The 2026 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, known as the CCIW, has released its preseason poll for men’s soccer, and the numbers tell a clear story: North Central College and Wheaton College sit at the top, each earning 57 points from the nine league coaches who participated.
Preseason Favorites and Expectations
Wheaton enters the season under fifth‑year head coach Steve McCrath, a three‑time Joe Bean Coach of the Year who guided the team to a conference‑tournament title in 2014. His roster brings back six starters and three All‑CCIW honorees, giving the Thunder a depth that many expect to translate into a strong postseason run.
Among the returning standouts is Luke Vander Kolk, who paced Wheaton with 12 goals last year and now ranks second in the conference’s scoring list. His presence, combined with the experience of the returning starters, makes the Thunder a formidable contender.
North Central, meanwhile, finished third in the 2025 regular‑season standings but pushed through to the semifinals, where they fell 4‑1 to eventual champion Illinois Wesleyan University. The Cardinals will lean on All‑American Joseph Sargent, who burst onto the scene as a freshman with 14 goals and will anchor the attack this spring.
Other programs are also shaping up for a competitive year. North Park University, slated third in the poll, returns eight players from a fourth‑place finish a year ago, including two All‑CCIW selections. Illinois Wesleyan, the 2025 tournament champion, entered the preseason with 44 points and a trio of offensive weapons — Kyle Schauls, Ryder Coleman, Ben Lyons and Matthew Perchik — ready to defend their crown. Carroll University will count on freshman Iskander Sharipov, who topped the team with seven goals last season, while Carthage College will begin a new era under debut coach Mike Madigan, who inherits nine starters and an All‑CCIW honoree.
Augustana and Millikin round out the poll, with Augustana under fourth‑year coach Chad Flanders aiming to climb the ranks and Millikin in its third year under Charlie Ward looking to build momentum. Elmhurst, ninth in the preseason ranking, will be led by third‑year coach Tim Dean and a core of six returning starters, hoping to exceed expectations.
The schedule kicks off on September 1 with a slate of nonconference matches, and conference play will begin later in the month. A highlight early matchup pits Carthage against Elmhurst on September 23, a game that will be streamed live for free on the CCIW Network, where all league contests will be available to viewers at no cost.