MARTINEZ, Ga. – The Lander men's and women's cross country programs earned their highest placement in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Poll since being reinstated in 2017, as both squads were picked to finish fifth in the league, the conference announced Tuesday. The poll was voted on by PBC coaches.
Augusta, winners of six straight men's titles, was tabbed to win its seventh consecutive championship, while Flagler was projected to capture a league-record eighth straight crown on the women's side.
The Bearcats enter a new era under head coaches Tydarius Floyd and Colin Lamb after both teams placed fifth at last year's PBC Championships. The 2024 finishes marked the best results for the programs since their return, the highest for the men since 1994 (4th) and for the women since 2007 (5th).
Lander brings back its entire scoring five from the women's championship race, led by senior Carly Fuel, who missed becoming the Bearcats' first All-Conference performer since 2007 by just four seconds.
On the men's side, Noah Chevalier leads a group that returns three of the five scorers from the 2024 PBC meet.
PBC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
Augusta (6)
|
62
|
|
2.
|
Flagler (3)
|
59
|
|
3.
|
GCSU
|
50
|
|
4.
|
Clayton State
|
41
|
|
5.
|
Columbus State
|
29
|
|
5.
|
Lander
|
29
|
|
7.
|
USCA
|
27
|
|
8.
|
USC Beaufort
|
15
|
|
9.
|
Georgia Southwestern
|
12
|
PBC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
Flagler (9)
|
98
|
|
2.
|
Augusta (1)
|
89
|
|
3.
|
North Georgia(1)
|
84
|
|
4.
|
GCSU
|
75
|
|
5.
|
Lander
|
59
|
|
6.
|
Clayton State
|
51
|
|
7.
|
USCA
|
48
|
|
8.
|
Columbus State
|
42
|
|
9.
|
USC Beaufort
|
26
|
|
10.
|
Georgia Southwestern
|
17
|
|
11.
|
Middle Georgia
|
16
|
