NAPERVILLE --- As the CCIW women’s volleyball season reaches October, the league continues to deliver high-level competition and standout individual performances. Teams are jostling for positioning in conference play, with Illinois Wesleyan maintaining a strong national presence while North Central, North Park and Wheaton make their marks through balanced efforts.
 
From record-breaking milestones to dominant homestand runs, this week’s notebook highlights the key storylines, emerging leaders and rising momentum shaping the 2025 season.
 
TITANS EIGHTH IN LATEST AVCA NATIONAL RANKINGS
Illinois Wesleyan is eighth in the new TARAFLEX/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national poll, according to a Tuesday afternoon announcement.
 
The Titans had 1,485 points in the poll and moved down one spot from the previous week.
 
La Verne is still ranked #1 in the new poll. East Texas Baptist, Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Wisconsin-Whitewater were unchanged as the top four. 
 
Carthage logged 21 points in the new rankings and North Park collected nine points.
 
CCIW TABS ROTHERMEL, HARVEY, AUTRY AS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY HONOREES
North Park’s Meg Rothermel, North Central’s Sarah Harvey, and Wheaton’s Grace Autry have been selected as the CCIW Women’s Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week on Monday.
 
Rothermel, a junior from Cary Grove, Ill. produced a career-high 18.5 points in the Vikings’ win over Carroll last Friday. She tallied 13 kills on 23 swings for a .478 hitting percentage and tacked on six blocks and a pair of service aces.
 
Harvey averaged 9.50 assists in 14 sets last week, driving the Cardinals to victories over #25 Carthage and St. Mary’s (Ind.). She also tallied 18 digs and 14 service aces during the week, including 10 aces in the win over St. Mary’s. The effort marked second-most aces in a match by a Division III player this season and the fourth-most aces in NCC history.
 
Autry helped lead the Thunder to a 3-0 record last week, including a key CCIW win as she averaged 4.20 digs per set in Wheaton’s 10 sets for the week.
 
In last Tuesday’s 3-0 victory against Augustana, the Prosper, Texas native led all players with 15 digs as she averaged 5.0 digs per set. She also averaged 5.0 digs per set in last Friday’s 3-1 win against Illinois Tech with a match-high 20 digs.
 
IWU REMAINS PERFECT IN CCIW ACTION
Illinois Wesleyan saw its best unbeaten start in program history (13-0) come to an end last Saturday in a four-set loss at 18th-ranked Hope, but the Titans improved to 14-1 overall and 3-0 in the CCIW with wins over #14 Marietta last Saturday and league rival North Park on Wednesday.
 
The Titans’ offense is ranked eighth in Division III in kills per set, averaging 13.65 kills through 49 sets played this season … IWU also leads the CCIW in total service aces (137) and service aces per set (2.80).
 
Senior Taylor French broke the program records for career service aces and career points on Sept. 27. She leads the team with 189 kills and 234.5 points, while also leading the CCIW with 39 service aces … Senior Kannyn Boyd anchors the defense with a team-leading 199 total digs – an average of 4.42 digs per set. Boyd registered a match-high 15 digs in the sweep over Marietta and contributed 12 digs in the three-set victory against North Park … Junior Eleanor Palmer is the team leader in total blocks with 32.0 on the season Offensively, Palmer has also been a key contributor, ranking seventh in the CCIW with a .327 hitting percentage.
 
IWU, ranked eighth nationally, will resume conference play next Wednesday at Carthage at 7 p.m.
 
HARVEY, MOSER LEAD CARDINAL CHARGE
North Central is 13-4 this season after splitting its non-conference trip to Indiana last Saturday night. The Cardinals won their third straight match with a five-set triumph over Saint Mary’s (Ind.), but then fell in three sets against host Manchester.
 
The Cardinals have limited their opponents to a hitting percentage of .119 … Offensively, NCC averages 12.50 kills per set on 11.66 assists per set.
 
Sophomore Sarah Harvey averages 10.35 assists per set, which ranks ninth nationally and leads the CCIW. Harvey recently recorded 10 service aces in the five-set victory against St. Mary's, marking the most by a Cardinal since 2006 and tying for the fourth-most all-time in program history … Senior Danni Moser is the team leader in kills with 172 and also paces NCC in points with 201.0. Her 3.02 kills per set are seventh-most in the CCIW, while her average of 3.53 points per set also ranks seventh in the league. Junior Lauren Benson is the league’s third-ranked player in hitting percentage with a mark of .347. Benson also has 35.0 total blocks in 2025.
 
The Cardinals, still unbeaten in league play at 2-0, will travel to North Park next Wednesday at 7 p.m.
 
ACES ABOUND AS NORTH PARK HITS 15 WINS
North Park collected a four-set win over Carroll last Friday and dropped a three-set decision to #8 Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday. The results moved the Vikings to 15-3 overall and 2-1 against CCIW foes.
 
The Vikings offense averages 12.25 kills per set … North Park has 172 total service aces, tied for 11th-most nationally.
 
Junior setter Kendal Britton is ranked fifth in Division III in total assists with 623, averaging 9.58 per set. Britton is also fourth in the CCIW in service aces with 39 … Senior libero Carolina Aviles is North Park's leader in digs (279) and digs per set (4.29), ranking third in the CCIW. Aviles leads the team in total service aces with 48, which ranks sixth nationally, and holds a service aces per set average of 0.74 … Junior middle blocker Meg Rothermel is the NPU leader in total blocks with 54.0. Her hitting percentage of .341 ranks her sixth in the CCIW, while her average of 0.84 blocks per set is third in the league.
 
NPU continues a four-match homestand Friday at 7 p.m. against NAIA Governors State.
 
WHEATON PERFECT ON HOMESTAND RUN
Wheaton’s 16 wins are the most among CCIW teams. The Thunder (16-4) have won six in a row since Sept. 19, including a non-conference sweep of Beloit and Illinois Tech last Friday at King Arena.
 
Wheaton is tied for the fifth-best hitting percentage in the CCIW, averaging .211 … The Thunder lead the league in opponent hitting percentage, holding opposing attacks to a .103 average … Wheaton ranks second in the CCIW in both assists per set, averaging 11.80, and kills per set, averaging 12.62.
 
Ashton Major leads the CCIW in hitting percentage with a .410 average. In the win over Illinois Tech, Major logged 10 kills, two service aces and a solo block … Senior Jordan Benford is Wheaton's kills leader with 210 total kills, sixth-most in the CCIW. She tallied 13 kills against Illinois Tech and six more kills with a .600 attack percentage in the sweep of Beloi … Senior libero Grace Autry averages 4.01 digs per set, fifth on the league leaderboard. She had a team-high seven digs against Beloit and tallied 20 more digs in the victory over Illinois Tech.
 
On Tuesday, Wheaton will look to wrap up a perfect four-match homestand when Wisconsin Lutheran visits for a 6 p.m. start. 
 
FIREBIRDS WIN PAIR IN BUSY WEEK
Carthage played five times in a five-day stretch between last Friday and Wednesday, earning non-conference victories over Augsburg last Friday night and in-state foe Edgewood on Tuesday in Kenosha. The Firebirds are 11-5 overall.
 
Carthage leads the CCIW in blocks per set, averaging 2.10 blocks … The Firebirds’ offense puts down 12.39 kills per set, ranking fourth in the CCIW, alongside 11.36 assists per set, also ranking fourth in the conference.
 
Junior Kristina Manojlovic leads the team in kills with 241 total kills and in points with 265.5 total points. She is second in the CCIW in kills per set (3.95), and second in points per set, averaging 4.35 … Senior libero Jenna Damon is the team's leader in digs with 266, averaging 4.36 digs per set – fourth-most in the CCIW. Damon also paces the team in service aces with 32, averaging 0.52 per set … Freshman middle blocker Hailey Wierzgac leads the team in total blocks with 60.0 blocks. Her average of 1.00 block per set is second among league players.
 
The Firebirds will see Augsburg again on Friday at 3 p.m. in the opener of a three-match weekend trip to Stevens Point, Wis.
 
MILLIKIN’S OYER REACHES 1,000 CAREER KILLS
Millikin 2025 record is 7-6. The Big Blue ripped off five consecutive wins from Sept. 19 through Sept. 27 before dropping a three-set league decision at Elmhurst on Wednesday.
 
The Big Blue are second in the CCIW in blocks per set at 1.98 … Offensively, Millikin logs 12.13 kills per set.
 
Senior outside hitter Addison Oyer collected her 1,000th career kill in a sweep against Franklin last Saturday afternoon. Oyer leads the team in career kills (1,015) … Junior middle blocker Kyra Carothers leads Millikin and the CCIW in blocks per set, averaging 1.16. She is also fifth in the league in service aces per set at 0.58 … Senior Delaney Higgins recorded seven kills, three service aces, a block and a team-high 15 digs in the win over Franklin.
 
The Big Blue will travel to Stevens Point, Wis. on Friday and Saturday for matches against Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Gustavus Adolphus (Saturday, 10 a.m.).
 
BLUEJAYS SWEEP MILLIKIN, WIN THIRD STRAIGHT
Elmhurst is in the midst of its second three-match win streak of the 2025 season, claiming non-league wins over Ripon and Lakeland last Saturday before Wednesday’s three-set sweep of CCIW rival Millikin. The Wednesday win was EU’s second over Millikin since 2016.
 
Junior libero Alexis Casey is the CCIW leader with 4.62 digs per set. Casey anchored the back row with 44 digs across the two victories last Saturday and recorded a career-best six service aces in the win over Ripon … Senior setter Freddie Temple averages 8.39 assists per set, which ranks third in the league. Temple ran the offense with 31 assists in the victory over Millikin and totaled 77 assists across the two wins last Saturday … Junior Blair Johnson leads the team in kills with 199, averaging 2.69 kills per set. Johnson put down 18 kills on .342 hitting in the win over Lakeland and recorded eight kills with four block assists in the win over Ripon.
 
The Bluejays remain home Saturday for a 6 p.m. first serve against Monmouth.
 
AUGUSTANA PICKS UP MOMENTUM AT CARVER CENTER
The Carver Center was good to Augustana last weekend. The Vikings went 3-0 in non-league action between last Friday and Saturday, earning victories over Luther, Aurora and Monmouth. Augie is 9-8 overall and 0-2 in the league.
 
The Vikings average $15.75 digs per set – fourth among CCIW teams.
 
Freshman defensive specialist Katelyn Turley gives the Vikings 3.66 digs per set. Turley led the team with 14 digs in last Saturday’s five-set win against Aurora and contributed 13 digs along with three service aces in the victory over Luther on Friday … Junior Alexis Richards paces the team in total points with 205.0 and 176 kills. Richards had a double-double against Aurora, registering 12 kills and 12 digs and contributed 12 digs and three assisted blocks in Tuesday’s loss to Dubuque … Junior setter Leah Rizzo tallied a team-high 28 assists in the win versus Aurora and recorded 26 assists against Luther.
 
The Vikings will aim for their first conference win Friday night at 7 p.m. against Carroll in Rock Island.
 
PIONEERS WIN FIVE-SET BATTLE AT BENEDICTINE
Carroll will take momentum into Friday’s CCIW bout with Augustana. The Pioneers claimed a five-set win at Benedictine last Saturday and returned home Tuesday to beat MSOE. CU is 9-8 through its first 17 matches.
 
Senior outside hitter Bronwyn Rowse is Carroll’s leader in total kills with 191, averaging 3.47 kills per set – fourth-most in the league. Rowse also leads the Pioneers in points per set at 3.78 … Junior defensive specialist Maggie McGough leads the team in total digs with 255. She led all players with 28 digs in the victory against Benedictine last Saturday 2$ digs in the win over MSOE … Sophomore setter Payton Depies gives the Pioneers 8.25 assists per set. She contributed 44 assists, 11 digs and a pair of service aces in the win against Benedictine.
 
Friday’s game at Augie is the Pioneers’ first of five in a row away from home.