mount Olive returns several key contributors heading into the 2026 season, including Olivia Melvin, Rachel Clark and Lyndsay Reid, who were each selected as players to watch.

Melvin enters her junior season after earning Third Team All-Conference Carolinas honors in 2025 and being named the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year in 2024. She led the Trojans last season with 325 kills, 2.93 kills per set, 362.5 total points and 3.27 points per set.

Clark returns after leading the Trojans' defensive efforts at the net last season, recording a team-high 76 block assists and 93.0 total blocks while averaging 0.85 blocks per set. She also contributed 69 digs and 173 kills, averaging 1.57 kills per set.

Reid returns to lead the Trojans' setting corps after recording 252 assists and averaging 5.09 assists per set, both marks ranking second on the team. She also contributed 28 service aces and 268 digs while averaging 2.41 digs per set.

The 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Championship is scheduled to begin with first-round matches on November 6 or 7, followed by the quarterfinals on November 10 or 11. The semifinals and championship match will be held November 14-15 at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court at UNC Pembroke in Pembroke, North Carolina.

The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and they can't vote for their own school.