NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The University of Chicago was predicted to win the 2021 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women's lacrosse title based upon the results of the conference's annual preseason coaches' poll announced Friday.
The Maroons won the poll with 25 points and five first place votes. In 2019, Chicago finished second in the regular season standings during the program's first year as an associate member.
2018 and 2019 CCIW champion Illinois Wesleyan placed second in the poll with 20 points. The Titans have also won the last three CCIW Women's Lacrosse Tournaments held (2017-2019).
North Central placed third with 15 points and one first place vote as the Cardinals have qualified for every CCIW Tournament held since the conference began sponsoring women's lacrosse in 2015.
Carthage (13 points), Carroll (12 points) and Augustana (five points) rounded out the poll.
Voting for the CCIW Preseason Women's Lacrosse Poll is done by the head women's lacrosse coaches. Each coach votes for the five other programs in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (six points for first, five for second, etc.). Coaches do not vote for their own teams.
2021 CCIW Preseason Women's Lacrosse Poll
| Rank |
Institution |
Points (1st Pl. Votes) |
| 1 |
Chicago |
25 (5) |
| 2 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
20 |
| 3 |
North Central |
15 (1) |
| 4 |
Carthage |
13 |
| 5 |
Carroll |
12 |
| 6 |
Augustana |
5 |
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).