Coaches Pick Wheaton in 2009 CCIW Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men's basketball coaches picked Wheaton to defend its conference title according to a preseason poll conducted Wednesday.

The Thunder advanced to the NCAA Sectional last season, finishing 26-4, 11-3 in the CCIW. They were predicted to win their second-straight CCIW championship with 46 total points including four first place votes. Augustana (18-8, 9-5 in 2008-09) was picked second with 39 points and two first place votes after placing third in the conference standings last season. Carthage (15-10, 7-7) was third in the poll with 37 points and one first place vote while Illinois Wesleyan (13-12, 5-9) was fourth with 36 points and one first place vote.

Elmhurst (20-8, 10-4), a team that advanced to the NCAA Regional last season, was picked fifth with 22 points while Millikin (16-9, 6-8) was sixth with 17 points. North Central (16-10, 8-6) and North Park (8-17, 0-14) rounded out the poll with 15 and 12 points respectively.

Wheaton enters this season as the 15th-ranked team in the country according to the D3Hoops.com preseason poll. Illinois Wesleyan, Augustana, Elmhurst and Carthage earned a spot in the “Others receiving votes” category.

The regular season begins on Sunday, November 15 as Millikin hosts Rose-Hulman and Elmhurst travels to Hamline. In addition, Illinois Wesleyan travels to Benedictine while North Park faces the Milwaukee School of Engineering on the road, and Carthage hosts Transylvania.

2009-10 CCIW Preseason Men's Basketball Poll

Criteria
Voting for the preseason men’s basketball poll is done by the head men’s basketball coaches in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. 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.