Greenville, S.C. - Three from the Lincoln Memorial Men's Wrestling team have been named Conference Carolinas Wrestlers to Watch for the upcoming season, as the conference released its preseason coaches' poll on Thursday.  

Senior James Taxton leads the way for the Railsplitters along with Sophomore Blake Allen and Freshman Kameron Harrell, as the Splitters placed 15th in the overall standings with 27 points. 

Thaxton makes his second-consecutive appearance on the conferences Wrestlers to Watch list, as in his junior campaign, Thaxton would earn six wins for the Railsplitters, highlighted with a 12-0 major decision in the conference opener against Mount Olive and a 4-0 win in the Super Regional match against Emmanuel. Thaxton also helped the Splitters secure key points in the teams win over Emory & Henry to end the season. 

Fellow returner Allen joins Thaxton on the conference watchlist after a strong start to his collegiate career. In two matches in the 2025-26 season, the Knoxville, Tennessee local netted a perfect 2-0 record, highlighted by a 2-0 decision victory against Bluefield State in the home finale. 

Harrell joins the list as one of four Freshman hoping to provide key mat time for the Railsplitters. Hailing from Poquoson, Virginia, Harrell was named a national All-American during his time at Poquoson High School, where he was a three-time regional champion and a four-time district champion.  

The Railsplitters are hoping to pick up where they left off at the end of last season, as LMU earned a season-ending win over Emory & Henry on the road before entering the postseason race.  

Lincoln Memorial will return to the mats on November 1st for the East Stroudsburg Open, while the conference season begins on November 18th with a dual match against Shorter and Montevallo in Rome, Georgia. 

The full coaches' poll and Wrestlers to Watch can be found below. 

Conference Carolinas Preseason Coaches' Poll 

1: Lander – 191 (10) 

T2: UNC Pembroke – 164 (1) 

T2: Newberry – 164 (4) 

4: Montevallo – 156 

5: Belmont Abbey – 152 

6: King – 149 

7: Mount Olive – 115 

8: Emmanuel – 96 

9: Ferrum – 82 

10: Shorter – 80 

11: Coker – 73 

12: Allen – 53 

13: Bluefield State – 45 

14: Emory & Henry – 28 

15: Lincoln Memorial – 27 

2026-27 Conference Carolinas Men's Wrestling Wrestlers to Watch 

Allen 

• Dharrin Smith, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia 

• Malachi Thomas, Jr., Rock Hill, South Carolina 

• Zahmier Bandwin, Jr., Woodstock, Georgia 

Belmont Abbey 

• Chris Arrington, Sr., 174, Grand Rapids, Michigan (NCAA national qualifier) 

• Elijah Carrington, So., 141, Uniondale, New York (All-Conference Carolinas third team; Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, NCAA national qualifier) 

• Caleb Moore, Gr., 197, Denver, North Carolina (All-Conference Carolinas first team, NCAA national qualifier) 

Bluefield State 

• Larry "Ryder" Rhodes, Jr., 125, Colorado Springs, Colorado 

• Kairyn Hall, Jr., 165, Glen Burnie, Maryland 

• Simeon Bryant, So., 285, Owings Mills, Maryland 

Coker 

• Daiyan Heard, Jr., 133, Norfolk, Virginia 

• Zachary Russo, Jr., 157, Raleigh, North Carolina 

• Hunter Miller, Jr., 285, Cleveland, North Carolina 

Emmanuel 

• Braydon Mitchell, Jr., Covington, Georgia (All-Conference Carolinas second team) 

• Michael McCarthy, Sr., Melbourne, Florida 

• Isiah Davis, Sr., Elberton, Georgia 

Emory & Henry 

• Sebastian Gabarrete, Sr., 165, Jeffersonton, Virginia 

• Evan Alger, Sr., 197, Pulaski, Virginia 

• Gavin Warner, Sr., 141, Draper, Virginia 

Ferrum 

• Ezeliel Keel, So., 125, Herndon, Virginia 

• Andres Cortes, Jr., 149, Woodberry, New Jersey (NWCA All-America) 

• Josh Daltro, Jr., 174, Jacksonville, Florida (NCWA national finalist) 

King 

• Adan Estrada, Jr., 141, Zillah, Washington 

• Ashtan Hendricks, Sr., 149, Jamestown, Ohio 

• Luke Justice, Sr., 197, Thompsons Station, Tennessee 

Lander 

• Isaac Sheeren, Jr., 197, Houston, Texas (Two-time national qualifier, Two-time All-Conference Carolinas, 2026 Super Region II Champion, 2025 Super Region II Finalist) 

• Gianni Maldonado, 165, r-Fr., Tampa, Florida 

• RJ Noble, Sr., 157, Plant City, Florida (2026 NCAA national qualifier, 2026 Super Region II Finalist) 

Lincoln Memorial 

• Kameron Harrell, Fr., Poquoson, Virginia 

• James Thaxton, Sr., Crawfordville, Florida (2026 NCAA Regional Qualifier)

• Blake Allen, So., Knoxville, Tennessee 

Montevallo 

• Cole Hunt, Sr., 125, Sugar Valley, Georgia, (2025-26 All-Conference Carolinas first team) 

• Carson Freeman, Sr., 157, Alabaster, Alabama (2025-26 All-Conference Carolinas third team) 

• Cole Tolley, Grad, 197, Tampa, Florida 

Mount Olive 

• Ben Hernandez, Jr., 141, St. Clemente, California (2026 NCAA Super Region II placer) 

• Calab Staub, Sr., 197, 

• John Domencic, Jr., 285, Cary, North Carolina 

Newberry 

• Drake Brasiel, Fr., 165, Aurora, Ohio 

• Osmany Martinez, Jr., 141, Habana, Cuba (Two-time Pan American Junior Champion, Three-time Cuban National Junior champion, Gold medal at Central American and Caribbean games, Bronze at the Pan American games) 

• Hunter McCullough, Sr., 125, Hahira, Georgia 

UNC Pembroke 

• James Bankston, Sr., 285, Durham, North Carolina (2026 NCAA All-America) 

• Cooper Davis, Jr., 125, Davidson, North Carolina (2026 NWCA Super Region II Rookie of the Year) 

• Keegan Roberson, 5th, 157, Chicago, Illinois (2026 All-Conference Carolinas first team) 

Shorter 

• Brayden Gibson, So., 141, Powder Springs, Georgia 

• Jonathan Fogus, So., 157, Rome, Georgia 

• Riley Davis, Jr., 184, Rome, Georgia