NAPERVILLE — North Central is the pick to win the 2025-26 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men’s Wrestling Championship, according to the annual preseason coaches’ poll announced Wednesday afternoon.
 
2025-26 CCIW Men's Wrestling Preseason Coaches' Poll

Team (First-place votes)	Points
1. North Central (9)	81
2. Millikin (1)	72
3. MSOE	57
4. Aurora	54
5. Elmhurst	50
6. Augustana	46
7. Carthage	35
8. Wheaton	23
9. Concordia Wisconsin	20
10. Illinois Wesleyan	12

The Cardinals collected nine first-place votes and 81 total points from the coaches’ ballots submitted earlier this month. NCC, which has won 57 consecutive CCIW duals since Feb. 2, 2017, claimed its third straight CCIW Championship last February with 169 team points. NCC has won five of the last eight league titles since 2018 and 11 championships overall.
 
NCC was ranked 10th nationally in a preseason poll released Monday by the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA).
 
Millikin placed second in the poll with 72 points and one first-place vote, following a runner-up finish at each of the last three CCIW Championships. MSOE was third with 57 points, while Aurora (54) and Elmhurst (50) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
 
Augustana was sixth with 46 points, followed by Carthage (35), Wheaton (23), and Concordia Wisconsin (20). Illinois Wesleyan, entering its third season as a varsity program, completed the poll in 10th place with 12 points.
 
The 2026 CCIW Men’s Wrestling Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14, hosted by Carthage inside Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.