NAPERVILLE – Defending College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament winner North Park is the coaches’ choice to win the league title in 2023-24, according to a vote conducted by the coaches earlier this month. The Vikings were one of three teams to receive three first-place votes.

2023-24 CCIW Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll

Team (First-place votes)	Points
1. North Park (3)	55
2. Carthage (3)	54
3. Elmhurst (3)	53
4. Illinois Wesleyan	51
5. Wheaton	35
6. Millikin	27
7. North Central	23
T8. Augustana	13
T8. Carroll	13

North Park earned a final total of 55 points on the ballot, narrowly topping Carthage for the top slot in the poll. The Firebirds – who advanced to the CCIW Tournament semifinal last February – also received three first-place votes for 54 points. The other three votes to win the league went to 2023 CCIW Tournament finalist Elmhurst, which placed third in Tuesday’s announcement with 53 points.
 
Illinois Wesleyan was the fourth team to log at least 50 points in the poll, totaling 51 for fourth position in the preseason ballot.
 
Defending regular-season champion Wheaton was slotted fifth with 35 points. The Thunder advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season. Millikin was sixth with 27 points, followed by North Central in seventh position with 23 points. Augustana and Carroll tied for eighth in the poll with 13 points apiece.
 
Eight players that earned All-CCIW honors last season are listed on 2023-24 rosters, including First Teamers Shamar Pumphrey and Kolden Vanlandingham of North Park, Carthage’s Fillip Bulatovic and Elmhurst’s Jonathan Zapinski.
 
Four games will begin the non-conference portion of the season on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The league schedule tips off on Wednesday, Nov. 29, while the six-team conference tournament is slated to get underway on Tuesday, Feb. 20.