NAPERVILLE – Illinois Wesleyan is the coaches’ choice to win its third consecutive College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) softball title, claiming the top spot in a preseason poll submitted last week. The Titans were placed at the top of eight ballots for a maximum point total of 64.
2025 CCIW Preseason Coaches' Softball Poll
| Team (First-place votes) |
Points |
| 1. Illinois Wesleyan (8) |
64 |
| 2. North Central (1) |
51 |
| 3. Millikin |
50 |
| 4. Augustana |
49 |
| 5. Carthage |
35 |
| 6. North Park |
26 |
| 7. Caroll |
22 |
| 8. Wheaton |
18 |
| 9. Elmhurst |
9 |
Friday’s announcement marks the second time in the last three seasons the Titans have been voted to lead the CCIW race and the eighth time since 2015. IWU shared the league's regular-season championship in 2023 and won the title outright last spring.
North Central – last season’s third-place finisher in the CCIW standings and a 2024 CCIW Tournament semifinalist – was slotted second in the 2025 poll. The Cardinals earned one first-place vote and 51 points.
Millikin was third on Friday with 50 points. The Big Blue won or shared three straight CCIW regular-season championships from 2021 through 2023 and advanced to the CCIW Tournament title game in three of the last four seasons, including wins in 2021 and 2023.
In fourth spot of the poll with 49 points was Augustana. The Vikings were 12-4 in the league last season and finished one game off the pace of the conference title. Carthage was fifth in the 2025 vote with 36 points.
North Park was sixth with 26 points, followed by Carroll (22 points), Wheaton (18 points) and Elmhurst (nine points).
Augustana is scheduled to take the diamond first on Thursday, Feb. 20 with games against Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Mount Mary in Peoria, Ill. The first conference doubleheader is on the schedule for Tuesday, April 1 when Carroll hosts Wheaton.