2011 CCIW Preseason Coaches Poll
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin's (CCIW) head men's basketball coaches picked Augustana to win the conference title according to a preseason poll conducted October 27.
CCIW coaches take part in third annual live chat
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) conducted its third annual live chat with its eight head men's basketball coaches on Thursday, October 27.
D3Hoops.com Rankings
D3Hoops.com recently announced its preseason men's top 25. Augustana (27-4, 11-3) enters the 2011-12 season ranked second nationally, while Wheaton (18-8, 9-5) was ranked 25th. Illinois Wesleyan (20 votes) and North Central (17 votes) earned a spot in the "Others Receiving Votes" category.
2011-12 Team Capsules
Augustana Vikings
Head Coach: Grey Giovanine
Career Head Coaching Record: 306-178 (18 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: T-1st (11-3 CCIW, 27-4 overall)
Augustana enters the 2011-12 season ranked second by D3Hoops.com third by The Sporting News. Four starters return from a team that finished 27-4 a year ago and shared the CCIW title with North Central while also winning the conference tournament. All-conference performer Kyle Nelson has graduated, but three seniors return to provide leadership to a veteran squad including Bryant Voiles (Byron, Ill./H.S.), Brian DeSimone (Wheeling, Ill./Buffalo Grove) and Troy Rorer (Bettendorf, Iowa/H.S.). Voiles was an all-conference selection last season, averaging 12.4 points per game. DeSimone averaged 9.5 points per game as the team’s starting point guard. Chris Anderson (Mt. Carroll, Ill./West Carroll) started 18 of 31 games last season.
Carthage Red Men
Head Coach: Bosko Djurickovic
Career Head Coaching Record: 453-212 (25 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: T-3rd (9-5 CCIW, 16-9 overall)
The post Steve Djurickovic era got off to a positive start for Carthage during a 74-70 exhibition win over Division I Northern Illinois on November 4. Max Cary (Geneva, Ill./H.S.) led the Red Men with 20 points and is one of four returning starters this season. All-conference guard Malcom Kelly (Kenosha, Wis./Reuther) and 2009 all-conference forwards Tyler Pierce (Westmont, Ill./H.S.) and Mitch Thompson (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) also return to the starting lineup. Kelly was second on the team in scoring last season with 13.2 points per game.
Elmhurst Bluejays
Head Coach: Mark Scherer
Career Head Coaching Record: 227-157 (16 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: 7th (3-11 CCIW, 8-17 overall)
Elmhurst returns an experienced all-conference guard in Zack Boyd (Warrensburg, Ill./Warrensburg-Latham). Boyd led the Bluejays in scoring last season, averaging 14.5 points per game. Senior Mike McCurdy (St. Charles, Ill./Burlington Central) started 17 games at the point guard spot last season while junior D’Ante Foster (Muskegon, Mich./Catholic) started 11 games for the Bluejays. Both will battle for the starting point guard spot in 2011-12. James Robertson (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) is also back after averaging 8.3 points per game last season.
Illinois Wesleyan Titans
Head Coach: Ron Rose
Career Head Coaching Record: 83-54 (5 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: T-3rd (9-5 CCIW, 20-9 overall)
Illinois Wesleyan enters 2011-12 looking to replace all-conference forward Doug Sexauer and all-conference guard Sean Johnson who were both lost to graduation. The Titans have advanced to the NCAA’s postseason the last two years as an at-large team and will rely on a pair of returning starters to try and make it a third-straight year. Senior Jordan Zimmer (Delavan, Ill./H.S.) earned all-conference honors last season, averaging 11.8 points per game. Senior John Koschnitzky (Oak Forest, Ill./H.S.) also returns after averaging 8.8 points per game.
Millikin Big Blue
Head Coach: Matt Nadelhoffer
Career Head Coaching Record: 118-114 (9 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: 8th (0-14 CCIW, 1-23 overall)
Millikin enters a new era this season with first-year head coach Matt Nadelhoffer. Nadelhoffer, a Wheaton graduate, spent the previous nine seasons at the head coach at Eastern (Pa.). The Big Blue returns three starters from last season. Rodney Clark (Evergreen Park, Ill./H.S.) is back after finishing tied for third on the team with 6.6 points per game in 2010-11. Clark tied with Nikko Robertson (Chicago, Ill./Rich Central) for third in scoring as he also averaged 6.6 points per game. Kelvin Jacobs (Chicago, Ill./Lakeview) is also back after averaging 6.0 points per game.
North Central Cardinals
Head Coach: Todd Raridon
Career Head Coaching Record: 375-200 (22 seasons)
2009-10 Finish: T-1st (11-3 CCIW, 15-11 overall)
North Central caught fire during the CCIW portion of its season, going 11-3 and sharing the conference title with Augustana. It was the Cardinals’ first CCIW title since 1990. The Cardinals return a pair of all-conference performers in first-team member Landon Gamble (Joliet, Ill./Lockport Township) and second-team member Derek Raridon (Plainfield, Ill./Neuqua Valley). Gamble was the team’s leading scorer with 14.1 points per game. Raridon averaged 13.8 points per game. North Central also has Kevin Gillespie (Geneseo, Ill./H.S.) returning to the starting lineup after averaging 8.2 points per game last season.
North Park Vikings
Head Coach: Dylan Howard
Career Head Coaching Record: 78-103 (7 seasons)
2009-10 Finish: 6th (4-10 CCIW, 11-14 overall)
North Park begins a new era this season with first-year head coach Dylan Howard, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Division I Mississippi Valley State. Prior to that, Howard spent seven seasons as the head coach at Hardin Simmons. Howard will have a veteran group to lead the Vikings in 2011-12. Emanuel Crosby (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) was second on the team in scoring last season with an average of 10.2 points per game. Kendell Greer (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) started all 25 games last season, averaging 5.6 points per game while Roshawn Russell (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) played in 24 of 25 games last season, starting in 10 and averaging 6.1 points per game.
Wheaton Thunder
Head Coach: Mike Schauer
Career Head Coaching Record: 183-110 (11 seasons)
2010-11 Finish: T-3rd (9-5 CCIW, 18-8 overall)
Wheaton was recently ranked 25th in D3Hoops.com’s preseason poll after finishing tied for third last season in the CCIW standings. The Thunder return two-time all-American forward Tim McCrary (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier), who averaged 16.7 points per game last season. Senior Spencer Schultze (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) joins McCrary in the post as a returning starter while senior guard Jeremy Pflederer (Tremont, Ill./H.S.) played in every game last season, averaging 9.9 points per game. Sophomore guards Jon DeMoss (Elburn, Ill./St. Charles North) and Tyler Peters (Medina, Ohio/H.S.) also return.