AMERICUS, Ga. -- The Peach Belt Conference released its preseason cross country polls earlier this week.
Flagler College was voted as the women's cross country preseason favorite in a poll of the league's head coaches released on Tuesday. The Saints received all nine first-place votes available to them in the poll for the maximum 81 points. Augusta was second in the voting with North Georgia third and Columbus State fourth.
Flagler has won the last four PBC Championships in a row, the third longest streak in PBC history. The Saints return their entire team from last season, led by junior Monique Whiteman, the 2022 PBC Runner of the Year and Individual Champion who also competed in the NCAA national championships.
Seniors Maya Boynton and Kimmy Singer return for Georgia Southwestern. The Lady Hurricanes open their 2023 season on Friday, Sept. 1 at the Valdosta State University Border Clash held at Freedom Park in Valdosta, Ga. The season culminates at the 2023 PBC Championships, hosted by the University of North Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 21 in Dahlonega, Ga.
2023 PBC Women's Cross Country
Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Flagler (9) | 81 |
| 2 | Augusta | 70 |
| 3 | North Georgia | 68 |
| 4 | Columbus State | 54 |
| 5 | Georgia College & State | 52 |
| 6 | Clayton State | 40 |
| 7 | Lander | 27 |
| 8 | USC Aiken | 26 |
| 9 | USC Beaufort | 19 |
| 10 | Georgia Southwestern | 13 |
Augusta University was selected as the Peach Belt men's cross country preseason favorite in a poll of the league's head coaches released on Tuesday. The Jaguars received seven of a possible nine first-place votes for 58 points. Flagler, who received the other two first-place votes, was second with Columbus State third and Georgia College & State University fourth.
Augusta has won the PBC Championship in five of the last six years including the last four in a row, tied for the third-longest win streak in league history. The 2023 Jaguars return 11 runners from that championship team including All-Conference runners Avery Jaynes, Thomas Rishar, Patrick Motes, Carlos Rodriguez and Andrew Todd.
Junior Lars Nilsen and sophomore Jacob Rose return for GSW. The Hurricanes open their 2023 season on Friday, Sept. 1 at the Valdosta State University Border Clash held at Freedom Park in Valdosta, Ga. The season culminates at the 2023 PBC Championships, hosted by the University of North Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 21 in Dahlonega, Ga.
2023 PBC Men's Cross Country
Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Augusta (7) | 63 |
| 2 | Flagler (2) | 58 |
| 3 | Columbus State | 50 |
| 4 | Georgia College & State | 42 |
| 5 | Clayton State | 31 |
| 6 | Lander | 25 |
| 7 | USC Aiken | 23 |
| 8 | USC Beaufort | 21 |
| 9 | Georgia Southwestern | 11 |