NAPERVILLE – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its annual All-Conference Team in women’s basketball on Monday afternoon.
 
Carroll senior Olivia Rangel was voted Lori Kerans CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete. Millikin freshman Nikkel Johnson earned the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year award, while Illinois Wesleyan head coach Mia Smith received the Beth Baker CCIW Coach of the Year award for the seventh time – second-most in league history.
 
Rangel – Carroll’s first Lori Kerans CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete award winner since Lynn Dusold in 1987 – is now a four-time All-CCIW First Team selection. She finished the regular season as the league’s leader in CCIW play with 4.9 assists per game and 48 total steals. She was also second in scoring (19.3 points per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5). Rangel will enter Friday’s CCIW Tournament semifinal as the active career leader among CCIW players in assists (396), steals (263) and minutes played (3,165).
 
Johnson was the only first-year player to earn All-CCIW status on Monday, finishing her debut season with 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Her field-goal percentage of .526 (70-for-133) was second-highest among all league players during the CCIW schedule.
 
The CCIW coaches voted Smith as the Beth Baker CCIW Coach of the Year award for the first time since 2018 and the seventh time overall. The Titans led the CCIW race from wire to wire, going 15-1 in the league and 24-1 overall while reaching as high as #2 in the national rankings. IWU led the league during the 16-game slate in scoring defense (57.9), scoring margin (+21.1.), 3-pointers per game (7.3), total rebounding (41.1), rebounding margin (+7.9), turnover margin (+6.44) and steals (12.63).
 
After Monday’s announcement, only Millikin’s Lori Kerans has earned the annual honor more times than Smith (eight). 
 
Five First-Team honorees were selected unanimously – Rangel and Natatlie Gricius from Carroll, Carthage’s Marianna Morrissey, Elmhurst’s Kristin Bukata and IWU’s Lauren Huber. Four players were repeat First-Team picks – Gricius, Rangel, Huber and Mallory Powers of IWU. 
 
Lori Kerans CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete
Olivia Rangel, Carroll
 
CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Nikkel Johnson, Millikin
 
Beth Baker CCIW Coach of the Year
Mia Smith, Illinois Wesleyan
 
All-CCIW First Team
*Natalie Gricius, Carroll, Jr., F, Oconomowoc, Wis., Oconomowoc
*Olivia Rangel, Carroll, Sr., G, Franklin, Wis., Franklin
*Marianna Morrissey, Carthage, Sr., F, Libertyville, Ill., Libertyville
*Kristin Bukata, Elmhurst, So., G, Valparaiso, Ind., Valparaiso
Ava Bardic, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., G, Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson
*Lauren Huber, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., G, Lombard, Ill., Glenbard East
Mallory Powers, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., G, Amboy, Ill., Amboy
Annika Richardson, Wheaton, Sr., F, Northfield, Minn., Northfield
 
* -- Unanimous selection
 
All-CCIW Second Team
Cali Papez, Augustana, Jr., F, St. Charles, Ill., St. Charles East
Emilie Wizner, Carroll, Jr., G, Germantown, Wis., Germantown
Sierra Gibson, Elmhurst, Jr., G, River Grove, Ill., East Leyden
Kate Palmer, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., G, Geneva, Ill., Geneva
Sawyer White, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., G, Downers Grove, Ill., Montini Catholic
Nikkel Johnson, Millikin, Fr., F, Kankanee, Ill., Kankakee
Jocelyn Trotter, North Central, So., G, Bolingbrook, Ill., Plainfield East
Kate Oliver, Wheaton, Jr., G, Falls Church, Va., Trinity School at Meadow View
 
CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Emma Berg, Augustana, Sr., G, Antioch, Ill., Carmel Catholic
Katie Barger, Carroll, So., G, Bloomington, Ill., Bloomington
Emma Thistle, Carthage, Sr., G, Grafton, Wis., Kettle Moraine Lutheran
MC Brown, Elmhurst, Sr., G, Machesney Park, Ill., Boylan Catholic
Caite Knutson, Illinois Wesleyan, Gr., F, Maryville, Ill., Collinsville
Kyleigh Block, Millikin, Sr., G, Philo, Ill., Villa Grove
Megan Duffy, North Central, Sr., G, Chardon, Ohio, Gilmour Academy
Caroline Long, North Park, So., F, Kokomo, Ind., Western
Keara Caragher, Wheaton, Gr., G, Altadena, Calif., Polytechnic School