GREENVILLE, S.C. – Ahead of the 2026 cross country season, Conference Carolinas released its preseason poll, and the Converse University men's team ranked tied for third with Southern Wesleyan. A trio of junior Valkyries, Alex Porter, Marti Ruiz Barreda and Ander Vera Moleres were named Players to Watch.

Porter, a junior from Simpsonville, finished first for the Valkyries in three of the team's five meets last season, including the Conference Carolinas Championship where he placed 14th overall in the 8K. He earned second-team all-conference honors for that performance.

Ruiz Barreda, a junior from Girona, Spain, ran in five of the team's six races last season, peaking as the team's second-fastest runner in the 2025 Bulldog Stampede 7K. 

Vera Moleres, a junior from Pamplona, Spain, was the top finisher for the Valkyries in two of the team's five races last season, including topping the Valkyries' leaderboard in the southeast regional meet. Finishing three spots behind Porter in last year's

Conference Carolinas Championship, he was a third-team all-conference honoree. He was a second-team all-conference honoree the year prior.

Conference Carolinas also released its annual preseason coaches' poll, and the Valkyries, along with the Southern Wesleyan Warriors, ranked third in the poll with 172 points.

The defending champs, the UNC Pembroke Braves, topped the poll with 200 points and 10 first-place votes. Young Harris, the 2025 runners-up, placed second with 191 points and four first-place votes. SWU and Converse followed with 172 points.

Lees-McRae placed fifth with 149 points. North Greenville finished sixth with 146 points and the league's final first-place vote. Belmont Abbey followed six points behind in seventh place.

Mount Olive and Barton were the final teams over the 100-point threshold with 119 and 102, respectively.

Emmanuel and King ranked 10th and 11th with 98 and 85 points, respectively.

Erskine, Ferrum, Francis Marion and Chowan rounded out the poll.

The Valkyries begin the season at the Bruins XC Night Classic hosted by Bob Jones University.

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