NAPERVILLE --- Last week featured extensive travel and high-level non-conference tests for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW), as nationally ranked Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan maintained their positions in the WBCA Top 25 entering the holiday break. 
 
Across multiple tournaments and road swings, CCIW programs continued to measure themselves against regional and national opposition while building momentum toward the resumption of conference play.
 
North Central Sets the Defensive Tone
North Central delivered the week’s most dominant performance on Dec. 19, rolling past Rockford, 81-45, behind a relentless defensive effort. 
 
The Cardinals’ pressure defense forced 35 turnovers, including 22 in the opening half, while committing just six of their own. Kennedy Hartwig recorded a career-high 17 points with four three-pointers, while Grace Kieffer added her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. North Central finished with a season-high 22 steals, led by Jocelyn Trotter’s seven.
 
Carroll Tests Itself on the National Stage
Carroll split a challenging trip to the Daytona Beach Shootout, opening with a 64-48 victory over WPI on Dec. 19. Natalie Gricius led the Pioneers with 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting, while Carroll’s defense fueled the win by forcing 17 turnovers, including six steals from Emilie Wizner. 
 
Carroll later dropped a competitive 76-66 decision to eighth-ranked Washington and Lee, a game highlighted by Julia Lokker’s 23-point performance that included four three-pointers. The Pioneers enter the holiday break ranked among the nation’s most efficient offensive teams.
 
Millikin and Augustana Navigate Tough Road Tests
Millikin traveled to the Puerto Rico Clasico, opening the trip with a 47-41 win over Marymount behind a double-double from Nikkel Johnson (14 points, 10 rebounds). The Big Blue closed the event with a narrow 53-48 loss to MSOE last Saturday, as Bella Dudley paced the team with 19 points and nine rebounds. 
 
Augustana also faced elite competition, dropping an 82-54 decision at No. 18 WashU despite balanced scoring efforts from Carly Stone and Cali Papez, who each finished with 12 points.
 
Bukata Headlines an Unbeaten Road Swing for Elmhurst
Elmhurst junior guard Kristin Bukata emerged as the week’s top individual performer, earning CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week honors after guiding the Bluejays through an undefeated road trip. Bukata recorded consecutive double-doubles, posting 18 points and 10 rebounds against Adrian before tallying 16 points and 10 assists in a 74-55 win over Saint Mary’s (Ind.) last Saturday. 
 
Natalie Robinson anchored the paint with 12 points and 13 rebounds in the victory, while Anna Kleszynski led all scorers with 18 points. Elmhurst shot 49.1 percent from the field and outscored Saint Mary’s 21-4 in points off turnovers.
 
League and National Leaders Shape the Holiday Snapshot
As the conference enters the break, several CCIW players and teams sit prominently on national statistical leaderboards. 
 
Carroll’s Natalie Gricius leads the conference in scoring at 21.8 points per game, ranking 11th nationally, while Elmhurst’s Bukata tops Division III in assists at 7.9 per game … Illinois Wesleyan’s Caitlin Leyden leads the CCIW in rebounding at 8.6 per contest, while North Central’s Jocelyn Trotter paces the league in steals (3.18 spg) and Biz Daly leads in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) … Hartwig tops the conference in free-throw percentage at 85.7 percent, and Trotter and Bukata share the league lead in double-doubles with four apiece. 
 
At the team level, North Central ranks 26th nationally in scoring offense (74.6), Augustana leads the league in scoring defense (56.4), Carroll ranks sixth nationally in field-goal percentage (.458) and 13th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.16), while Illinois Wesleyan sits 16th nationally in free-throw percentage (.765).
 
Looking Ahead to the Turn of the Calendar
The CCIW resumes action with a busy slate of late-December non-conference matchups before conference play returns on Jan. 3. 
 
The upcoming schedule features additional tournament games, regional road tests and a ranked showdown between Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan to open the new year on Jan. 3, setting the stage for a competitive second half of the season.