NAPERVILLE — North Central was selected as the preseason favorite for the 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) baseball season in the league’s annual coaches’ poll released by the conference office on Friday morning.

2026 CCIW Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll

Team (First-place votes)	Points
1. North Central (6)	62
2. Illinois Wesleyan (2)	57
3. Millikin (1)	49
4. Augustana	39
5. North Park	34
6. Carthage	33
7. Wheaton	22
T8. Carroll	14
T8. Elmhurst	14

The Cardinals totaled 62 points and received six first-place votes after a 2025 campaign that concluded with a CCIW Tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA Regionals. Illinois Wesleyan ranked second with 57 points and two first-place votes, while Millikin placed third with 49 points and one first-place vote.
 
Augustana (39 points) and North Park (34) rounded out the top five, followed by Carthage (33) in sixth and Wheaton (22) in seventh. Carroll and Elmhurst tied for eighth with 14 points apiece.
 
North Central head coach Ed Mathey credited the recognition to the group’s response to adversity during the 2025 season, as the Cardinals rebounded from a 3-11 start and closed the year on a 23-6 run.
 
"I think it's great for our kids. I think it's great for our program," Mathey said. "I'm happy for the kids that they got recognized for [last year]. Having been through this a few times as a coach, what I caution the kids about is ... it still matters how we go out and play the games and how we execute on the field".
 
Regarding the preseason ranking, Mathey added, "I think our program's at a place that we don't really sneak up on people. I think ... they look to play us tough. Embrace the target ... because the other team on the other side of the field, they want to beat us like we want to beat them".
 
Senior pitcher Elijah Hammond also noted the honor of the preseason selection while emphasizing the week-to-week challenge of conference play.
 
"It's a big honor. It's great to be recognized by the coaches around the league," Hammond said. "The rankings certainly don't matter in the sense that you still have to go out and prove yourself every time you step on the field. It's important we just keep a level head and go out there and play our hardest".
 
The 2026 CCIW season is scheduled to begin on Friday, Feb. 13 when North Park travels to Huntingdon and Millikin visits LaGrange. North Central will host North Park on Wednesday, March 18, the first scheduled conference game of the campaign.