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 96 conference titles, including 14 in baseball, 11 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 each in men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse and one in women's soccer.

The CCIW has sponsored men’s golf as a championship sport since its inception in 1947.  Millikin and Augustana (Ill.) and Illinois Wesleyan have dominated the men’s golf championship over the years, with Millikin winning 19 titles, Illinois Wesleyan 20 championships, including five in a row from 2012 to 2018. Augustana (Ill.) has won 16 times and Carthage has won seven championships, most recently in 2007.  Carroll (Wis.) won five times, followed by former-member Lake Forest with four, North Central (Ill.) with two and Elmhurst with one title.  Augustana (Ill.) was the league power in the late 1970s and early 1980s, winning six straight titles from 1978-1982.  Millikin won a conference-record eight-straight championships from 1983-1990, and Carthage won four-consecutive titles from 1991-1994. 

Carthage, 20th

Millikin, 22nd

Augustana, 17th

Millikin, 22nd

Carthage, 10th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 27th