Defending PBC men’s cross country champions Flagler have been tabbed as the favorite for the 2026 season by the league’s coaches. The Saints received six first-place votes to lead the way with 62 points. Augusta received three first-place votes and sits in second with 59 points. GCSU rounds out the top three with 49 points, followed in order by Clayton State, Lander, Columbus State, USCA, USC Beaufort and Georgia Southwestern.
Last year, Flagler secured its first PBC Championship since 2016 and just the second in program history. The Saints secured six of the top eight places at the PBC Championships to finish with a total score of 19 points. The Saints made history at the NCAA Southeast Regional, securing a third-place finish and advancing to the NCAA National Championship for the first time, where they placed 32nd. Flagler returns three of its eight PBC all-conference honorees for the 2026 season.
Augusta finished second at the 2025 PBC Championship. The Jaguars closed their season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional, with Nasrudin Mohamed finishing 15th and advancing to the NCAA National Championship as an individual. Augusta returns all six of its PBC all-conference honorees for the 2026 season.
GCSU has been tabbed for a third-place finish in the preseason coaches’ poll. The Bobcats finished third at each of the previous two PBC Championships. GCSU placed ninth at the NCAA Southeast Regional, its best finish at the regional since 2018.
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
| 1. |
Flagler (6) |
62 |
| 2. |
Augusta (3) |
59 |
| 3. |
GCSU |
49 |
| 4. |
Clayton State |
39 |
| 5. |
Lander |
34 |
| 6. |
Columbus State |
28 |
| 7. |
USCA |
27 |
| 8. |
USC Beaufort |
18 |
| 9. |
Georgia Southwestern |
8 |