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.
 
The CCIW began sponsorship of women's outdoor track and field as a championship sport in the 1986-87 school year.  Augustana (Ill.) and North Central (Ill.) have dominated the league since then.  Augustana (Ill.) has won 12 times, and North Central College has won nine league titles.  Illinois Wesleyan has won five championships.  Carthage won three-straight titles from 2003 to 2005, and Wheaton College (Ill.) has won three.
 
Carthage has won five indoor titles, winning the league's inaugural indoor championship in 2001 and repeating from 2002 to 2005.  North Central College and Illinois Wesleyan have also won five indoor championships, with the Titans winning the 2015 title.  

North Central (Ill.), 18th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 29th tie

Elmhurst, 57th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 13th tie

Elmhurst, 36th tie

Millikin, 43rd tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 6th

North Central (Ill.), 29th tie

Augustana (Ill.), 44th tie

Millikin, 44th tie

North Park, 52nd tie

North Central (Ill.), 18th tie

Augustana (Ill.), 20th

Illinois Wesleyan, 21st tie

North Park, 40th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 4th tie

North Central (Ill.), 8th tie

Augustana (Ill.), 17th tie

North Central (Ill.), 7th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 10th

Augustana (Ill.), 16th tie

Millikin, 32nd tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 1st

Augustana (Ill.), 15th tie

North Central (Ill.), 15th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 4th

North Central (Ill.), 6th

Millikin, 60th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 4th tie

North Central (Ill.), 40th tie

Carthage, 55th tie

2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Carthage,  33rd tie
Illinois Wesleyan,  33rd  tie
North Park, 66th tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 7th

Augustana (Ill.), 17th tie

North Central (Ill.), 21st

Millikin, 22nd tie

North Central (Ill.), 35th

Augustana (Ill.), 39th tie

Millikin, 51st tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 70th tie

Augustana (Ill.), 30th tie

North Central (Ill.), 41st tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 68th tie

Carroll (Wis.), 40th tie

North Central (Ill.), 40th tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 48th tie

Augustana (Ill.), 54th tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 9th tie

Carroll (Wis.), 48th tie

1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994

Illinois Wesleyan, 7th

North Central (Ill.), 18th tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 33rd tie

Augustana (Ill.), 41st tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 1st

North Central (Ill.), 29th

Millikin, 49th tie

North Central (Ill.), 7th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 30th tie

Wheaton (Il.), 76th

Illinois Wesleyan, 9th

North Central (Ill.), 63rd tie

Wheaton (Ill.), 73rd tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 22nd tie

North Central (Ill.), 38th

Augustana (Ill.), 62nd tie

North Central (Ill.), 18th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 20th tie

Elmhurst, 30th tie

Illinois Wesleyan, 4th

North Central (Ill.), 6th

Illinois Wesleyan, 1st

North Central (Ill.), 12th