The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Now in its 62nd year, as of 2007-08, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) enjoys a reputation as the "Best Small-College Conference in the Nation."  The league, with nine charter members, was formed on April 26, 1946, in Jacksonville, Ill., and opened competition in the 1946-47 academic year as the College Conference of Illinois.  The nine charter members were Augustana College (Ill.), Carthage College, Elmhurst College, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Lake Forest College, Millikin University, North Central College and Wheaton College (Ill.)  Carthage left the conference in 1952 but returned in 1961.  In 1967, the name was changed to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, to recognize Carthage, which moved to Kenosha, Wis., in 1962, and Carroll College (Wis.), which entered the conference in 1955.

As is often the case with athletic conferences, CCIW membership has experienced several changes since the league's inception.  After Carthage left in 1952, Illinois College withdrew the following year.  Elmhurst and Wheaton withdrew following the 1959-60 academic year.  Wheaton rejoined for all sports but football in 1967 and for football in 1970.  Elmhurst rejoined in the fall of 1967 for all sports but football and for football in the 1968 season.  Carroll (Wis.) joined officially with the 1955 spring sports seasons.  Carthage returned in the fall of 1961, and North Park College (now North Park University) entered the following fall.  Lake Forest dropped out at the end of the 1962-63 year.  The last change in CCIW membership came following the 1991-92 season when Carroll (Wis.) withdrew.  Now eight members strong, the CCIW continues its tradition of athletic and academic excellence.

In NCAA competition, CCIW schools have accounted for 37 national championships, including 18 for North Central (12 in men's cross country, four in men’s outdoor track and field, one in men’s indoor track and field and one in women’s basketball), six by Wheaton (Ill., three in women’s soccer, two in men's soccer and one in men’s basketball, the latter a 1957 NCAA College Division title), five by North Park in men’s basketball, four by Augustana (Ill.) in football, two by Elmhurst in women’s volleyball, one by Illinois Wesleyan University in men’s basketball and one by Millikin University in women’s basketball.

The CCIW sanctions 21 sports:  baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women’s golf, men's and women’s soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, volleyball and wrestling.  Carthage has claimed 66 conference titles, including 13 in baseball, nine in football, seven in men’s golf, five each in women’s volleyball, women’s indoor track and field and men’s tennis, four each in men’s basketball, women's golf and women’s tennis, three each in men’s cross country, women’s outdoor track and field and one each in women’s basketball, women's soccer, softball and men’s swimming.

Carthage was the dominant football team in the CCIW from 1962 to 1973, as the Red Men captured eight conference titles, including five straight from 1969 to 1973.  Under the leadership of the legendary Art Keller, Carthage rattled off six undefeated conference seasons, three 14-game win streaks, and a phenomenal 29-game CCIW unbeaten streak (28-0-1). The CCIW's Outstanding Offensive Player Award is named for Keller, who stands third on the conference's all-time victory ledger with a 105-53-3 mark in his 22 seasons in the league.  Augustana (Ill.) has won or shared a league-leading 21 CCIW titles.  Wheaton (Ill.) has won 15 championships, followed by Illinois Wesleyan with 13, Millikin with 11, Carthage with nine, North Central with five, and Elmhurst, Lake Forest and Carroll (Wis.) with two championships each.