GREENVILLE, S.C. – Five-time defending champion Emmanuel has been picked to claim the Conference Carolinas championship again in 2025-26 Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The conference office officially unveiled the preseason poll on September 18. The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches. Notably, three decorated returners were listed as players to watch for Chowan this season.
Chowan
- Aleksei Belolipetskii, Sr., Volgograd, Russia, (Three-time All-Conference Carolinas, 2024 Conference Carolinas Swimmer of the Year)
- Dimitrije Markovic, Jr., Krusevac, Serbia, (2025 All-Conference Carolinas)
- Robert Cabrera, Sr., Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, (Two-time All-Conference Carolinas)
Emmanuel earned 25 points and all five first place votes to sit atop the poll. Converse University earned the final first place vote and is picked second with 19 points. The 2025 runner-up, University of Montevallo was picked third with 16 points.
King University checked in fourth with 13 points while Barton College is picked fifth with 10 points. Chowan University rounded out the poll in sixth with seven points.
The 2025-26 Conference Carolinas Swimming & Diving Championships are scheduled for Wednesday, February 18 through Saturday, February 21 at the Kingsport Aquatic Center in Kingsport, Tenn.
2025-26 Conference Carolinas
Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
|
School |
Total (First Place) |
| 1 |
Emmanuel |
25 (5) |
| 2 |
Converse |
19 (1) |
| 3 |
Montevallo |
16 |
| 4 |
King |
13 |
| 5 |
Barton |
10 |
| 6 |
Chowan |
7 |
2025-26 Conference Carolinas Men's Swimming & Diving Players to Watch
Barton
- Natan Alexandre, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil (2025 Conference Carolinas Champion in 100 yard breaststroke)
- Dominic Edl, Sr., Bluffton, South Carolina
- Ethan Robinson, Sr., Dacula, Georgia
Chowan
- Aleksei Belolipetskii, Sr., Volgograd, Russia, (Three-time All-Conference Carolinas, 2024 Conference Carolinas Swimmer of the Year)
- Dimitrije Markovic, Jr., Krusevac, Serbia, (2025 All-Conference Carolinas)
- Robert Cabrera, Sr., Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, (Two-time All-Conference Carolinas)
Converse
- Henry Stockton, So., Colorado Springs, Colorado (2025 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, 2025 three-time All-Conference Carolinas first team, 2025 two-time All-Conference Carolinas second team, 2025 All-Conference Carolinas third team in 400 yard medley relay)
- Louis Milczynski, Sr., Montauban, France (2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team in 200 yard freestyle relay, 2025 two-time All-Conference Carolinas second team, 2025 two-time All-Conference Carolinas third team)
- Joey Lilley, So., Greer, South Carolina (2025 All-Conference Carolinas first team in 200 yard freestyle relay, 2025 two-time All-Conference Carolinas second team, 2025 All-Conference Carolinas third team in 400 yard medley relay)
Emmanuel
- Jan Michalak, Sr., Skierniewice, Poland
- Arda Hulagu, Jr., Antalya, Turkey
- Maximiliano Benitez, So., Asunción, Paraguay
King
- Matthew Montenegro-Strunk, So., Butterfly, Gallatin, Tennessee
- Cristobal Amiel, Fr., Freestyle, Lima, Peru
- Fabi Ricci, Fr., Freestyle, Piacenza, Italy
Montevallo
- Aleksei Kolesnikov, Sr., Pyatigorsk, Russia, (2025 NCAA Division II All-American, 2025 Conference Carolinas Swimmer of the Year, Three-time All-Conference Carolinas selection, 2024 CSCAA All-American, 2024 All-NSISC second team)
- Xoel Parcero Areoso, Fr., Santiago, Spain
- Eduardo Elizaran Galan, So., Coroba, Spain, (Four-time All-Conference Carolinas selection)
