Earning 32 points, the Illinois Wesleyan volleyball team is picked fourth in the 2008 preseason College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin coaches' poll. The Titans ((20-17 last year and 3-4 in the conference) were picked behind Carthage, who got 46 points and four first place votes; Augustana with 40 points and three first place votes; and Wheaton with 34 points. IWU opens its season the weekend of August 29-30 in the Birmingham (Ala.) Southern Comfort Inn Classic, playing against Berry, Montevallo, Emory and the host school in the two-day event. IWU hosts its own tournament the weekend of Sept. 5-6 and begins league play Sept. 16 at home vs. Wheaton. Among the returners for IWU) is senior Michele Malinowski, who was an honorable mention all-CCIW performer as she was was ninth in the league in both kills per game (3.08) and hitting percentage (.255). Wesleyan will again serve as the host for the NCAA Division III national championships Nov. 20-22.

The Illinois Wesleyan men's soccer team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2008 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason coaches’ poll. The Titans (6-11-1 overall, 4-3 in the CCIW in 2007) garnered 31 points in the poll. Wheaton was picked first with 47 points and five first place votes while Elmhurst was second with 41 points and three first place votes. Carthage was third with 37 points. Wesleyan opens its season August 29 with a 7 p.m. home match against Illinois-Springfield. IWU will play Sept. 5-6 in the 19th Annual Bob Allen Classic at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Among the key returners is senior defender Matas Cyvas, who has been a first team all-CCIW selection in 2007 and 2005 and a second team pick in 2006.

The Illinois Wesleyan women's soccer team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2008 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason coaches’ poll. The Titans (7-8-3 overall and 3-3-1 in the CCIW last season) earned 34 points in the poll. Defending national champion Wheaton was picked first with 49 points and seven first place votes while Augustana was second with 39 points and Carthage was third with 38 points and the other first place vote. Wesleyan opens its 2008 season August 30-31 at the Hornet/Briton Classic in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Titans play Albion on Aug. 30 and Kalamazoo on Aug. 31. IWU has its first home match on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. vs. Eureka and hosts UW-River Falls on Oct. 4 for Homecoming. Second team all-CCIW selection Caroline Leighton led IWU in scoring in 2007 with 28 points and after three seasons she ranks No. 8 at IWU in career scoring (69 points) and No. 5 with 31 goals.

Illinois Wesleyan senior Kristi Katz (shown) is the winner of a $7500 NCAA postgraduate scholarship. See full story below. Coming off its highest finish ever in the national NCAA championships, the Illinois Wesleyan women’s golf team aims for its won its seventh consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship in 2008. The Titans open the fall season at the Grand Valley State Invitational in Allendale, Mich., on Sept. 1-2. Among the returning players is junior Alessandra Bollero, who finished second in the 2007 CCIW championships. IWU placed fourth in the 2008 Division III national tourney playing in the national tourney for the sixth time overall and the fourth consecutive season. IWU’s previous high finish was sixth in 2007, 2006 and 2000. The Titans were eighth in 2005 and 10th in 2002.

The Illinois Wesleyan cross country season for both men’s and women's teams will launch at 5:30 p.m. on August 29 with the Titan Opener, held at Maxwell Park in west Normal. Last season the women’s team finished sixth (of seven) and the men's team was seventh (of eight) at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship meet. The women's top returner from the CCIW is senior Amy Burns (pictured), who finished 15th with a time of 24:11.45, earning her all-conference honors. The leading returner for the men from the conference meet is junior Adam Chambers, whose time of 28:58.32 got him in 43rd in the conference meet.

The Illinois Wesleyan women’s tennis team will start play in its 2008 season at home against Carthage and Wisconsin-Whitewater on August 30. The Titans, who finished fifth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament last season, were 3-3 in CCIW play and 4-17 overall in dual matches in 2007. Senior Allison Heim has been an all-CCIW selection for three straight years. Heim was 12-4 overall and 5-1 against CCIW opponents. After three years she is No. 19 all-time in singles wins at IWU with a 37-18 record (.673 winning percentage).