2018 D3football.com Preseason Top 25 | 2017 CCIW Standings

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Three College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) programs were part of the 2018 D3football.com Preseason Top 25 poll announced by the website on Thursday. 

North Central (10-2, 7-1) was ranked seventh with 442 points following a CCIW co-regular season title in 2017. It was the Cardinals' 13th conference title in program history and 10th title since 2006. North Central also earned the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship, which was their 10th NCAA appearance in program history. The Cardinals advanced to the second round after defeating Saint John's (Minn.) in their postseason opener last year. 

Wheaton (8-2, 6-2) was ranked 18th with 195 points following a third place finish in the 2017 CCIW standings. The Thunder are an 18-time conference champion including back-to-back outright titles in 2014 and 2015. Wheaton has made 10 trips to the NCAA Division III Football Championship including nine since 2002. 

Illinois Wesleyan (9-2, 7-1) placed 21st in the poll with 146 points after the Titans claimed a share of the CCIW regular season title last season. It was the program's 15th title in school history and first since 2009. Illinois Wesleyan also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship, giving the Titans six appearances in school history. 

Millikin (7-3, 5-3) earned a spot in the "Others receiving votes" category with three points. The Big Blue made a three-win improvement between 2016 and 2017, going from 4-6 to 7-3. 

CCIW Season Openers
Millikin @ Hope, 7 p.m. EST, Friday, August 31

UW-Oshkosh @ Carthage, 12 p.m., Saturday, September 1
Monmouth (Ill.) @ Wheaton, 1 p.m., Saturday, September 1
Augustana @ Coe, 1 p.m., Saturday, September 1
Lakeland @ Carroll, 1 p.m., Saturday, September 1
Chicago @ WashU, 6 p.m., Saturday, September 1
Anderson @ North Park, 6 p.m., Saturday, September 1

UW-La Crosse @ Illinois Wesleyan, 1 p.m. Saturday, September 8
North Central @ Lake Forest, 1 p.m., Saturday, September 8
Elmhurst @ Aurora, 1 p.m., Saturday, September 8

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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), Carroll University (Waukesha, WI), Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), Elmhurst College (Elmhurst, IL), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Millikin University (Decatur, IL), North Central College (Naperville, IL), North Park University (Chicago, IL) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL). During the 2016-17 academic year, the CCIW honored over 1,900 academic all-conference recipients, 10 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 33 CoSIDA Academic All-District recipients, one CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year and over 100 all-Americans.