NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Elmhurst University was selected as the 2026-27 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin men's basketball preseason favorite in a poll voted on by the league's nine head coaches. The Bluejays received 62 points and six first-place votes. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams in accordance with the poll's voting procedures.
The Bluejays enter the 2026-27 season atop the preseason poll following a third-place regular-season finish with a 10-6 conference record and a runner-up finish in the CCIW Tournament last season. Elmhurst is led by head coach John Baines, who enters his 14th season at the helm of the program. Baines returns two All-CCIW honorees in Dominic Trelenberg and Vinnie Adjahoungbeta. Trelenberg averaged 18.1 points per game last season, while Adjahoungbeta averaged 11.9. With the return of its core duo and an experienced head coach, Elmhurst will look to make a push for its second CCIW regular-season title after falling short in the 2026 tournament championship game.
Projected to finish second with 59 points and three first-place votes is last season's regular-season and tournament champion, Illinois Wesleyan University. Longtime head coach Ron Rose enters his 21st season with the Titans following a 13-3 conference record last year. Rose returns All-CCIW selection and All-American Mason Funk, who averaged 15.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and just over two blocks per game last season. The Titans are pursuing their 35th CCIW regular-season title and looking to repeat as both regular-season and tournament champions.
Coming in third in the poll is Wheaton College, which earned 49 points after finishing last season with a 7-9 CCIW record. Head coach Mike Schauer enters his 18th season leading the Thunder and returns a veteran group of five players with substantial starting experience, including two All-CCIW honorees from last season. Wheaton also returns its leading scorer, Soren Richardson, who averaged 22.4 points per game. Picked to finish third, Wheaton enters the season aiming to challenge the conference’s top teams and return to the top of the standings.
Ranked fourth with 43 points is Carthage College, led by seventh-year head coach Steve Djurickovic. The Firebirds return All-CCIW honoree Ryan Johnson, who averaged nearly a double-double last season with 15 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Carthage claimed the CCIW regular-season title in 2025 but fell one game short of repeating last season, finishing 12-4 in conference play behind Illinois Wesleyan's 13-3 record. After narrowly missing out on another title last season, the Firebirds enter the 2026-27 campaign aiming to reclaim the top spot in the conference standings.
North Park University was picked to finish fifth in the conference after receiving 30 points. Led by first-year head coach Robbie Harman, the Vikings return two starters and one All-CCIW selection from last season in Mike Vuckovic, who averaged 19.8 points per game.
Carroll University and Millikin University tied for sixth in the preseason poll with 24 points each. Fourth-year head coach Taylor Jannsen will lead the Pioneers, while first-year head coach Tom Noonan takes over the Big Blue program.
Both teams finished with similar records last season, with Carroll going 7-9 in CCIW play and Millikin finishing 6-10. Carroll secured the final spot in the CCIW Tournament as the No. 6 seed, finishing one game ahead of Millikin in the standings. After narrowly missing the tournament last season, the Big Blue will look to return to postseason play, while the Pioneers aim to secure another tournament berth.
North Central College was picked to finish eighth overall with 22 points. Fourth-year head coach Vince Kmiec is set to lead the Cardinals as they look to build on last season's 4-12 CCIW record, returning a veteran group that includes four starters.
Augustana College was picked to finish ninth heading into the season with 11 points. The Vikings are led by third-year head coach Jordan Delp and will look to challenge their preseason ranking and improve their standing in conference play.
Men's basketball has been a staple of the CCIW since the conference began competition in 1946-47. Entering its 79th season of naming a conference champion, the league will see its nine teams compete not only for the regular-season title but also for a spot in the 2027 CCIW Men's Basketball Championship and an opportunity to earn the historic CCIW Cup as league champions.
The season tips off Friday, Nov. 6, with North Park hosting Lake Forest College and Millikin facing the University of Dubuque. Conference play gets underway Saturday, Nov. 28, when Augustana hosts Wheaton.
Games played at CCIW venues can be streamed for free throughout the season on the CCIW Network.
| Projected Place |
Team |
Points |
Votes for First |
Votes for Second |
Votes for Third |
| 1 |
Elmhurst |
62 |
6 |
2 |
- |
| 2 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
59 |
3 |
5 |
- |
| 3 |
Wheaton |
49 |
- |
2 |
5 |
| 4 |
Carthage |
43 |
- |
- |
4 |
| 5 |
North Park |
30 |
- |
- |
- |
| T6 |
Carroll |
24 |
- |
- |
- |
| T6 |
Millikin |
24 |
- |
- |
- |
| 8 |
North Central |
22 |
- |
- |
- |
| 9 |
Augustana |
11 |
- |
- |
- |
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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).