COLUMBUS, Ga. | The Columbus State University Men's and Women's Cross Country teams were selected sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 2026 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Polls.
The CSU men received 28 points in the poll after placing fifth at the 2025 PBC Championship in Milledgeville, Ga. The Cougars later concluded their season with a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
James Harrelson headlines the returning group after finishing 36th at the conference championship with a time of 28:57.5.
The Lady Cougars collected 44 points to secure seventh in the women's poll, matching their finish at last season's PBC Championship. CSU went on to place 20th at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Noah Griffeth paced Columbus State at the 2025 conference championship, placing 32nd with a time of 20:53.6. Layla Albright followed in 35th at 21:07.4, while Emmalee Johnson crossed the line in 37th at 21:10.3. All three return for the 2026 campaign.
"Honestly, in the words of Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan, 'If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you don't fight, you can't win,'" said head cross country and track and field coach Xavier Matthews. "Best believe we're going to fight each meet, and we'll give everyone a run for their money by conference."
Flagler topped both preseason polls, receiving six first-place votes on the men's side and 10 on the women's side.
Columbus State opens the 2026 season at the Julius Johnson Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Macon, Ga.
