2009-10 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.