SPARTANBURG, SC – Francis Marion University women's and men's cross country competed at the 2026 Conference Carolinas Championship Meet on Saturday morning (Nov. 7) at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, S.C. The men's program posted a 14th-place finish, while the women's squad did not record a team score.

Francis Marion is scheduled to compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship in two weeks, on Saturday, Nov. 21, back in Spartanburg at the Milliken Center.

Freshman Dalton Horton was the first men's runner to finish, completing the 8,000-meter course in 28:20.5 and finishing 72nd overall. Junior Kyle Elliott placed 101st after crossing the line with a personal-best time of 29:40.5, which was a 48-place improvement from the previous year. Freshman Nicholas Bresnan placed 116th in his first conference meet appearance, posting a time of 30:09.1.

Other Patriot runners included senior Niclas Giessler (31.23.8, personal best) in 130th place, sophomore Ethan Simpson (31:27.3) in 131st, junior Caleb Gary (31:50.6) in 133rd, freshman Zachary Newton (32:00.6) in 134th, and senior Grayson Hartson (32:32.1) in 136th.

Junior Rowan Hearn was the lone finisher for the Patriot women's cross country team on the 6,000-meter course, placing 85th overall with a time of 29:21.6. Francis Marion has experienced several injuries to its women's roster this season, which resulted in no team score being posted at the league meet.

UNC Pembroke earned the women's team title, while Young Harris College captured the men's crown.