Wrestling joins CCIW as associate member
NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced today the addition of three associate members for wrestling effective with the 2016-17 year.
The CCIW Council of Presidents approved the associate membership applications for Concordia Wisconsin, Lakeland and the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) during a recent meeting.
All three institutions were former members of the Northern Wrestling Association and join current CCIW wrestling programs Augustana, Elmhurst, North Central, Millikin and Wheaton, giving the conference eight wrestling teams beginning in 2016-17.
The 2017 CCIW Wrestling Championship will feature eight teams for the first time since 1985 when nine schools competed. The CCIW began sponsoring wrestling in 1957 as Augustana has won 37 conference titles including its most recent one in 2014. Last season, Wheaton won its first CCIW wrestling title since 1981.
"The addition of Concordia Wisconsin, Lakeland and the Milwaukee School of Engineering is an opportunity to enhance our conference wrestling championship and provide a challenging and memorable experience for our student-athletes," CCIW commissioner Chris Martin said. "These additions give the CCIW eight wrestling programs, the most in over 30 years, which should only make our championship that much more meaningful."
Concordia Wisconsin, located in Mequon, Wisconsin, began wrestling in 1991 and is coached by Corey VanGroll, who is in his fourth year in the position. The Falcons won the last four Northern Wrestling Association titles and have qualified for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship in each of those four years. Concordia Wisconsin has made seven NCAA appearances and won 11 conference titles in program history.
"We are both honored and excited to be associated with such a prestigious conference," CUW head coach Corey VanGroll said. "The change in conferences came at a perfect time for us as our wrestling program continues to grow and improve. The teams within the CCIW have a high standard of excellence and that will help us move in the direction we want to go."
Lakeland, located in Plymouth, Wisconsin, reinstated its wrestling program in 1993, and is coached by Dillon Bera. The Muskies have won five conference titles including five-straight Northern Wrestling Association titles from 2008-12, and have made eight NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship appearances. Additionally, Lakeland has had three all-Americans in school history.
MSOE, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, began wrestling in 1990 and is coached by Matt Zwaschka. During that 25-year span, the Raiders have had two all-Americans, 11 NCAA Championship appearances, 24 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-America Scholar Team selections, and are a four-time Team GPA National Champion, along with two top three finishes.
Concordia Wisconsin, Lakeland and MSOE gives the CCIW six current associate members, joining Carroll and Dubuque (men's & women's lacrosse), and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (men's & women's swimming). Washington University in St. Louis will join the CCIW as an associate member for football beginning in 2018, while Carroll will join as a full CCIW member beginning in the fall of 2016.
