College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin explained

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Founded:1946
Association:NCAA
Division:Division III
Teams:9
Sports:26
Mens:13
Womens:13
Region:Upper Midwest
Formerly:College Conference of Illinois (1946–1967)
Headquarters:Naperville, Illinois
Commissioner:Maureen Harty
Since:2019
Website:cciw.org
Map:CCIW-USA-states.png
Map Size:250
Color:
  1. 05458F;
Font Color:
  1. FFFFFF

The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III.

CCIW schools have accounted for 50 national championships in NCAA Division III competition, including 15 in men's cross country; six in men's basketball; six in men's outdoor track and field; five in football; four in men's indoor track and field; three in women's soccer; two in women's outdoor track and field, women's basketball, men's soccer, men’s golf, and men's volleyball; and one apiece in baseball and women's indoor track and field.

Elmhurst College won a pair of Division III women's volleyball championships (1983 and 1985), and North Central College won a women's basketball title (1983) before the conference began sponsorship of women's athletics in 1986–87.

North Central men's cross country won its 13th national title in program history during the fall of 2009, while the North Central men's indoor track and field team captured the 2010 national championship. The Cardinals made their clean sweep by winning the men's outdoor track and field title in the spring of 2010. In addition, the Illinois Wesleyan women's outdoor track and field team, as well as the baseball team, took home national titles, giving the CCIW five national championships during the 2009–10 season.

North Central defended its titles in men's indoor track and field and outdoor track and field in the spring of 2011 while the Cardinals won their second men's cross country title in three seasons in the fall of 2011 and their third-straight indoor track and field title in 2012. Illinois Wesleyan won the conference's second women's basketball national title in 2012.

In 2019 Illinois Wesleyan Men’s Golf won their first national championship. They followed that up with a second national championship in 2021 after a one year break due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Coached by Jim Ott to both Championships and led by Drew Pershing and Ben Johnson in 2019 and Jimmy Morton, Andrew Abel and Rob Wuethrich in 2021.

North Central Football won the 2019 National Championship and, after the COVID year of 2020 in which no championship was held, finished second in the nation in 2021.

Carthage won consecutive men's volleyball titles in 2021 and 2022.

[1]

History

The conference was formed with nine charter members (Augustana College, Carthage College, Elmhurst College, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Lake Forest College, Millikin University, North Central College and Wheaton College) on April 26, 1946, in Jacksonville, Illinois, and opened competition in the 1946–47 academic year as the College Conference of Illinois. In 1967, the name was changed to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin to recognize Carthage, which moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1962, and Carroll University, which entered the conference in 1955.

The CCIW sponsors 26 sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's volleyball, and men's and women's wrestling. The most recently added sports are men's volleyball, which started play in the 2020 season (2019–20 school year);[2] bowling, which started play in 2020–21;[3] and women's wrestling, added for the 2022–23 season.[4]

CCIW membership has experienced several changes since its inception. After Carthage left in 1952, Illinois College withdrew the following year (1953). Elmhurst and Wheaton withdrew following the 1959–60 academic year. Wheaton re-joined for all sports but football in 1967 (and for football in 1970). Elmhurst re-joined in the fall of 1967 for all sports but football (and for football in 1968). Carroll joined during the 1955 spring sports season (1954-55 academic season). Carthage returned in the fall of 1961, and North Park University entered the following fall (1962). Lake Forest dropped out at the end of the 1962–63 academic year. The last member to leave the CCIW was Carroll following the 1991–92 academic year. Carroll returned to the CCIW in 2016. In 2007, Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology, located in Terre Haute, Indiana, joined the CCIW as an associate member for men's and women's swimming.[5] After 2017, Rose–Hulman left as an associate member shortly before its full-time home of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced it would add swimming.[6]

The CCIW lost one affiliate member and gained two in 2020. Greenville University, which had moved its men's volleyball program from the single-sport Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League to the CCIW in 2019–20, downgraded the sport from varsity to club status after that school year.[7] With the addition of bowling, Lakeland University, a men's wrestling affiliate since 2016–17, added bowling to its CCIW membership, while Aurora University and Marian University became affiliates in that sport.[3] In 2022–23, Aurora and Lakeland added men's and women's wrestling to their CCIW memberships,[4] and Aurora also joined for men's wrestling.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Throughout its history, all CCIW members, whether full or affiliate, have been private schools.

Current members

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Augustana CollegeRock Island, Illinois1860Lutheran ELCA2,349Vikings1946
Carroll UniversityWaukesha, Wisconsin1846Presbyterian3,283Pioneers1955;
2016
Carthage CollegeKenosha, Wisconsin1847Lutheran ELCA2,667Firebirds1946;
1961
Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, Illinois1871United Church of Christ2,748Bluejays1946;
1967
Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, Illinois1850Methodist1,527Titans1946
Millikin UniversityDecatur, Illinois1901Presbyterian1,807Big Blue1946
North Central CollegeNaperville, Illinois1861United Methodist2,490Cardinals1946
North Park UniversityChicago, Illinois1891Evangelical Covenant2,660Vikings1962
Wheaton CollegeWheaton, Illinois1860Evangelical Protestant2,885Thunder1946;
1967
Notes:

Affiliate members

The CCIW currently has nine affiliate members.[8]

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedPrimary
conference
CCIW
sport(s)
Aurora UniversityAurora, Illinois1893Nonsectarian2,309Spartans2020–21Northern (NACC)Bowling
2022–23,
women's wrestling
Concordia University WisconsinMequon, Wisconsin1881Lutheran LCMS7,721Falcons2016–17Northern (NACC)
Lakeland UniversityHerman, Wisconsin1862United Church of Christ3,973Muskies2016–17Northern (NACC)
2020–21Bowling
2022–23
Loras CollegeDubuque, Iowa1839Catholic
1,600Duhawks2019–20American Rivers (ARC)
Marian UniversityFond du Lac, Wisconsin1936Catholic1,497Sabres2020–21Northern (NACC)Bowling
Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, Wisconsin1903Nonsectarian2,823Raiders2016–17Northern (NACC)
Transylvania UniversityLexington, Kentucky1780Disciples of Christ963Pioneers2021–22[9] Heartland (HCAC)
Chicago, Illinois1890Nonsectarian15,276Maroons2018–19University (UAA)[10]
Washington University in St. Louis1853Nonsectarian14,117Bears2018–19University (UAA)Football[11]

Former members

The CCIW has two former full members.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Illinois CollegeJacksonville, Illinois1829United Church of Christ

Presbyterian
973Blueboys1946–471952–53Midwest (MWC)
Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, Illinois1857Nonsectarian1,441Foresters1946–471962–63Midwest (MWC)

Former affiliate members

The CCIW has two former affiliate members.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCCIW
sport(s)
Current
conference
Greenville UniversityGreenville, Illinois1892Free Methodist932Panthers2019–202019–20men's volleyball
Rose–Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, Indiana1874Nonsectarian1,840Fightin' Engineers2007–082016–17swimmingHeartland (HCAC)
Dubuque, Iowa1852Presbyterian2,190Spartans2014–152020–21
2018–19
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Midwest Lacrosse (MLC)[12]
N/A
Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1946 till:2031

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#

Colors =

id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote) id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData=

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:1946 till:end text:Augustana (Ill.) (1946–present)

bar:2 color:Full from:1946 till:1952 text:Carthage (1946–1952) bar:2 color:Full from:1961 till:end text:(1961–present)

bar:3 color:Full from:1946 till:1960 text:Elmhurst (1946–1960) bar:3 color:FullxF from:1967 till:1968 text:(1967–present) bar:3 color:Full from:1968 till:end

bar:4 color:Full from:1946 till:1953 text:Illinois College (1946–1953)

bar:5 color:Full from:1946 till:end text:Illinois Wesleyan (1946–present)

bar:6 color:Full from:1946 till:1963 text:Lake Forest (1946–1963)

bar:7 color:Full from:1946 till:end text:Millikin (1946–present)

bar:8 color:Full from:1946 till:end text:North Central (Ill.) (1946–present)

bar:9 color:Full from:1946 till:1960 text:Wheaton (Ill.) (1946–1960) bar:9 color:FullxF from:1967 till:1970 text:(1967–present) bar:9 color:Full from:1970 till:end

bar:10 color:Full from:1955 till:1992 text:Carroll (Wisc.) (1955–1992) bar:10 color:Full from:2016 till:end text:(2016–present)

bar:11 color:Full from:1962 till:end text:North Park (1962–present)

bar:12 color:AssocOS from:2007 till:2017 text:Rose–Hulman (RHIT) (2007–2017)

bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2014 till:2021 text:Dubuque (2014–2021)

bar:14 shift:(-5) color:AssocOS from:2016 till:end text:Concordia (Wisc.) (2016–present)

bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2016 till:end text:Lakeland (2016–present)

bar:16 color:AssocOS from:2016 till:end text:MSOE (2016–present)

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end text:Chicago (2018–present)

bar:18 shift:(-20) color:AssocF from:2018 till:end text:Washington (Mo.) (2018–present)

bar:19 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2020 text:Greenville (2019–2020)

bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:Loras (2019–present)

bar:21 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Aurora (2020–present)

bar:22 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Marian (2020–present)

bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:Transylvania (2021–present)

bar:N color:powderblue from:1946 till:1967 text:College Conference of Illinois (CCI) bar:N color:blue from:1967 till:end text:College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1950

Sports

See also: CCIW men's basketball tournament. In 2015, men's and women's lacrosse were added as sanctioned sports by the CCIW. The CCIW announced the inclusion of men's volleyball for the 2020 season (2019–20 school year), with bowling (an NCAA sport for women only) added in 2020–21. Women's wrestling became the newest conference sport in 2022–23.

The CCIW sponsors championships in the following sports:

Men'sWomen's
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track and field (indoor)
Track and field (outdoor)
Volleyball
Wrestling

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
country
FootballGolfLacrosseSoccerSwimming
& diving
TennisTrack
& field
(indoor)
Track
& field
(outdoor)
VolleyballWrestlingTotal
CCIW
sports
Augustana (IL) 13
Carroll 11
Carthage 13
Elmhurst 11
Illinois Wesleyan 13
Millikin 11
North Central 13
North Park 10
Wheaton (IL) 11
Totals9999+197+1978995+17+4106+7
Aurora 1
Concordia (WI) 1
Lakeland 1
Loras 1
MSOE 1
Transylvania 1
Washington (MO) 1

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the CCIW that are played by CCIW schools

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballBowlingCross
country
GolfLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimming
& diving
TennisTrack
& field
(indoor)
Track
& field
(outdoor)
VolleyballWrestlingTotal
CCIW
sports
Augustana (IL) 13
Carroll 12
Carthage 13
Elmhurst 12
Illinois Wesleyan 13
Millikin 10
North Central 13
North Park 9
Wheaton (IL) 10
Totals96 + 3996 + 199799995 + 2105 + 6
Aurora 2
Lakeland 2
Marian (WI) 1
Chicago 1

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the CCIW that are played by CCIW schools

SchoolTriathlonWater Polo
Augustana (IL) CWPA
CarthageCWPA
MillikinIND
North CentralIND

National championships

YearSportSchool
2022FootballNorth Central
2022Carthage
2021Illinois Wesleyan
2021Carthage
2019FootballNorth Central
2019Illinois Wesleyan
2018 North Central
2017 North Central
2016 North Central
2014 North Central
2012North Central
2012Illinois Wesleyan[13]
2011North Central
2010BaseballIllinois Wesleyan[14]
2010North Central
2010North Central
2009North Central
2008Illinois Wesleyan
2008Illinois Wesleyan
2007Wheaton
2006Wheaton
2005Millikin
2004Wheaton
2000North Central
1999North Central
1998North Central
1998North Central
1997Illinois Wesleyan
1997North Central
1997Wheaton
1994North Central
1993North Central
1992North Central
1989North Central
1989North Central
1987North Park
1987North Central
1986FootballAugustana
1985FootballAugustana
1985North Park
1985Elmhurst
1984FootballAugustana
1984Wheaton
1983FootballAugustana
1983North Central
1983Elmhurst
1982North Central
1981North Central
1980North Park
1979North Park
1979North Central
1978North Park
1978North Central
1976North Central
1975North Central

Notes and References

  1. News: CCIW History. 2010-06-28. www.cciw.org.
  2. CCIW Announces the Addition of Men's Volleyball; Greenville and Loras Added as Associate Members . College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin . December 12, 2018 . December 28, 2018.
  3. CCIW Announces the Addition of Women's Bowling as Its 25th Sport; Three Programs Added as Associate Members . College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin . July 23, 2020 . September 7, 2020.
  4. Women’s Wrestling to Become 26th CCIW Sport; Aurora, Lakeland Join as Associate Members . College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin . August 30, 2022 . September 1, 2022.
  5. News: CCIW History. 2010-06-28. www.cciw.org.
  6. News: Rose leaves CCIW, but HCAC could add swimming just in time. 2018-12-11. www.cciw.org.
  7. Men's volleyball to move from intercollegiate sport to club sport in 2020-21 . Greenville Panthers . March 17, 2020 . September 7, 2020.
  8. Web site: CCIW Associate Members . 28 July 2021.
  9. Web site: Transylvania to join CCIW as associate member in men’s lacrosse in 2021-22 .
  10. Web site: UChicago women's lacrosse to join CCIW as associate member. 26 April 2017.
  11. Web site: Wash U, Chicago already leaving SAA. [d3football.com] . June 12, 2015 . November 15, 2015.
  12. Web site: MLC Welcomes the University of Dubuque as Newest Member . 11 September 2020.
  13. Web site: All-time Division III basketball champions. 5 April 2016.
  14. Web site: All-time Division III baseball champions. 8 June 2021.