Metamora, Ill. -- Three weeks after hosting the CCIW Preview competition at the Metamora Fields Golf Club, the Wheaton women's golf team has returned to the central Illinois course for the main event, the 2025 CCIW Championship. The Thunder are competing alongside seven other conference teams as the designated hosts of this year's tournament, and the event consists of three rounds over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Wheaton is in eighth place in the team standings after the first 18 holes of play, with five golfers representing the Orange and Blue in the 49-player competition. 

Pre-tournament favorites and three-time reigning champions Illinois Wesleyan University lead the pack after Monday's opening round, having registered a combined team score of 301 (+17) this afternoon. Carthage College is not far behind the Titans in second place on a first-day score of 312 (+28). Wheaton carded a total team mark of 379 (+95) on Monday and currently sits 36 shots behind seventh-placed Elmhurst University on 343 (+59). North Park University is not fielding a full lineup at this week's championship and therefore will not be assigned a team score in the eight-squad standings.

Freshman golfer Emma Lee (pictured right) posted the Thunder's best round of the first day this afternoon, as the California native carded an 83 (+12) to currently stand in a three-way tie for 23rd place on the solo leaderboard. 

Fellow first-year player Ava Hartnett registered a score of 96 (+25) in her debut championship round, and Wheaton's third freshman competitor at this year's tournament, Abby Crutchley, is close behind Hartnett after the opening round on an 18-hole mark of 99 (+28). 

The Thunder's junior duo of Molly Holbert and Abby Smith tallied first-day marks of 101 (+30) and 106 (+35), respectively, on Monday.

Tuesday's second round of action will begin at 9:00 AM in Metamora, with Smith leading the five Wheaton participants out on a 9:09 tee time.