Illinois Wesleyan and Carroll climb national polls as CCIW women’s basketball season progresses
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women's basketball season is underway, with several teams making notable progress in both non-conference and league play as December begins.
Illinois Wesleyan and Carroll have both advanced in the national rankings. In the latest D3hoops.com poll, Illinois Wesleyan moved up to No. 13 and Carroll climbed to No. 16. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) poll also saw Illinois Wesleyan rise to 20th, while Carroll entered at 25th for the first time.
Carroll's Natalie Gricius has been recognized as the CCIW Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week after leading her team to wins over Chicago and Ripon. She was also named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week following a combined total of 61 points, 15 rebounds, and three steals across two games.
Carroll holds a 6-2 overall record and is undefeated in conference play so far this season. The Pioneers lead the CCIW in field goal percentage (.470) and assists per game (18.2), with their scoring margin standing at +12.9 points per game.
Illinois Wesleyan has posted a 5-2 overall record with four wins in its last five games, including victories over ranked opponents Wisconsin-La Crosse and WashU to claim the Midwest Challenge title. The Titans are leading the conference in steals (14 per game) and offensive rebounds (14.7 per game).
North Central started strong with a 5-2 record, highlighted by leading the conference in three-point shooting (.348), free throw percentage (.761), and assist/turnover ratio (1.15). Jocelyn Trotter leads all players with an average of 9.5 rebounds per game.
Augustana opened their campaign at 3-2 overall, topping the league in scoring offense (73 points per game), scoring defense (54.2 points allowed per game), scoring margin (+18.8), field goal percentage (.456), rebounding margin (+6.8), and ranking second in assists per game (17.2).
Carthage sits at .500 after eight games but leads all teams from beyond the arc with an average of just over seven made three-pointers per contest, as well as blocked shots at nearly five blocks each outing.
Wheaton is looking for more consistency offensively but remains competitive defensively with averages that include fourth place in blocked shots among CCIW schools.
Elmhurst owns a positive turnover margin (+9) by forcing almost twenty turnovers from opponents each match while committing fewer than eleven themselves—both bests among conference peers.
Millikin seeks momentum amid a challenging stretch but stands out as second-best on the boards within CCIW competition at nearly thirty-eight rebounds each night.
North Park enters league play focusing on defense, ranking second for fewest points allowed among member institutions while maintaining mid-tier numbers for free throw efficiency.