BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The 13th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team zeroes in on College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Wednesday, Dec. 3, with a trip to Augustana College. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. in the Carver Center.
    The Titans travel to Rock Island, Ill. with a 4-2 record and are coming off their fourth straight Midwest Challenge title. The Titans downed No. 16 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 64-53, before besting 15th-ranked WashU, 59-54, in the title game. Augie sits at 3-1 on the season and has won its past two games. Most recently, the Vikins throttled Webster University, 77-38, in St. Louis, Mo. Saturday, Nov. 29.
    A live stream and live stats of each contest will be available on the women's basketball page of iwusports.com.

MIDWEST CHALLENGE CHAMPS SINCE 2022: The Titans put together a pair of ranked wins to knock off No. 16 UW-La Crosse and 15th-ranked WashU, Nov. 29-30. With the wins, Illinois Wesleyan wrapped up its fourth straight Midwest Challenge title and its ninth overall.

MIDWEST CHALLENGE NODS: Senior Sawyer White was named the 2025 Midwest Challenge MVP and was named to the all-tournament team alongside Ava Bardic and Asia Kobylarczyk. White tied a career-high with 22 points in the title game, while Bardic and Kobylarczyk paced the Green and White in its opening game of the weekend.

AGAINST AUGIE ALL-TIME: Illinois Wesleyan and Augustana share a long history that dates back to the 1976-77 campaign. The Titans hold the upper hand in the 91-game series, 56-35. The Vikings have only come out on top in seven of the last 43 meetings, with IWU winning the past five matchups.
    Most recently, the Titans topped the Vikings, 65-54, in Rock Island Feb. 22. Mallory Powers led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Kate Palmer (15), Ava Bardic (13), and Lauren Huber (12) also scored in double figures.

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 527.

THE 55TH YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan is in its 55th year of women's basketball and has compiled a 762-510 overall record. IWU's .599 all-time win percentage includes a 363-204 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark.

POLLING PLACE: Illinois Wesleyan remains in the national polls through the first few weeks of the 2025-26 season. The Titans are 13th in the D3hoops.com Top-25 and No. 20 in the WBCA poll.
    IWU is one of two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin team featured in both polls, as  Carroll is 16th in the D3hoops rankings and tied for 25th in the WBCA poll.

ON THE HORIZON: IWU takes on North Central Saturday, Dec. 6, in a doubleheader with the IWU men's basketball team. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.