NAPERVILLE — As the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) concludes the non-conference portion of the 2026 men’s lacrosse schedule, league play is set to begin this Saturday. 
 
Several teams turned in notable performances during the final weekend before conference action, while national statistical leaders continue to emerge across multiple categories. With April approaching, the conference moves into league competition with six institutions set to begin the race for the title.
 
A Sunday Stroll at Langhorst Field
Elmhurst closed its non-conference schedule with a 14-7 home win over Albion last Sunday at Langhorst Field. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Lacksonen made 15 saves in 50 minutes to lead the defensive effort as the Bluejays improved to 8-2 overall. Eli Spence paced the offense with seven points on four goals and three assists. 
 
Charlie Ferree opened the scoring 58 seconds into the first period on an assist from Spence, and Elmhurst converted two of five man-up opportunities in the win. The result sends the Bluejays into conference play with the top overall record in the league.
 
Titan Time: Wesleyan Wards Off the Knights
Illinois Wesleyan moved to 7-4 overall with a 14-9 victory over Calvin last Saturday at Tucci Stadium. Owen Miller and Timothy McHugh each recorded five points to lead the Titans offensively. Miller finished with three goals and two assists, while McHugh totaled four goals and one assist. At the face-off spot, senior Michael Rocco won 12 of 14 draws, helping Illinois Wesleyan control possession. 
 
Defensively, Jake Sline and Billy McHugh each caused four turnovers as the Titans posted a 24-14 advantage in that category. The win completed the Titans’ non-conference schedule ahead of Saturday’s home conference opener against North Central.
 
Eli’s World: Measuring DIII Dominance
Elmhurst’s Eli Spence enters conference play among the national leaders in several statistical categories. He ranks eighth in Division III in points per game at 6.00, while also standing 24th in goals per game at 3.50 and 23rd in assists per game at 2.50. His production has helped Elmhurst average 12.30 goals per game, the top mark among CCIW teams and 63rd nationally.
 
Defensive Disruption: The Art of the Caused Turnover
Defensive play has also remained a strength for several conference programs through the opening two months of the season. Augustana’s Jamar Taylor ranks seventh nationally with 3.40 caused turnovers per game and recorded five caused turnovers with 12 ground balls in last Saturday’s loss at Washington & Jefferson. 
 
As a team, Illinois Wesleyan ranks third nationally in caused turnovers per game at 15.45. Elmhurst’s Gabe Henry is 13th nationally at 3.00 caused turnovers per game, while Carthage’s George Mobraaten ranks 36th at 2.55.
 
Winning the War of Attrition at the X
Possession has been another area of strength for several conference teams. Elmhurst’s Tony Vazquez ranks 37th nationally in ground balls per game at 7.56 and 29th in face-off winning percentage at .672. As a team, the Bluejays rank 29th nationally in face-off winning percentage at .635. 
 
Augustana’s Eddie Resendez has also produced strong numbers, ranking 67th nationally with a .600 face-off winning percentage. In last Saturday’s game against Washington & Jefferson, Resendez won 19 of 23 draws and collected 10 ground balls. 
 
Illinois Wesleyan also ranks 11th nationally in total ground balls with 457.
 
Road Trials and Goalkeeper Heroics
Several CCIW teams were tested in road competition during the final weekend of non-conference play. Carthage dropped a 15-5 decision at Transylvania, though senior goalkeeper Jake Williamson made a season-high 22 saves, the second-highest single-game total in program history. 
 
Carroll also fell by a 15-5 score to Kalamazoo, with senior goalkeeper Jake Gehl recording 15 saves. In Augustana’s 12-8 loss at Washington & Jefferson, freshman Nik Schaafsma scored three goals and added an assist for a four-point outing.
 
Clean Slates: The Quest for the CCIW Crown
All six teams will begin conference play this Saturday. Elmhurst enters with the top overall mark at 8-2, followed by Illinois Wesleyan at 7-4 and Carthage at 5-7. Augustana stands at 3-7, Carroll is 3-8 and North Central is 1-9. 
 
Conference action begins at 3 p.m. with Carroll at Elmhurst. At 4 p.m., Augustana will play at Carthage, while North Central travels to Illinois Wesleyan. Those three contests mark the opening day of the 2026 CCIW men’s lacrosse schedule.