NAPERVILLE — The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced the recipients of its 2025-26 All-Conference Women’s Basketball awards on Monday, with Carroll senior Natalie Gricius and Illinois Wesleyan freshman Caitlin Leyden among the individual award honorees.
 
Gricius was voted the Lori Kerans CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete following a season in which she led the conference in scoring at 22.2 points per game. The Oconomowoc, Wis. native recorded two 30-point performances during conference play, including a season-high 33 points against Millikin. Gricius also ranked among the conference top 10 in rebounding (6.3 per game) and field goal percentage (.568), while posting three double-doubles in league play.
 
Leyden was selected as the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year. Leyden finished the regular season ranked third in the conference in steals (2.63 per game) and fifth in rebounding (6.8 per game). She recorded a conference-high nine steals in a single game against Augustana early in the season. Leyden also earned All-CCIW Second Team honors and posted two double-doubles during her debut campaign.
 
The Beth Baker CCIW Co-Coaching Staff of the Year honors were shared by Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan after the squads finished the regular season tied atop the conference standings with identical 15-1 league records to share the CCIW regular-season championship. 
 
For IWU’s Mia Smith, the recognition marks her eighth time receiving the conference’s top coaching honor, tying the league record of eight also held by Millikin’s Lori Kerans. Under Smith’s leadership, Illinois Wesleyan led the league in scoring defense (56.1 ppg) and scoring margin (+18.9), while Carroll recorded the conference’s top field goal percentage at .459. The Pios’ Lindsay Schultz is now a two-time recipient after also earning the honor in 2024.
 
The All-CCIW First Team included five unanimous selections: Natalie Gricius (Carroll), Malia Green (Carthage), Kristin Bukata (Elmhurst), Ava Bardic (Illinois Wesleyan) and Sawyer White (Illinois Wesleyan). The remaining First Team selections were Carroll’s Emilie Wizner, North Central’s Jocelyn Trotter and Wheaton’s Kate Oliver.
 
The 2025-26 awards also included several repeat honorees. Gricius and Bardic each became three-time All-Conference selections, with Gricius earning her second consecutive First Team honor. Wizner, Bukata, Trotter and Oliver each moved to the First Team this season after receiving All-CCIW Second Team recognition in 2024-25.
 
Lori Kerans CCIW Most Outstanding Student-Athlete
Natalie Gricius, Carroll
 
CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Caitlin Leyden, Illinois Wesleyan
 
Beth Baker CCIW Co-Coaching Staffs of the Year
Carroll
Illinois Wesleyan
 
All-CCIW First Team
*Natalie Gricius, Carroll, F, Sr., Oconomowoc, Wis., Oconomowoc
Emilie Wizner, Carroll, G, Sr., Germantown, Wis., Germantown
*Malia Green, Carthage, G, Sr., Madison, Wis., Madison LaFollette
*Kristin Bukata, Elmhurst, G, Jr., Valparaiso, Ind., Valparaiso
*Ava Bardic, Illinois Wesleyan G, Sr., Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson
*Sawyer White, Illinois Wesleyan, G, Sr., Downers Grove, Ill., Montini Catholic
Jocelyn Trotter, North Central, G, Jr., Bolingbrook, Ill., Plainfield East
Kate Oliver, Wheaton, G, Sr., Falls Church, Va., Trinity School at Meadow View
 
* -- Unanimous selection
 
All-CCIW Second Team
Cali Papez, Augustana, F, Sr., St. Charles, Ill., St. Charles East
Julia Lokker, Carroll, G, Jr., Greendale, Wis., Martin Luther
Nora Ahram, Carthage, G, Sr., Hoffman Estates, Ill., St. Viator
Alyssa Orozco, Carthage, G, Sr., Schaumburg, Ill., Schaumburg
Natalie Harty, Elmhurst, G, Jr., Eureka, Mo., Eureka
Caitlin Leyden, Illinois Wesleyan, G/F, Fr., Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South
Nikkel Johnson, Millikin, F, So., Kankakee, Ill., Kankakee
Aliyah Hershberger, North Park, G, Jr., Elkhart, Ind., Mishawaka Marian
 
CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Carly Stone, Augustana, G, Sr., Beaverton, Ore., Mountainside
Katie Barger, Carroll, G, Jr., Bloomington, Ill., Bloomington
Whitney Thompson, Carthage, G, Sr., Silberts, Ill., Hampshire
Jayla White, Elmhurst, G, So., San Diego, Calif., Morse
Laura Mahlum, Illinois Wesleyan, G/F, Sr., Barrington, Ill., Barrington
Maggie Schrage, Millikin, C, Jr., Breese, Ill., Breese Central
Gianine Boado, North Central, F, Sr., Algonquin, Ill., Dundee Crown
Caroline Long, North Park, F, Jr., Kokomo, Ind., Western
Petra Trumbach, Wheaton, G, Jr., New Orleans, La., Benjamin Franklin