NAPERVILLE, Ill. - North Central College and Wheaton College were selected as the 2026 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men’s soccer preseason favorites in a poll voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. The Cardinals and Thunder each received 57 points along with three first-place votes. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team in the poll.
Wheaton enters the 2026 season following a 2-1 semifinal loss to North Park University in the 2025 CCIW Men’s Soccer Tournament. The Thunder are led by fifth-year head coach Steve McCrath, a three-time Joe Bean Coach of the Year award winner that has led Wheaton to back-to-back regular-season championships in 2024 and 2025. McCrath returns a group of six starters and three All-CCIW honorees. Returning for the Thunder is Luke Vander Kolk, who led his team in scoring with 12 goals last season, ranking second in the conference. With a strong group of returners, Wheaton looks to finish the season strong in postseason play and pursue its first tournament title since 2014.
Led by Enzo Fushino in his seventh season, North Central brings a highly experienced squad with nine returning starters and five returning All-CCIW members. The Cardinals finished third in last season’s regular-season standings before advancing to the semifinal round of the CCIW tournament, where they lost to eventual tournament champion Illinois Wesleyan University, 4-1. All-American Joseph Sargent looks to lead North Central’s attack following a league-leading 14-goal season during his freshman campaign. North Central has won three of the last five tournament titles along with two regular-season championships and will look to capitalize on its veteran group’s experience to find similar success in 2026.
North Park was selected to finish third, earning 54 points along with two first-place votes. Eighth-year head coach Kris Grahn and his team found success in postseason play, making a tournament championship run and knocking off the regular-season champion following a fourth-place finish in the regular-season standings. The Vikings lost to Illinois Wesleyan in the championship match in a tightly contested 1-0 contest. North Park returns an experienced group of eight players from last season’s team along with two All-CCIW selections. The Vikings look to make a similar run to 2025, but finish on the highest possible note with a championship.
The 2025 CCIW Men’s Soccer Tournament champion, Illinois Wesleyan, was voted to finish fourth with 44 points and one first-place vote. Kyle Schauls, entering his 13th season, leads a group that includes seven returning starters and an All-CCIW honoree. At the heart of Illinois Wesleyan’s offensive attack is the trio of Ryder Coleman, Ben Lyons and Matthew Perchik, who each recorded at least five goals and four assists last season. Coming off a 2-1 loss to Macalester College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship, Illinois Wesleyan looks to rebound while defending its tournament title.
Carroll University was selected fifth with 33 points, matching its finish in the final 2025 regular-season standings. Head coach Andy Kohel enters his third season with seven starters and one 2025 All-CCIW selection returning. The Pioneers’ leading scorer in 2025, Iskander Sharipov, returns following a seven-goal freshman season. With veteran experience returning, the Pioneers look to challenge the preseason rankings and shake things up heading into the season.
Carthage College earned 32 points for a projected sixth-place finish, just one point behind fifth-place Carroll. Head coach Mike Madigan enters his debut season at the helm of the Firebirds and inherits a strong group of nine returning starters and an All-CCIW honoree. With an experienced core returning, the Firebirds will look to make their move up the CCIW standings in 2026.
Augustana College is seventh in the poll with 19 points. The Vikings are led by fourth-year head coach Chad Flanders, who returns eight starters as Augustana looks to climb the CCIW standings in 2026.
In eighth place is Millikin University with 16 points. Head coach Charlie Ward enters his third season leading the Big Blue as Millikin looks to make strides in 2026 with six returning starters and a 2025 All-CCIW honoree.
Elmhurst University was picked to finish ninth with 12 points. Third-year head coach Tim Dean returns a core of six starters as the Bluejays look to outperform their preseason ranking in 2026.
The season officially gets underway Sept. 1, with all nine member institutions kicking off their seasons against nonconference opponents. Conference play is set to begin later in the month when Carthage and Elmhurst square off Sept. 23.
Games being played at CCIW venues can be streamed for free all season long through the CCIW Network.
| Projected Place |
Team |
Points |
Votes for First |
Votes for Second |
Votes for Third |
| T1 |
Wheaton |
57 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
| T1 |
North Central |
57 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
| 3 |
North Park |
54 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
| 4 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
44 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 5 |
Carroll |
33 |
- |
- |
- |
| 6 |
Carthage |
32 |
- |
- |
- |
| 7 |
Augustana |
19 |
- |
- |
- |
| 8 |
Millikin |
16 |
- |
- |
- |
| 9 |
Elmhurst |
12 |
- |
- |
- |
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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.).