Metamora, Ill. -- As the designated host school of this year's CCIW Women's Golf Championship, Wheaton took on hosting responsibilities for the annual CCIW Preview this week, as well. The Thunder competed alongside five other teams from four fellow conference programs in Tuesday's single-round event at the Metamora Fields Golf Club. Augustana College emerged as the competition winners, while Wheaton placed sixth in the team standings. Abby Crutchley and Emma Lee tied for 18th place in the 39-golfer field as the Thunder's top performers this afternoon. The five schools who participated in today's event will be joined by the remaining CCIW squads in three weeks' time when the league's programs reconvene at the same course in central Illinois for the official conference championship.

The Vikings won today's warm-up act by a convincing 23-stroke margin over runners-up Carthage College. Millikin fielded two teams in the event, with the Big Blue 'A' squad placing third and their 'B' group coming in fifth place behind Elmhurst University in fourth. Wheaton carded a combined team total of 384 on Tuesday to come in sixth.

Golfers from Augustana made up the top four individual spots on the final solo leaderboard this afternoon. Crutchley and Lee each registered a single-round tally of 86 (+15) to tie with three fellow participants in 18th place. Freshman Ava Hartnett carded a round score of 101, while Molly Holbert posted a mark of 111 to round out Wheaton's four-player lineup.

The Thunder women's team has two competitions on its schedule this week, and the Thunder will next be in action on Friday and Saturday at the Midwest Region Fall Classic hosted by Benedictine University in Wisconsin. Friday's first round is scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM, while Saturday's finale will tee off at approximately 1:30 PM.