2026 CCIW Men's Basketball All-CCIW picks

Cleveland Sweeps Specialty Awards, Titans Place Three on All-CCIW Teams

Rose & staff named CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year

2/23/2026 3:30:00 PM

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) took home two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin specialty awards as a total of three Titans landed on the league's all-conference teams revealed Monday, Feb. 23. The 13th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team's selections were the most around the CCIW, while Ron Rose's staff was also voted the league's coaching staff of the year.

Making CCIW history, Cleveland is the first student-athlete to be voted the Most Outstanding Player and the First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year in the same season. He is the first Titan to earn player of the year status since Matthew Leritz took home the honor in 2022 and the 19th overall. Cleveland is the third CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year winner in program history, joining Luke Yoder (2020) and Josh Fridman (2025).

Cleveland and junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) reeled in spots on the All-CCIW First Team, while senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) received a second team nod. All three Titans reeled in All-CCIW honors for the first time in their careers. Senior David Williams (Peoria, Ill.-Peoria Notre Dame) was voted Illinois Wesleyan's CCIW RESPECT Award recipient.

Cleveland burst onto the scene in his first year of collegiate competition. The Normal, Ill. native played in and started 14 CCIW games, averaging 19.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He is the first Titan to average a double-double in league play since Cody Mitchell in 2022-23. Cleveland converted at a conference-best 61.0 percent clip. A multi-tool player, Cleveland dished out 38 assists for an average of 2.7 per game, a mark that ranked 12th in the league. Additionally, he was second in blocks per game (1.7) and fourth in steals (1.7). He posted eight double-doubles. Cleveland totaled five 20-point games, highlighted by 32 points versus Elmhurst, Feb. 7, and 30 at Wheaton, Jan. 17. He pulled in a career-high 17 rebounds against Wheaton, Feb. 4.

Funk, a sure-fire defensive player of the year winner if the award existed at the league level, did it all for the Titans in his junior season. Starting all 16 conference games, Funk was second on the team in both scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). He topped the team with an astounding 53 blocks and 29 steals, both of which also led the CCIW. Funk is the first player to lead the conference in both statistical categories since at least 2010-11. He added in 36 assists and finished the slate with a 49.1 field goal percentage while shooting 35.5 percent from distance. Funk was ninth in the conference in scoring, seventh in rebounding, 12th in field goal percentage and three-pointers made, 13th in three-point field goal clip, and 18th in assists. The Normal, Ill. product posted two double-doubles and tallied 20+ points six times. He popped off for a career-high 35 points at Carthage, Dec. 3.

A co-captain, Colak was a steady hand for the Green and White throughout the season. He ranked second to only Cleveland with 32.3 minutes per game over 16 starts. Colak averaged 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while adding in 45 assists, 11 steals, and six blocks. He was ranked in the top-20 in six statistical categories including rebounding (ninth), minutes per game (ninth), free throw percentage (12th), assists (12th), three-pointers made per game (tied 16th) scoring (20th). He scored in double-figures in 10-of-16 games with three 20-point showings. Colak scored a career-best 23 points against Augustana, Jan. 7, while he completed a double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds.

Illinois Wesleyan won the program's 34th CCIW Regular Season Championship and will serve as the host of the final two rounds of the conference's tournament. Quarterfinals will take place Tuesday, Feb. 24, while IWU will next take the court at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, as host to the semifinals. The Titans will play in the second semifinal of the day inside the Shirk Center, with second-seeded Carthage set to play in the 5 p.m. bout. Opponents will be determined following the outcome of Tuesday's tilts.

Fred Young CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete
Noah Cleveland, Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Noah Cleveland, Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year
Illinois Wesleyan

All-CCIW First Team
Riley Brooks, Carthage
Ryan Johnson, Carthage
*Dominic Trelenberg, Elmhurst
*Noah Cleveland, Illinois Wesleyan
Mason Funk, Illinois Wesleyan
Lane Thomann, Millikin
Mike Vuckovic, North Park
*Soren Richardson, Wheaton

* -- Unanimous selection

All-CCIW Second Team
Michael McNabb, Carroll
Lamar Smith, Carroll
AJ Johnson, Carthage
Vinnie Adjahoungbeta, Elmhurst
Karlo Colak, Illinois Wesleyan
James Bullock, Jr., North Central
Kolden Vanlandingham, North Park
Carson Grier, Wheaton

CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Augustana
Jacob Naber, Carroll
Patrick Laurich, Carthage
Sebastian Blachut, Elmhurst
David Williams, Illinois Wesleyan
Jacob Bullock, Millikin
North Central
Marquis Vance, North Park
Kyle Neibch, Wheaton

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