Dupage Policy Journal

After a series of six consecutive conference wins, the Wheaton College men's soccer team secured a 2-1 victory against Carroll University on Wednesday night in Wisconsin. This win, combined with Illinois Wesleyan's draw at North Central, ensured that Wheaton clinched its second-straight regular season title in the College Conference of Wisconsin and Illinois (CCIW) and extended its record to 22 titles overall.

Wheaton's current winning streak has reached eight games, bringing their overall season record to 11-2-3. This matches the team's highest number of wins in a single season under head coach Steve McCrath. The latest victory also marks the second time since McCrath took over in 2022 that Wheaton has won all four of its CCIW road matches.

Despite being predicted to finish second in the league during the preseason coaches' poll and not receiving any first-place votes, Wheaton outperformed expectations. The team defeated preseason favorites North Park 1-0 in Chicago on October 4 and now holds a 12-point lead over them in the standings.

With this regular season title, Wheaton has also secured the top seed for the upcoming 2025 CCIW Men's Soccer Championship. The Thunder will host a semifinal match at Joe Bean Stadium on November 5 for the fourth consecutive year. Their opponent will be determined by a quarterfinal match between the fourth and fifth seeds, with further details to be announced soon.

"Wheaton got the result it was looking for with a 2-1 victory at Carroll University, and coupled with Illinois Wesleyan's draw at North Central, tonight's outcomes were enough to see the Orange and Blue clinch a second-consecutive regular season trophy and a record-extending 22nd title for the conference's most successful men's soccer program."