AUGUSTA, GA -- Five-time defending PBC men's cross country champion Augusta University has been selected as the 2024 favorite in a poll of the league's head coaches released on Monday. The Jaguars received all eight first-place votes available to them for a maximum score of 64 points. Flagler was in second place with 57 followed by Columbus State, Georgia College & State University and Clayton State.

Augusta won their fifth PBC title in a row in 2023, six in the last seven years, just one shy of the PBC record for consecutive championships set by Kennesaw State from 1994-99. The 2023 team also finished second in the NCAA Southeast Regionals to advance to the national championships. Most of that team returns for 2024 with six All-Conference performers returning including 2023 PBC individual champion Brandon Martin and 2023 Runner of the Year Avery Jaynes.

Flagler finished as the runner-up at the PBC Championships for the fifth year in a row with 2023 their narrowest margin of the five. The Saints finished fourth at the NCAA Southeast Regionals, just missing a trip to the nationals, their best finish there since 2019. For 2024, Flagler returns five All-Conference performers from last season including seniors Jon Eide, Christian Fernandez, Francisco Ramirez and Ethan Tank.

Columbus State turned in their second straight third-place finish at the 2023 PBC Championships. The Cougars also had a top-10 finish at the NCAA Southeast Regionals for the second year in a row. CSU returns four seniors and five juniors for 2024 including seniors Blake Lewis and Elijah Sires, both of whom scored in the top 20 at the PBC Championships.

The 2024 coaches poll is below; coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.

2024 Peach Belt Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Augusta (8) 64

2. Flagler 57

3. Columbus State 45

4. GCSU 43

5. Clayton State 33

6. USC Aiken 31

7. Lander 22

8. USC Beaufort 19

9. GSW 10