NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team, the reigning College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Champions, took the top spot in the CCIW's annual Preseason Coaches Poll released Friday, Oct. 16.
IWU garnered 63 points with seven first-place votes and one second-place nod. North Central and Carroll followed in a tight margin, with each reeling in one first-place vote. NCC pulled in 54 points with a league-high five second-place votes. Carroll, who shared the CCIW Regular Season title with the Titans a season ago, came in third with 50 points. Carthage and Elmhurst tied for fourth, compiling 41 points each. Wheaton (27) ranked sixth with Augustana (23), Millikin (17), and North Park (8) slotted seventh through ninth, respectively.
Illinois Wesleyan gets the 2026-27 season underway at the Hope College Tipoff Tournament Friday-Saturday, Nov. 6-7. The Titans will face Ohio Wesleyan University for a 3:30 p.m. ET tip Friday, before battling either Hope or University of Wisconsin-Platteville the next day.
2026-27 CCIW Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Illinois Wesleyan 63
2. North Central 54
3. Carroll 50
T4. Carthage 41
T4. Elmhurst 41
6. Wheaton 27
7. Augustana 23
8. Millikin 17
9. North Park 8
