Firebirds Earn Eight First-Place Votes, Open 2025-26 Season on November 8 at Saint Mary’s (Minn.)

NAPERVILLE — The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its 2025-26 men's basketball preseason coaches poll on Thursday, with Carthage College projected to finish first.

The Firebirds received eight first-place votes and totaled 64 points in the poll. Carthage opens its season on Saturday, November 8, traveling to Winona, Minnesota, to face Saint Mary's (Minn.). The team continues on the road the following weekend, visiting Alma (Mich.) on November 15.

Carthage will then head to Washington, Pennsylvania, for two neutral-site matchups, meeting Maryville (Tenn.) on November 21 before taking on Mary Washington on November 22. The Firebirds return to the Midwest for a non-conference road contest at Ripon on November 26 before hosting their home opener against Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday, December 3, at Tarble Arena.

The early December slate continues with three straight home games — Carroll (Wis.) on December 6, Wisconsin-Platteville on December 9, and Wheaton (Ill.) on December 13 — followed by a December 19 home contest against Olivet. Carthage closes out the calendar year with a neutral-site matchup against Edgewood on December 21 in Wisconsin Dells and a home game against Benedictine (Ill.) on December 30.

The Firebirds begin the new year with a home matchup against Elmhurst on January 3 before hitting the road to face North Central (Ill.) on January 7. Carthage hosts North Park on January 14 and Augustana (Ill.) on January 24, with road contests at Millikin (January 17), Elmhurst (January 21), and Illinois Wesleyan (January 28) in between.

February features a balanced schedule as conference play heats up. The Firebirds host North Central (Ill.) on February 4 and Millikin on February 7, then close the regular season with three consecutive road games — at Augustana (Ill.) on February 14, at Wheaton (Ill.) on February 18, and at Carroll (Wis.) on February 21.

Earlier this week, Carthage was ranked No. 8 in the D3hoops.com preseason Top 25 poll — the program's highest national ranking since 2010-11 when the Firebirds opened the season at No. 5.

Print Friendly Version