GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas unveiled its 2022 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll on Thursday, with the Lees-McRae men's outdoor track & field team, under head coach
Ley Fletcher and associate head coach
John Boisette, ranked fifth. Senior
Brian Sims Jr., along with freshmen
Jean Origene and
Ian Kelbert were all recognized as Preseason Athletes to Watch.
Mount Olive received 10 first-place votes and 100 total point to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. UNC Pembroke was ranked second with one first-place vote (88 total points), while Emmanuel was selected third with 78 total points. The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and can be viewed in its entirety below or by clicking
HERE.
Athletes to Watch…Sims Jr., who is entering his second year in Banner Elk, won the Conference Carolinas title in the 400-meter dash during the indoor season and qualified to compete at the NCAA Division II Championships on March 11. Origene claimed his first conference title in the 60-meter dash at the indoor championships, while Kelbert garnered All-Conference Carolinas honors in the 3,000-meter run (second team) and in the 5,000-meter run (third team) to close out his first indoor season with the Bobcats.
Previewing the outdoor season…The Bobcats will open their outdoor season on Friday, March 18 in Hickory, North Carolina as they compete in the Power and Fitness Invitational.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
2022 Conference Carolinas Men's Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Poll:
| Rank |
Team (1st-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Mount Olive (10) |
100 |
| 2 |
UNC Pembroke (1) |
88 |
| 3 |
Emmanuel |
78 |
| 4 |
North Greenville |
76 |
| 5 |
Lees-McRae |
64 |
| 6 |
Southern Wesleyan |
54 |
| 7 |
Belmont Abbey |
46 |
| 8 |
Barton |
33 |
| 9 |
King |
26 |
| 10 |
Erskine |
24 |
| 11 |
Converse |
16 |
