Mount Olive women tabbed eighth in preseason cross country poll
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The University of Mount Olive women’s cross country program was voted eighth in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll, which was announced by the league office recently.
Sophomore Ciara Sulton returns after earning second-team all-conference honors with a 13th-place finish at the Conference Carolinas Championship in 2022. She was also one of three student-athletes to compete at the Southeast Regional last season. Additionally, the Trojans will feature senior Celine Fleurilus and sophomore Natalie Baldwin, who both finished in the top 30 overall at the league championship.
Converse was selected as the preseason favorite in the Conference Carolinas after receiving six first-place votes and finishing runner-up at the league championship in 2022. King, the two-time defending conference champions, were slotted second in the rankings with five first-place nods. UNC Pembroke claimed the third position with the final two first-place votes and led the league with an eight-place finish at the Southeast Regional. Lees-McRae was chosen fourth in the poll, while Belmont Abbey rounded-out the top five.
The Conference Carolinas Championships will be held on Oct. 21, at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mount Olive begins the 2023 campaign on Sept. 2 by competing at the Catawba Fleet Feet Invite in Salisbury, North Carolina.
2023 Conference Carolinas Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Converse (6)
2. King (5)
3. UNC Pembroke (2)
4. Lees-McRae
5. Belmont Abbey
6. North Greenville
7. Southern Wesleyan
8. Mount Olive
9. Barton
10. Young Harris
11. Erskine
12. Francis Marion
13. Emmanuel
14. Chowan
