CCIW women’s basketball teams highlight defense, individual leaders ahead of January schedule
Last week, teams from the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) traveled for non-conference games, with Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan holding their spots in the WBCA Top 25 as the holiday break began.
North Central had a strong defensive showing on December 19, defeating Rockford 81-45. The Cardinals forced 35 turnovers, including 22 in the first half, while committing only six themselves. Kennedy Hartwig scored a career-high 17 points and made four three-pointers. Grace Kieffer added her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Jocelyn Trotter led the team with seven steals as North Central collected a season-high 22 steals.
Carroll participated in the Daytona Beach Shootout, winning against WPI with a score of 64-48. Natalie Gricius led Carroll with 22 points on efficient shooting. Emilie Wizner contributed six steals to help force 17 turnovers. Carroll then lost to eighth-ranked Washington and Lee, despite Julia Lokker’s effort of 23 points and four three-pointers.
Millikin played at the Puerto Rico Clasico, starting with a win over Marymount where Nikkel Johnson posted a double-double of 14 points and ten rebounds. Millikin later lost narrowly to MSOE; Bella Dudley scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in that game.
Augustana faced tough competition against No.18 WashU, losing by a margin of 82-54. Carly Stone and Cali Papez each scored twelve points for Augustana.
Kristin Bukata from Elmhurst was named CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week after leading her team through an undefeated road trip. She recorded consecutive double-doubles: eighteen points and ten rebounds against Adrian, followed by sixteen points and ten assists in a win over Saint Mary’s (Ind.). Natalie Robinson had twelve points and thirteen rebounds during that victory, while Anna Kleszynski was top scorer with eighteen points.
Several CCIW players are among national statistical leaders as conference play pauses for winter break. Carroll’s Natalie Gricius leads CCIW scoring at 21.8 per game (11th nationally). Elmhurst’s Bukata leads Division III in assists at nearly eight per game. Illinois Wesleyan’s Caitlin Leyden is top rebounder in the conference at over eight per contest; North Central’s Jocelyn Trotter leads in steals; Biz Daly tops blocked shots; Hartwig has the highest free-throw percentage; Trotter and Bukata share most double-doubles this season.
On team metrics: North Central ranks among national leaders in scoring offense; Augustana allows the fewest opponent points within CCIW; Carroll is sixth nationally in field-goal percentage and thirteenth in assist-to-turnover ratio; Illinois Wesleyan is sixteenth nationally for free-throw percentage.
The league resumes play soon with more non-conference games before conference matchups begin January third, including a ranked meeting between Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan.