CCIW picks Titans number one in volleyball

Posted on August 9, 2016

IWUTitans630x420By IWU Sports Information

NAPERVILLE- Illinois Wesleyan has been picked to win the 2016 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) volleyball title according to a conference-wide preseason coaches’ poll announced on Tuesday. August 9.

The Titans, who were 23-10 overall and 5-2 in the CCIW last year to share the CCIW title, won the poll with 60 points and five first place votes. Last season, Illinois Wesleyan, under the direction of head coach Kim Nelson-Brown, made an NCAA postseason appearance for the first time since 1998 and won its first CCIW title since that same season.

Elmhurst (24-12, 4-3 CCIW) placed second in the coaches’ poll with 53 points and two first place votes after the Bluejays made their fifth-straight NCAA appearance and 20th in program history including national titles in 1983 and 1985.

Carthage (35-8, 5-2 CCIW) was third with 52 points and two first place votes as the Lady Reds advanced all the way to the national semifinals in 2015. In addition to the deep NCAA run, Carthage won a share of its 11th CCIW regular season title and 11th CCIW Tournament title.

Last season marked the second straight year the CCIW sent three teams to the NCAA Division III volleyball championships.

Millikin (23-13, 5-2) was fourth with 49 points after the Big Blue won a share of their fifth conference title in school history last season and first since 2010.

Wheaton (12-17, 3-4) was fifth with 34 points, followed by Augustana (17-14, 3-4) in sixth with 29 points, North Central (22-13, 2-5) in seventh with 23 points and North Park (13-17, 1-6) in eighth with 14 points.

Carroll (12-17, 7-3 in Midwest Conference), competing in the CCIW for the first time since the 1991 season, rounded out the poll with 10 points.

Voting is done by the CCIW’s head volleyball coaches. Each coach votes for the eight other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (eight points for first, seven for second, etc.). Coaches do not vote for their own teams.

The Titans open their regular season on Friday, Sept. 2 against Ohio Northern at a tournament in Ada, Ohio. Go here for the complete IWU volleyball schedule.

The CCIW preseason men’s and women’s soccer polls will be announced Wednesday, August 10, while the CCIW preseason football poll will be announced Thursday, August 11.

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