BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) will hold the 2026 Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship this Friday and Saturday at the Shirk Center, with North Central entering the weekend atop the conference’s pre-meet poll.
 
2026 CCIW Men's Indoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll 

Team (First-place votes)	Points
1. North Central (8)	64
T2. Carthage (1)	50
T2. Illinois Wesleyan	50
4. Augustana	48
5. Wheaton	33
6. Carroll	31
7. Millikin	23
8. Elmhurst	16
9. North Park	9

In the 2026 CCIW Men’s Indoor Track & Field Pre-Championship Coaches’ Poll, North Central received 64 points and eight of the nine first-place votes. Carthage, which earned the remaining first-place vote, and Illinois Wesleyan tied for second with 50 points each. Augustana followed in fourth with 48 points, while Wheaton (33), Carroll (31), Millikin (23), Elmhurst (16) and North Park (9) completed the nine-team field.
 
North Central head coach Gabe Rivera, whose staff was named the 2025 CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year, addressed the expectations that come with the top ranking. 
 
“It feels great to have that expectation upon us,” Rivera said. “However, with that said, when we get to the meet, we still have to do our job as coaches and as student-athletes … making sure we’re doing the things that are necessary.” 
 
The Cardinals will seek their ninth consecutive CCIW indoor title after finishing first at the 2025 championship with 198 points, 80 points ahead of runner-up Illinois Wesleyan.
 
The championship will begin at 11:00 a.m. on both days. Friday’s schedule opens with the pentathlon and heptathlon, followed by the long jump and pole vault finals in the afternoon, and the 5,000-meter runs and distance medley relay in the evening. Saturday resumes with the heptathlon hurdles at 11:00 a.m., with track finals in the 60-meter dash, 400 meters, 800 meters, and the mile scheduled for the afternoon. The meet will conclude with the 4x400-meter relay at 5:10 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 5:40 p.m.