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Track and Field Set for CCIW Championships

Both teams in top-three in pre-championship poll

2/25/2026 2:45:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University track & field teams are set to host the 2026 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday-Saturday, Feb. 27-28. Action from the Shirk Center is set to get underway at 11 a.m. on Friday.

The men's and women's teams each ranked in the top-three in the CCIW Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll. On the men's side, IWU tied for the second-position with Carthage, each garnering 50 points. North Central, who has won the past eight championships, topped the poll with eight first-place votes and 64 points.

The Titans women's squad came in third in the pre-championship poll, grabbing 52 points. Just in front of IWU was North Central, garnering three first-place votes and 56 points. Elmhurst topped the rankings with six first-place votes and 62 points.

On the national stage, IWU came in at No. 17 in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women's Indoor Track & Field Rating Index, released Tuesday, Feb. 24. Elmhurst was two spots behind at No. 19.

Three Titans have set all-time conference records so far this season. Senior Evan Lowder (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) set his CCIW record in the indoor 400m at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet Friday, Feb. 13. Running a time of 47.56, Lowder broke the previous record set in 2019 by North Central's Peyton Piron. Lowder currently sits top-five in Division III in the event.

Senior Adriana Crabtree (Normal, Ill.-University High) has set two program records of her own this season and one CCIW all-time record. In the women's mile, Crabtree ran 4:54.60 at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational Jan. 31 before setting a school and CCIW record in the 3000m the next weekend at the Keck Select, Feb. 7. In the 3000m, Crabtree bested WashU's Jillian Heth by under a second to win the record-setting race, 9:37.71.

Reigning CCIW Field Athlete of the Week junior Imani Ogunribido (Hanover Park, Ill.-Lake Park) not only set a program and CCIW all-time record, but climbed into Division III's all-time indoor triple jump rankings. Leaping an indoor personal-best 12.63m this past weekend at the Friday Night Tri, Feb. 20, Ogunribido currently sits nearly three feet in front of Elmhurst's Paulina Tinajero in the league's performance list.

Several other Titans rank near the top of the CCIW's indoor performance list heading into the championship weekend. Junior Mackenzie Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) tops the women's 800m after running the third-best time in program history, 2:12.37, at the GVSU Big Meet, Feb. 13.

Sophomore Jacob Pinkston (Tinley Park, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) has posted the second-best time in the league this season in the 800m. Pinkston ran a time of 1:57.32 at the Friday Night Tri, Feb. 20, which ranks a half second behind Daniel Prochaska of Augustana.

Senior Matt Lindberg (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood) and freshman Summer Clark (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) each rank third in the CCIW in the men's and women's high jump. Lindberg cleared a height of 1.97m earlier this season, while Clark's best mark of 1.58m was cleared at the Friday Night Tri last week.

Senior Isaac Whitaker (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) is seeking his fourth career top-three finish in the indoor men's pole vault, having won the pole vault title in 2023. Whitaker cleared a height of 4.67m at the GVSU Big Meet, which ranks third in the CCIW going into the championships.

Ogunribido additionally ranks third in the women's long jump, jumping 5.60m at the Titan First Chance, Dec. 5. Ogunribido leads the way in triple jump, with freshman teammate Tori Brown (Glasford, Ill.-Illini Bluffs) not far behind in third. Brown jumped a career-best 11.69m at the Friday Night Tri, Feb. 20, to leap to fifth in the program's all-time top-10 list. Brown also currently ranks in the top-15 in Division III in the event.

Action is set to begin inside the Shirk Center with multi-events Friday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. Live results can be found here, while a link to a live stream can be found here.

2026 CCIW Men's Indoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll
1. North Central (8 first-place votes), 64 points
T2. Carthage (1 first-place vote), 50 points
T2. Illinois Wesleyan, 50 points
4. Augustana, 48 points
5. Wheaton, 33 points
6. Carroll, 31 points
7. Millikin, 23 points
8. Elmhurst, 16 points
9. North Park, 9 points

2026 CCIW Women's Indoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll
1. Elmhurst (6 first-place votes), 62 points
2. North Central (3 first-place votes), 56 points
3. Illinois Wesleyan, 52 points
4. Augustana, 40 points
5. Carthage, 37 points
6. Wheaton, 30 points
T7. Carroll, 17 points
T7. Millikin, 17 points
9. North Park, 13 points

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