CCIW Football Coaches Pick Wheaton in Latest Pre-season Poll

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The head football coaches in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) picked Wheaton to win its second straight conference title in a pre-season poll released by the conference office Wednesday.

Wheaton shared the conference title with North Central and Augustana last season as all finished 6-1 in CCIW games. The Thunder earned the top spot in the poll with 48 points, including six first place votes, while Augustana was second with 44 points and two first place votes. North Central was third with 34 points, while Carthage placed fourth with 31 points.

Elmhurst and Millikin finished tied for fifth in the poll with 22 points, while Illinois Wesleyan (16) and North Park (seven) rounded out the voting.

Voting for the pre-season football poll is done by the head football coaches in the CCIW. Each coach votes for the seven other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (seven points for first, six for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own team.

The CCIW football season begins September 1 with Augustana hosting MacMurray at 1 p.m., while Illinois Wesleyan travels to Coe and Millikin hosts Illinois College, both at 1 in the afternoon. Elmhurst travels to Benedictine for a 7 p.m. start, while Carthage hosts Carroll, also at 7 p.m.

2007 CCIW Football Pre-season Poll