Wheaton Picked to Win 2008 CCIW Women’s Soccer Title

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The Wheaton Thunder, fresh off back-to-back national titles and three in the last four years, were picked to win the 2008 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) women’s soccer title in a poll conducted by the head coaches in the CCIW Thursday.

Wheaton won the poll with 49 points, including seven first place votes. The Thunder have had one of the most successful runs by any team in CCIW history, including a 27-0-0 record in 2007. Wheaton is currently on a 45-game winning streak and has not lost a game since a 2-1 defeat to Augustana on September 23, 2006.

Augustana (13-4-1, 5-2-0 in 2007) was second in the voting with 39 points while Carthage (16-5-1, 5-1-1) was third with 38 points, including one first place vote. Illinois Wesleyan (7-8-3, 3-3-1) was fourth with 34 points, Elmhurst (6-11-1, 3-4-0) and Millikin (12-7-0, 3-4-0) finished in a tie for fifth with 22 points, North Central (5-10-1, 1-6-0) was seventh with 12 points, and North Park (0-16-2, 0-7-0) was eighth with eight points.

Voting in the preseason poll is done by the head women’s soccer 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.

Five CCIW teams open play on August 29 as Wheaton hosts California Baptist while North Park plays at home against the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Millikin hosts Webster while Elmhurst travels to Monmouth (Ill.), and Carthage plays Presentation in Storm Lake, Iowa.

2008 CCIW Women's Soccer Preseason Poll