NAPERVILLE - The Carthage women's basketball team has been selected to finish fourth in the 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, the conference announced Friday.

CCIW POLL RESULTS
1. Illinois Wesleyan - 63 (7 first-first place votes)
2. North Central (Ill.) - 54 (1 first-place vote)
3. Carroll (Wis.) - 50 (1 first-place vote)
T-4. CARTHAGE - 41
T-4. Elmhurst - 41
6. Wheaton (Ill.) - 27
7. Augustana - 23
8. Millikin - 17
9. North Park - 8

The Firebirds will enter the 2026-27 campaign following a 15-12 (8-8 CCIW) record in the 2025-26 season. The team finished in a tie for third place in the CCIW, averaging 66 points per game. The team shot .419 from the field, .313 from behind the three-point line, and .713 from the free throw line. The team led the conference in three pointers made per game, averaging 7.8 on the year. The Firebirds also averaged 35.3 rebounds and 14.7 assists per game. Defensively, the Firebirds held their opponents to an average of 62.5 points per game on .409 shooting.

Head Coach Megan Jones returns to the Firebirds bench for her fourth season at the helm of the Carthage women's basketball program. Assistant Coach Madisen Nitsch and Graduate Assistant Coach Katie Wilhelmi will also return to the staff, while the team also welcomes Assistant Coach Trish Betthauser.

Graduate student Nora Ahram returns for another season to lead the Firebirds. Ahram, a Second Team All-CCIW honoree in the 2025-26 season, averaged 10.4 points per game last season along with 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. Ahram led the Firebirds with 54 made free throws on a team-high .844 free throw percentage. Ahram also led the squad with 75 assists on the year.

Grace Cord returns as the lone senior on the Firebirds roster. Cord led the Firebirds in 2025-26 with a .585 field goal percentage and 145 rebounds (5.4 rebounds per game). 

The junior class features a trio of Delaney Elsmore, Whitney Thompson, and Brecken Carsello. Elsmore showcased the ability to lead the team in the 2026 CCIW Tournament, leading the team in both scoring with 28 points and assists with six over a two-game tournament run. Thompson was named the team's recipient of the CCIW RESPECT Award last season. 

The Firebirds return five student-athletes in the sophomore class including Brooke Baechtold, Izzy Ensenberger, Brooke Jordal, Marissa Morgan, and Sophia Ynclan.

Coach Jones also welcomed in a freshmen class which feature nine new student-athletes including Jane Belmont, Leylanna Cruz, Erin Hackett, Jamie Mizwicki, Ava Richardson, Dylan Romero, Ava Strasser, Keira Thomas, and Julissa Vargas.

The Firebirds kick off the 2026-27 season on Saturday, Nov. 8 as the team opens the campaign in Tarble Arena against Luther at 1 p.m. Carthage will then hit the road for a pair of games against Edgewood on Nov. 14 and St. Norbert on Nov. 18, before returning home to host Concordia Wis. on Nov. 21 and Hope on Nov. 24. The Firebirds will open conference play on Dec. 2 at home against Wheaton.

Other notable home contests include North Park (Dec. 9), Millikin (Jan. 9), Carroll (Jan. 27), Elmhurst (Jan. 30), North Central (Feb. 3), Augustana (Feb. 6), and Illinois Wesleyan (Feb. 13).

Carthage women's basketball tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. If you are unable to attend the games, be sure to catch all the action live on the new CCIW Network, powered by HUDL. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.