GREENVILLE, S.C. - The University of Mount Olive men's cross country team was picked to finish eighth in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office Tuesday morning.

The Trojans earned 119 points to place eighth overall. Four-time defending Conference Carolinas champion UNC Pembroke topped the poll with 200 points and 10 first-place votes, while Young Harris followed in second with 191 points and four first-place votes. Southern Wesleyan and Converse tied for third with 172 points, while Lees-McRae placed fifth with 149 points. North Greenville received the final first-place vote and 146 points to finish sixth, followed by Belmont Abbey in seventh with 140 points.

Mount Olive returns several key contributors into the 2025 season, including Artem Meltsaiev, Ayden Thompson, and Leo Powell, who were each selected as player to watch.

The 2026 Conference Carolinas Men's Cross Country Championship is scheduled for Friday, November 7 at 10:15 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.