Final Team Standings | Final Individual Brackets | Final Individual Results  

WHEATON -- Millikin won its third-straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Wrestling Tournament Championship title on Thursday at Wheaton College's Chrouser Sports Center.

The Big Blue won the title with a team score of 157.5, followed by North Central (143), Elmhurst and Wheaton (98), Concordia-Wisconsin (80), Augustana (77.5), Milwaukee School of Engineering (21.5), Carthage (21) and Lakeland (17.5).

This year was the first time that the CCIW wrestling title was split between the regular season dual matches and the nine-team tournament. North Central, under head coach Joe Norton, won the regular season title with an 8-0 record in CCIW dual match competition, while Millikin claimed the tournament title on Thursday. Before this season, the conference wrestling title was determined strictly by the nine-team tournament. 

Millikin senior Bradan Birt became the first CCIW student-athlete to be named Most Outstanding Wrestler three-straight times after claiming the 165-pound title. He also became the first five-time individual champion in CCIW history, winning at 149 pounds in 2018, 157 pounds in 2019, and three-straight 165-pound titles (2020, 2021, 2022).

Bradan's father, Millikin head coach Ryan Birt, became the first person to win CCIW Wrestling Coach of the Year honors in four-straight seasons. The elder Birt led the Big Blue to CCIW titles in 2020 and 2021 under the old format, followed by this year's tournament title.  

2022 CCIW Championship Finals Results
125: Tommy Russell (Millikin) over Julian Valtierrez (North Central) (Fall 1:22)
133: Robbie Precin (North Central) over Ethan Harsted (Wheaton) (Dec. 5-3)
141: Jimmy McAuliffe (Elmhurst) over Javen Estrada (North Central) (Dec. 6-2)
149: Alex Villar (North Central) over Lucas Regnier (Concordia) (Dec. 10-5)
157: Peter McCusker (Millikin) over Cole Cervantes (North Central) (Fall 5:33)
165: Bradan Birt (Millikin) over Caele Manley (Wheaton) (M. For.)
174: Dejon Glaster (Millikin) over Joey Jens (North Central) (Dec. 3-2)
184: Scott Anderson (Elmhurst) over Jacob Badger (Augustana) (Dec. 5-3)
197: Cody Baldridge (North Central) over Jackson Punzel (Wheaton) (Dec. 7-3)
285: Robby Bates (North Central) over Brayan Reyes (Millikin) (TB-2 2-1) 

Elite 25 Award: Modeled after the NCAA's Elite 90 program, the CCIW Elite 25 is presented to the student-athlete who excels academically and athletically at the conference level in each of the CCIW's 25 sponsored sports. To be eligible for the Elite 25 Award, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior, or senior and in at least their second season of competition with their current team. Graduate students are not eligible. For westling, the all-conference recipient (top 3 finishers in each weight class) with the highest GPA will receive the award.

2022 CCIW Wrestling Elite 25 Recipient
Bradan Birt - Millikin

RESPECT Award: At the conclusion of every sports season, each varsity program will recognize one student-athlete as their RESPECT Award honoree. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.

2022 CCIW Wrestling RESPECT Award Winners
Daniel Skold - Augustana
Jayson Toellner - Carthage
Reid McNeill - Concordia
Justin Hames - Elmhurst
David Aragon - Lakeland
Gus Wheeler - Millikin
Justin Brown - North Central
Jack Horihan - MSOE
Luke Gentry - Wheaton
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 University (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). Associate members in wrestling include Concordia-Wisconsin, Lakeland University and the Milwaukee School of Engineering.