NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Carthage was picked to regain the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) volleyball title in 2011 according to the conference's annual preseason poll released Tuesday.
The Lady Reds won the poll with 47 points including five first place votes. Defending champion Millikin was picked second with 40 points including one first place vote.
Last season, Millikin ended the Lady Reds' run of five-straight outright titles (Carthage shared the title with Elmhurst in 2004). Carthage, however, earned the CCIW's automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA regional with its fifth-straight conference tournament title.
This marks the sixth-straight year that the Lady Reds were predicted to finish first in the preseason poll. Elmhurst was picked first in the 2005 poll.
Rounding out the CCIW teams in this year's poll include Elmhurst (39 points and two first place votes), Illinois Wesleyan and North Central (28 points apiece), Wheaton (18), Augustana (17) and North Park (7).
Voting is done by the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin's head volleyball coaches. 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 teams.
2011 CCIW Volleyball Poll
| Rank |
Team |
Points |
First Place
Votes |
| 1 |
Carthage |
47 |
5 |
| 2 |
Millikin |
40 |
1 |
| 3 |
Elmhurst |
39 |
2 |
| T4 |
Illinois Wesleyan |
28 |
|
| T4 |
North Central |
28 |
|
| 6 |
Wheaton |
18 |
|
| 7 |
Augustana |
17 |
|
| 8 |
North Park |
7 |
|