NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Millikin was picked to win the 2021-22 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women's basketball title based upon the results of the conference's annual preseason coaches' poll announced Thursday.
The Big Blue (11-3) won the poll with 63 points and seven first place votes after winning the 11th conference championship in program history last season. The Big Blue will look to make their 15th NCAA Tournament appearance this season as Olivia Lett's squad opens the season ranked 22nd in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25.
Wheaton (11-1) came in second in the coaches' poll with 58 points including two first place votes. Wheaton has won 10 conference titles in its history including the four of the last six under head coach Kent Madsen (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019). The Thunder enter the season ranked 11th in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 after finishing last season ranked seventh nationally.
Illinois Wesleyan (6-4) was tied for third with 45 points following the Titans run to the CCIW Tournament Championship game last year. North Park (9-5) also tied for third with 45 points.
Carroll (7-6) ranked fifth in the poll with 34 points and Augustana (4-6) was sixth wtih 26 points. Rounding out the poll was Carthage (4-10), North Central (4-10), and Elmhurst (2-11) with 23, 18, and 12 points respectively.
Voting is done by the CCIW's head women's basketball coaches. Each coach votes for the eight other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (eight points for first, seven for second, etc.). Coaches do not vote for their own teams.
The 2021-22 women's basketball season opens on Friday, November 5, with North Park hosting St. Cartherine and Millikin playing host to Westminster (Mo.).
2021-22 CCIW Preseason Women's Basketball Poll
| Rank |
Institution |
Points (1st Pl. Votes) |
| 1 |
Millikin |
63 (7) |
| 2 |
Wheaton |
58 (2) |
| T3 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
45 |
| T3 |
North Park |
45 |
| 5 |
Carroll |
34 |
| 6 |
Augustana |
26 |
| 7 |
Carthage |
23 |
| 8 |
North Central |
18 |
| 9 |
Elmhurst |
12 |
2021 CCIW Women's Basketball Standings
| Institution |
CCIW |
Overall |
| Wheaton |
11-1 |
11-1 |
| Millikin |
8-3 |
11-3 |
| North Park |
8-4 |
9-5 |
| Illinois Wesleyan |
4-3 |
6-4 |
| Carroll |
6-5 |
7-6 |
| Augustana |
4-5 |
4-6 |
| Elmhurst |
3-9 |
4-10 |
| Carthage |
3-9 |
4-10 |
| North Central |
2-10 |
2-11 |
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 2017-18 academic year, the CCIW honored over 2,100 academic all-conference recipients, 15 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 28 CoSIDA Academic All-District recipients, and over 100 all-Americans.