Illinois Wesleyan tied for 3rd in CCIW football poll

Posted on August 10, 2017

Brandon Bauer guided the Illinois Wesleyan Titans to a 7-2 record in 2016. (Photo courtesy iwusports.com)

By WJBC Staff

NAPERVILLE – Illinois Wesleyan football is picked for a third-place tie in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason coaches poll.

Wheaton is the league favorite, while defending champion North Central is picked second. The Titans are tied with Carthage for third.

The Thunder (11-2, 7-1) won the poll with 61 points and five first place votes as the Thunder are coming off a second place finish in the CCIW and their third-straight NCAA Division III Football Championship appearance. Wheaton, under the direction of coach Mike Swider, advanced to the quarterfinal round last season, their farthest advancement since a semifinal appearance in 2008. Swider’s teams have won eight CCIW titles including in 2014 and 2015.

Defending CCIW champion North Central (11-1, 8-0) finished second in the poll with 60 points and four first place votes after the Cardinals claimed their 12th conference title in school history last season. North Central, under the direction of head coach Jeff Thorne, earned the CCIW’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time since 2013. It was also the first conference title under Thorne, whose father John, led the Cardinals to eight-straight CCIW titles from 2006-2013.

Carthage (7-3, 5-3) and Illinois Wesleyan (7-2, 6-2) tied for third with 46 points apiece. The Red Men finished fourth behind the third place Titans in 2016.

Elmhurst (5-5, 4-4) was fifth with 31 points, followed by Augustana (3-7, 2-6) in sixth with 29 points and Millikin (4-6, 3-5) in seventh with 27 points.

North Park (1-9, 0-8) and Carroll (1-9, 1-7) rounded out the poll with 14 and 10 points respectively.

Illinois Wesleyan opens the season hosting UW-Whitewater on Sept. 2.

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