Sammi Beyer is from Appleton, Wisconsin, mere minutes from UW-Oshkosh. d3photography.com photo

By Ryan Scott
D3hoops.com

The CCIW is family to Steve Djurickovic. 

That might sound a little odd, but the league has been a part of his life for the entirety of his life. His father, Bosko, was head men’s basketball coach at North Park when Steve was born. In third grade, the family made the move north, so Bosko could chase a third national title at Carthage. Steve played for his dad there, to All-American success, and is now the head coach of a Firebird squad ranked atop the CCIW and 8th in the D3hoops.com preseason Top 25.

“My favorite team that I grew up watching was the Carthage teams, when I was in elementary school, middle school, of the early 2000s. That’s who I grew up following. I don’t think I went to an NBA game ever. I was the kid bothering them all the time. This is my dream job. This is where I want to be. You look at our coaching staff, the majority are Carthage alums too. This is a special place for me.”

Carthage is paced by D3hoops.com preseason first team All-America selection Ryan Johnson, a versatile forward whose growth last season exceeded even the highest expectations for the 6-7 junior.

“He took the biggest step. He took it to another level than all of us expected. To be the conference player of the year as a sophomore. A lot of it comes down to what your team’s successes are, but he did it all for us. A lot of the offense runs through him. He’s out anchor on the defensive end of the floor. He’s the best rebounder in the conference. He gives you that stability on both ends.”

Sticking with the family theme, Johnson’s older brother, AJ, is a fifth year point guard running the show and a unanimous all-league selection last season.

“We do have two fifth year point guards in the back court that both have had medical hardships the last couple years. [In addition to Johnson, who was injured two seasons ago] Antuan Nesbitt, first team All-CCIW player from two years ago got hurt last year in the preseason. Having both of those guys finally playing together for the first time in about two years.”

Having two experienced point guards means a top notch floor general is on the court at all times. That depth has Carthage hitting the ground running. Even without Ryan Johnson, who missed the season opener, the Firebird put up 61 first half points on the road at Saint Mary’s (Minn.).

Riley Brooks started his career in Division II before coming to Carthage. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com

“Top to bottom, this is one of the more competitive years we’ve had in a couple. You have some more experienced groups coming back. We know Wheaton is going to be taking a jump. Each game is different, but you have to be ready to go each Wednesday and Saturday in the CCIW.” 

It portends a strong season, but one that requires navigating the gauntlet of the “family.” Illinois Wesleyan lost a prodigious class of seniors, but reloads with a deep, experienced squad and impact newcomers. North Park has equally retooled and everybody is talking about the freshman class at Wheaton. The CCIW has had great success over the first few days of the season, so it’s not just Carthage chasing an end to the title drought.

Yes, believe it or not, it’s been since Illinois Wesleyan in 1997 that a CCIW men’s basketball team has lifted the Walnut & Bronze at the end of the NCAA Tournament. There have been 10 Final Four appearances by six conference teams during that span.

Another long title drought you may not be aware of is that of the WIAC women. While it seems nearly every one of the eight members is a contender every year these days, it’s been since Stevens Point won in 2002 that the NCAA title came home to Wisconsin.

Arguably the most consistent program through that stretch has been UW-Oshkosh, led by Brad Fischer since 2012. In that time the Titans have made the NCAA tournament ten times, including seven trips to the Sweet 16, and a Final Four appearance last year.

“The league was a lot more top heavy,” remembers Fischer. “When Point won it there was always two or three schools firmly in those spots. Now we have so many good coaches in the league, we’re all going to end up with similar talent. The consistency has become more important to me than the peaks.”

When asked to reflect on the reason for that sustained success, despite how little margin for error there is in the WIAC, Fischer points to the family atmosphere, the culture of inclusion and selflessness they’ve worked hard to engender.

(column continues below)

“Our success has come in being able to recruit smaller classes than was the norm. Our team’s consistency has come from recruiting four or five players that really fit together, that like each other, that want to be teammates, that want to play together. Then keep tacking on four or five every year, and make sure those first four or five are still there for senior year. That has been our best line to success.”

UW-Oshkosh was ranked No. 3 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 preseason poll and picked first by the WIAC coaches as well. Led by preseason All America selection Sammi Beyer, the Titans return five of their top seven players and boast a slew of juniors and seniors determined to get over the hump that’s been Smith the last two seasons.

“[Smith Coach, Lynn Hersey] does a great job of getting their best players the ball in the spot that they want it,” notes Fischer. “We knew each other’s stuff really well. Our takeaway from both years is you’ve got to be a little bit better and a little bit sharper when the lights are on with very minute stuff that’s not really fun to practice. Smith will expose anything you do that’s not perfect. It challenges you to look at yourself and figure out where your weaknesses are.”

Fischer’s squad emerged from opening weekend with two wins, but strong challenges from 2024-25 tournament teams, Carroll and Chicago, exposed some of those weaknesses that will have to be addressed before the gauntlet of league play.

“We had five teams make the (NCAA) tournament last year,” says Fischer of the WIAC strength. “I guarantee there are eight coaches in our league that are working really hard because they know if they get their team up to what we’re capable of, we at least have a chance to talk about [a national championship]."

It’s hard to imagine that a league so competitive has a family atmosphere, but for the close-knit communities around Wisconsin, the WIAC serves as the same kind of connective tissue that high school sports do in so many places.

“Everybody’s got someone on another team that they’re taking a picture with after a game,” says Fischer. Most of the WIAC athletes have been competing with or against each other since they were kids.

“The Parkside years taught me how special the WIAC was,” notes Fischer, who was an assistant at the Division II UW campus, which competes in a league across multiple states, without the same sense of homegrown fervor the WIAC enjoys. “It’s so interwoven with alums and connections. It’s a special place to be. I’m just super proud - obviously being successful in it has been nice - but just being part of it is different.”

Family is a big theme for Division III. When we have to fight for recognition and respect, it binds us together. Despite the rivalries, there is a lot of conference pride and connection across the country. We’ll compete hard on the court, but support each other off it. Sometimes that’s a broad definition of family, other times a very specific one.

Dec. 3 is opening night for CCIW play. Illinois Wesleyan visits Carthage. If all goes to plan, Steve Djurickovic won’t be there. Dec. 3 also happens to be the due date of his second child. Djurickovic isn’t taking a formal leave, but to lighten his load, Bosko is coming up from retirement in Florida to sit on the bench and help the staff keep things moving forward.

In the end that’s all any team can do. Oshkosh and Carthage represent the nearly 900 other programs working together for a common goal. They’re not focused on the past, but only what comes next. We’ve got a great season of Division III basketball ahead - and while there will be lots of intense competition, I’m glad we’re all in this together!