NAPERVILLE --- The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) will see a wave of fresh leadership this fall, with several institutions announcing new head coaches across multiple sports. From football and cross country to women’s soccer, golf, and tennis, programs throughout the league are ushering in new eras under coaches who bring a mix of championship experience, program-building success, and strong ties to the CCIW.
 
Cross Country
Matthew Heinzman was selected to lead Augustana's men's and women's cross country programs on June 17 and will also serve as an assistant coach for the track & field teams. Heinzman returns to Augustana, where he previously served as a graduate assistant for the 2022-23 season, after leading the cross country and track & field teams at Edgewood for the past three seasons. At Edgewood, he oversaw all operational aspects, achieving the highest combined point total since 2014, securing the first All-Americans in school history, and setting 24 school records. As a student-athlete at Wartburg, Heinzman was an 11-time ARC all-conference pick, six-time national qualifier, and two-time All-American, playing a role in Wartburg's first NCAA Outdoor Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship in 2021.
 
Elmhurst announced the hiring of David Stone as the new Director of Track and Field & Cross Country on May 19, marking an elevation for a familiar coach who has been part of the Bluejay staff since 2017. Stone brings extensive coaching experience, having previously served as Associate Head Track and Field Coach at Elmhurst, coached sprinters at Aurora, and led cross country and track and field programs at Benet Academy for eight years. During his tenure at Elmhurst, Stone has been instrumental in developing the programs, coaching student-athletes to over 100 All-CCIW honors, 14 individual CCIW championships, and mentoring several NCAA All-Americans. Most recently, he was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year and helped the women's track and field teams achieve their first-ever CCIW Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2025.
 
Football
Mike Heffernan was appointed the 22nd head coach at Elmhurst on Feb. 15, returning to his alma mater. As a 2007 graduate, Heffernan was a standout defensive lineman and a 2006 Second Team All-CCIW selection for the Bluejays, and later served as an offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Elmhurst from 2013-2015. For the past six seasons, Heffernan was the head coach at St. Scholastica, where he facilitated the program's transition to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and mentored numerous All-Conference players. His coaching experience also includes assisting in building the St. Scholastica program to achieve three consecutive UMAC championships and NCAA Division III playoff trips, along with roles at Saint Anselm, Northern State, and Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
 
Jared Williamson was named the 17th head football coach at Illinois Wesleyan on Jan. 2, marking his return to the place where his coaching career began. He previously served on staff at Illinois Wesleyan from 2006 to 2010 as a graduate assistant, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach, contributing to the Titans' 2007 and 2009 College CCIW championships. For the past 15 seasons, Williamson led the Robert Morris (Illinois) football program, which he built from the ground up and later transitioned to Roosevelt and Division II. During his tenure there, he amassed a 73-68 career record, secured two league championships, earned two Conference Coach of the Year awards, and produced over 152 All-League and more than 150 academic all-conference selections.
 
Billy Riebock, a Decatur native, was named the new head coach at Millikin on Dec. 16, bringing 18 years of collegiate coaching experience across all NCAA levels. He returns to his hometown after most recently serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at NCAA Division II Midwestern State. Riebock's extensive career includes successful stints at Texas A&M-Commerce, where he helped transition the program to NCAA Division I FCS and led an offense that averaged over 30 points per game, and Bridgewater, where his offense ranked fifth nationally in red zone efficiency.
 
Women’s Golf
Bill Buss was named the new head coach of the Carthage women's golf program on Dec. 10, bringing a dynamic blend of athletic, coaching and executive leadership experience. Before joining Carthage, he served as the assistant women's golf coach at Wisconsin-Parkside, mentoring student-athletes and contributing to program growth. Buss also brings over 30 years of experience as an operations executive in the corporate sector, with expertise in continuous improvement, goal setting and teamwork that translates into his coaching philosophy.
 
Women’s Soccer
Carthage named Chelsea Davis as the new head coach of the Firebirds women's soccer program on Jan. 24, bringing an impressive coaching resume and a proven track record of success. Davis joins Carthage from Marquette, where she served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, developing dynamic attacking strategies and recruiting top-tier talent. Prior to that, she was the head coach at Pacific, where she led a remarkable program turnaround, established a positive team culture, and achieved significant on-field and academic success. Her diverse background also includes various collegiate and club coaching positions, professional playing experience in Sweden and strong academic and coaching credentials.
 
Women’s Tennis
Max O'Malley was hired as the new Director of Tennis at Elmhurst on Aug. 6, taking charge of both the men's and women's tennis programs. O'Malley comes to Elmhurst with a diverse background that includes serving as an assistant coach for the University of Arizona's Wheelchair Tennis Team, where he helped design drills and manage practices, contributing to the program's growth. He also possesses leadership and management experience from various industries, alongside youth tennis coaching at Hinsdale Racquet Club, which developed his communication and organizational skills.
 
Connor Barnard was named Millikin's Director of Tennis on July 2, returning to the Midwest and NCAA Division III athletics to lead both the men's and women's tennis programs. He most recently served as an assistant women's tennis coach at Texas-San Antonio, where he helped the team achieve its best program start (13-0) and highest ranking (No. 44 in Division I). Barnard also spent two seasons as an assistant men's coach at Wichita State and had a prior stint with the UTSA men's program, following his graduate assistantship at Northern Iowa. As a collegiate player, he was a three-time all-conference doubles player and a senior captain at Wartburg.
 
Alice Copland was promoted to head coach of the North Park women's tennis team on June 24 after serving four successful years as an assistant coach. She played a pivotal role in the 2024 season, helping guide the Vikings to a 16-win campaign, a runner-up finish in the CCIW Tournament, and the program's first-ever conference title. Before her coaching role at North Park, Copland competed for Montevallo, where she was recognized as an ITA Scholar-Athlete and served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.