BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 10 Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team begins its 2025-26 campaign Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 15-16, as Trinity University (Texas) and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater await the Titans in the Champions Classic, hosted inside the Shirk Center. Tipoff between the Tigers and Titans is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, while Sunday's bout with the Warhawks is set for a 2 p.m. start. 
    Illinois Wesleyan won 20 consecutive contests to begin the 2024-25 campaign en route to a 28-2 season that ended in the Sweet Sixteen. Trinity flies into Bloomington, Ill. with an 0-1 record in the early season following a 85-58 setback against Emory, Nov. 8. The Warhawks began their season with a 63-58 victory over WashU, Nov. 8 and sit at 1-0.
    Fans can catch a live stream of the game, while live stats will also be provided. Links on how to follow along can be found on the women's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.

THE 55TH YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, entering its 55th year of women's basketball, has compiled a 758-508 overall record. IWU's .599 all-time win percentage includes a 363-204 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark.

TUSSLING WITH THE TIGERS: Illinois Wesleyan holds a combined 1-3 record against Trinity (Texas) all-time, with its first win coming in dramatic fashion last season in the Lone Star State. The Titans put together a 35-point fourth quarter and forced overtime against the Tigers Dec. 27, 2024 to remain undefeated and claim a 94-91 victory. Current senior Sara Balli was key for Illinois Wesleyan, posting 18 points and, more importantly, blocking the Tiger's game-tying attempt from beyond the arc as time expired.

BATTLING THE WARHAWKS: Despite a victory over then No. 3 ranked UW-Whitewater a season ago, the Warhawks lead the all-time series 14-4. The Titans upset the Warhawks 84-78 last season, as Kate Palmer and Ava Bardic each dropped 20+ points. Bardic and Sawyer White combined for seven steals in the win. Prior to last season, IWU had dropped the previous 11 matchups, dating back to 2013. The last time the Titans upended the Warhawks inside the Shirk Center was Nov. 27, 2012 in a narrow 72-69 victory.   

POLLING PLACE: Illinois Wesleyan garnered a 10th-place ranking in the D3hoops.com Top-25 Preseason Poll released Monday, Oct. 24. The Titans put up 307 points as the Green and White earned its 130th all-time ranking by D3hoops.com.
    IWU is the lone College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin team featured in the poll. NYU topped the poll with 17 first-place votes and 608 points. Scranton ranked second with 588 points and five first-place votes, while UW-Oshkosh ranked third with 564 points. Smith (524) and Bowdoin (511) rounded out the poll in fourth and fifth-place, respectively.

CCIW PRESEASON POLL: The Titans were selected to win the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin race, as announced in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, Oct. 24. Coming in with six first-place votes and 62 points, the reigning CCIW Champions narrowly bested Carroll, who grabbed the remaining three first-place votes and 59 points. Elmhurst (38), Carthage (37), and Wheaton (37) rounded out the top-five.

SHE'LL STILL TAKE THAT: Senior Sawyer White, who has been equally as well-known for her bench griddy celebration, was originally made famous for wreaking havoc on the defensive end throughout her Titan career. With 262 steals in her career, White needs just 34 steals to surpass current all-time steals leader Rebekah Ehresman, who accrued 296 during her outstanding career as a Titan from 2014-2018. White ranks second on the all-time steals list, ahead of Sydney Shanks (233). Her sophomore season, White set the program's single season steals record with 112 takeaways.
    In the CCIW, White sits 142 steals behind Millikin's Jennifer Falbe, who had 404 takeaways in her career as a Big Blue from 1996-2000. In White's sophomore season, she set a single season steals record with 112, which ranks second all-time in a single season in league history.

HOME COOKING: One of the greatest venues in NCAA Division III, the Shirk Center has been home to more than 750 Titan basketball games between the men and women. In its 31-year history, the women have won 273 of 358 of its home games, good for a .763 win percentage.

FAB FOUR NO MORE: The Titans graduated four seniors a season ago that combined for 51 percent of minutes played and 56% of both the Green and White offense and rebounding. Lauren Huber, Kate Palmer, and Mallory Powers each averaged double-digit points last season, while Huber, Powers, and fellow senior Caite Knutson were IWU's top-three rebounders in 2024-25. The class, which is arguably one of the best in program history, combined for more than 4000 points and 2000 rebounds over the course of their careers.
    However, IWU returns its leading scorer from last season, Ava Bardic, who averaged 15 points a game, shooting a team-best .355 from behind the arc as well as Sawyer White, who averaged the fifth-most minutes a season ago.

FRESHMAN FILES: Illinois Wesleyan hit the recruiting trail in a big way last offseason, finding nine new Titans to bring onboard this season. Rena Robinson, Lucy Hynes, Kaidyn King, Ashley Mahlum, Sofia Flynn, Caitlin Leyden, Asia Kobylarczyk, Megan Allen, and Madison Sears are set to make their career debuts sporting Green and White on Saturday.

LUCK OF THE IRISH: Freshman Lucy Hynes may be a first-year player for the Titans, but she brings international experience with her to Bloomington, Ill. Hynes was selected to play for last summer's FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket Division B Tournament for the Ireland squad, played in Miskolc, Hungary in August. She was one of four US-based players chosen to represent team Ireland, which went 3-3 in the event.

The DEAN OF THE CCIW: In her 27-year career at the helm of Illinois Wesleyan women's hoops, Mia Smith ranks second all-time in CCIW victories. With 292 wins to 95 loses in conference contests, Smith needs just four league victories to surpass Millikin's Lori Kerans and overtake the title of all-time winningest coach in CCIW history. Kerans holds the all-time record for wins with 556 in her 32-year career, as Smith lurks close behind with 525.

PRESEASON PRAISE: Senior Ava Bardic was selected to the D3hoops.com Preseason All-American Team, announced by the organization Oct. 29. A second team selection, Bardic becomes the sixth Titan to earn the preseason honor and the first to be named to one of the top-three teams. Bardic joins Carroll's Natalie Gricius (third team) as one of two CCIW student-athletes to be featured on the list.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan travels north for the Hope Tip Off Tournament next weekend, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-22. The Titans battle with Franciscan, Friday in Holland, Mich., with game time set for 5 p.m. ET inside DeVos Fieldhouse.