Carthage College Athletics

Now in its 73rd year, as of 2018-19 the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) enjoys a reputation as the "Best Small-College Conference in the Nation." The league, with nine charter members, was formed on April 26, 1946, in Jacksonville, Ill., and opened competition in the 1946-47 academic year as the College Conference of Illinois. The nine charter members were Augustana College (Ill.), Carthage College, Elmhurst College, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Lake Forest College, Millikin University, North Central College and Wheaton College (Ill.). Carthage left the conference in 1952 but returned in 1961. In 1967, the name was changed to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, to recognize Carthage, which moved to Kenosha, Wis., in 1962, and Carroll College (Wis.), which entered the conference in 1955.

As is often the case with athletic conferences, CCIW membership has experienced several changes since the league's inception. After Carthage left in 1952, Illinois College withdrew the following year. Elmhurst and Wheaton withdrew following the 1959-60 academic year. Wheaton rejoined for all sports but football in 1967 and for football in 1970. Elmhurst rejoined in the fall of 1967 for all sports but football and for football in the 1968 season. Carroll (Wis.) joined officially with the 1955 spring sports seasons. Carthage returned in the fall of 1961, and North Park College (now North Park University) entered the following fall. Lake Forest dropped out at the end of the 1962-63 year. The last change in CCIW membership came following the 1991-92 season when Carroll (Wis.) withdrew. Now eight members strong, the CCIW continues its tradition of athletic and academic excellence.

The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology became an associate member of the league in 2007 for both men's and women's swimming.  The University of Dubuque became an associate member for both men's and women's lacrosse in 2015, and Carroll University (Wis.), formerly Carroll College (Wis.), will rejoin the league as a full member in 2016-17.

In NCAA competition, CCIW schools have accounted for 51 national championships, including four from conference teams either prior to the formation of the CCIW or during a period when a team was not affiliated with the league. North Central College has won a league-leading 26 national championships (16 in men's cross country, six in men’s outdoor track and field and four in men’s indoor track and field), followed by six by Illinois Wesleyan (two in women’s outdoor track and field and one each in men’s basketball, women's basketball, women’s indoor track and field and baseball), five by North Park in men’s basketball, five for Wheaton (Ill., three in women’s soccer, two in men's soccer), four by Augustana (Ill.) in football and one by Millikin University in women’s basketball. The four national titles not included in the official CCIW records are Wheaton College’s 1957 NCAA College Division men’s basketball championship and three women’s titles won prior to the CCIW recognizing women’s athletics in 1986-87. Those three women’s title include two for Elmhurst College in women’s volleyball titles (1983 and 1985) and a 1983 women’s basketball championship for North Central (Ill.).

The CCIW sanctions 23 sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, 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, women’s volleyball and wrestling. Carthage has claimed 93 conference titles, including 14 in baseball, 10 each in women’s volleyball and men’s tennis, nine in football, seven in men’s golf, six each in women’s golf and men's swimming, five each in men’s basketball and women’s indoor track and field, four each in women’s tennis and softball, three each in men’s cross country, women's basketball and women’s outdoor track and field, two in men’s soccer and one each in women's soccer and men’s lacrosse.

North Central has won 51 CCIW cross country titles, including 44 in a row through 2017, since the conference began its championship in 1960. Carthage won CCIW titles in 1966, 1967 and 1973. Carthage was the last school to win the CCIW before North Central began its current run.

1962

Wheaton (Ill.), 12th

North Central (Ill.), 13th

1963
Wheaton (Ill.), 7th
North Central (Ill.), 13th

1964
North Central (Ill.), 13th
Elmhurst, 20th

1965
Wheaton (Ill.), 18th

1966
Carthage, 8th
Wheaton (Ill.), 26th

1967
North Central (Ill.), 12th
Augustana (Ill.), 17th
Carthage, 20th
Wheaton (Ill.), 33rd

1968
North Central (Ill.), 7th
Wheaton (Ill.), 23rd
Carthage, 32nd

1969
Augustana (Ill.), 19th
North Central (Ill.), 20th
Wheaton (Ill.), 32nd tie
Carthage, 42nd

1970
Augustana (Ill.), 12th
North Central (Ill.), 23rd
Wheaton (Ill.), 33rd
North Park, 45th

1971
Augustana (Ill.), 9th
North Central (Ill.), 25th
North Park, 39th
Wheaton (Ill.), 42nd

1972

North Central (Ill.), 2nd
Wheaton (Ill.), 6th

Augustana (Ill.), 9th

North Central (Ill.), 2nd

Augustana (Ill.), 11th
 

North Central (Ill.), 1st

Augustana (Ill.), 5th

North Central (Ill.), 12th

Wheaton (Ill.), 13th

Augustana (Ill.), 15th

North Central (Ill.), 16th

North Central (Ill.), 2nd

Augustana (Ill.), 21st