GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Conference Carolinas office announced the annual Women's Golf Coaches poll and players to watch. Converse University was selected eighth overall in this year's rankings.
 
The Valkyries tallied 56 total points and finished ahead of Young Harris, Southern Wesleyan, Shorter and King in the rankings. Erskine was picked to win the conference with 121 total points and 11 first place votes, Emmanuel was picked to finish second with 110 points and one first place vote, and Mount Olive was slated third with 101 points. Belmont Abbey, UNC Pembroke, Barton and North Greenville were picked to finish fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.
 
Junior Ellie Lim (Delaware, Ohio) was a Conference Carolinas All-Tournament selection a year ago and was picked to be a Player to Watch for a second straight season. Avery Smith (Summerville, S.C.) and Lilly Bowman (Hickory, N.C.) were both picked as Players to Watch for the first time in their careers.  
 
2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Golf Preseason Poll
School                        Total (First Place)
1          Erskine                        121 (11)
2          Emmanuel                   110 (1)
3          Mount Olive                 101     
4          Belmont Abbey            80
5          UNC Pembroke           69
6          Barton                         68
7          North Greenville          63
8          Converse                     56
9          Young Harris               44
10        Southern Wesleyan     37
11        Shorter                        23
12        King                             20
 
2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Golf Players to Watch
Barton
Terra Schmitt, Jr., Wake Forest, N.C., 2024-25 All-Conference Carolinas honoree
Shelby Herbert, So., Charlotte Hall, Md., 2024-25 All-Conference Carolinas honoree
Mackenzie Crossman, So., Pittsboro, N.C.
 
Belmont Abbey
Ella Wiklander, Jr., Ludvika, Sweden
Katie Cullen, Jr., Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Lilianna Carcel, Jr., Asheville, North Carolina
 
Converse
Ellie Lim, Jr., Delaware, Ohio (2025 Conference Carolinas all-tournament team)
Avery Smith, Fr., Summerville, South Carolina
Lilly Bowman, Fr., Hickory, North Carolina
 
Emmanuel
Aurora Castelli, So., San Donato Milanese, Italy
Alba Caliz-Rejas, Fr., Madrid, Spain
Lucia Salinas, Sr., Tomellosois, Spain
 
Erskine
Ketsiri Pornsakunphaisan, Fr., Chiang Mai, Thailand
Lina Lindqvist, So., Lahti, Finland
Maddie McNeece, So., Clinton, Mississippi
 
King
Kate Watanasiripong, Sr., Temecula, California
Matilda Svensson, Jr., Oxie, Sweden
Carolina Calzada, So., Playa Del Rey, California
 
Mount Olive
Lucie Levet, Jr., Orleans, France (2025 All-Conference Carolinas)
Claire Beitel, Jr. Irvington, Virginia
Aoi Ito, Sr., Sendai, Japan
 
UNC Pembroke
Catherine Desiena, So., Oakridge, North Carolina
Marta Ortega, So., Mallorca, Spain
Melissa Guerra Landa, Jr., Caracas, Venezuela
 
North Greenville
Brenna Miller, Sr., Dillon, South Carolina (2024 All-Conference Carolinas)
Kate Matthews, Jr., Greenville, South Carolina
Nikki Strandell, Sr., Marietta, South Carolina
 
Shorter
Taylor Young, So., Green Cove Springs, Georgia
Leah Anderson, Jr., Oconee, Georgia
Raina Horton, Fr., Marietta, Georgia
 
Southern Wesleyan
Mia Andrade, Fr., Chapin, South Carolina
Caitlyn Gaines, Fr., Lexington, South Carolina
Allie Thomas, Fr., Aiken, South Carolina
 
Young Harris
Lucy Wiegert, Sr., Cochran, Georgia
Tamara Brito, Sr., Las Palmas, Spain
Avery Cauwels, Fr., Woodstock, Georgia
 
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