The sixth-place mark is the highest for the men’s squad since 2023, tying for sixth, while the women’s squad reached sixth in 2024.
For the Eagles, the men’s side features ten new runners while the women host nine new runners.
Anna Conrad highlights the returning runners for both sides, as she was placed on the Big South Conference All-Academic Team, leading the Eagles to two meet wins over the 2025 season.
Winthrop opens the season on the road at the Elon XC Opener in Elon, N.C. on Sept. 4.
The full results to the polls can be found below:
2026 BIG SOUTH WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points |
| 1 | High Point (6) | 76 |
| 2 | Charleston Southern (3) | 69 |
| 3 | UNC Asheville | 65 |
| 4 | Radford | 53 |
| 5 | Longwood | 49 |
| 6 | Winthrop | 35 |
| 7 | USC Upstate | 25 |
| 8 | Gardner-Webb | 20 |
| 9 | Presbyterian | 13 |
2026 BIG SOUTH MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points |
| 1 | Charleston Southern (6) | 78 |
| 2 | High Point (3) | 75 |
| 3 | UNC Asheville | 61 |
| 4 | USC Upstate | 47 |
| 5 | Radford | 41 |
| 6 | Winthrop | 37 |
| 7 | Longwood | 33 |
| 8 | Presbyterian | 18 |
| 9 | Gardner-Webb | 15 |
Story courtesy of Winthrop Athletics.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
