Carl Sandburg College

Sandburg women defend conference title
Carl Sandburg College women’s basketball opens its 2025–26 season Nov. 2 at home after repeating as Arrowhead Conference champion and posting a second straight 20-win season.

The Chargers host Culver-Stockton JV at 1 p.m. Sunday in the first game of a men’s/women’s doubleheader against the Wildcats. Sandburg plays three of its first four games at home before closing November with three straight road contests.

Led by fourth-year head coach Kellen Fernetti, the Chargers finished last season 22–10 overall and earned a share of the Arrowhead title with a 7–1 conference record.

Knox College

Knox women’s basketball tips off Nov. 7
First-year head coach Emily Carpenter and the Prairie Fire open their season Nov. 7 against two teams that finished last year in the national rankings, with a trip to Hawaii and 16 Midwest Conference games on the schedule.

Knox begins the campaign at the Wartburg Tipoff Tournament, facing the host school — ranked No. 16 in last season’s final poll — on Nov. 7. The Prairie Fire will take on future Midwest Conference member Luther College the following day.

After three road games, including the conference opener at Illinois College on Nov. 25, the Prairie Fire return home to Memorial Gymnasium. Lawrence University visits Dec. 2, followed by longtime rival Monmouth College on Dec. 6.

The final home game before the new year is Dec. 13 against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, which was ranked No. 15 in last year’s final poll. Knox will travel to the Hoops in Hawai‘i Classic on Dec. 21–22 to face Albion College and Linfield University.

The schedule resumes in 2026 with the full conference slate, beginning Jan. 3 at Lake Forest. Knox will host Webster University on Jan. 31 for its final nonconference game. February brings the last six league contests, including Senior Day on Valentine’s Day.

Knox men’s basketball opens Nov. 8
The Knox College men’s basketball team opens the 2025–26 season Nov. 8 with a schedule that includes 16 Midwest Conference games and a trip to the Daytona Beach Shootout in Florida just before Christmas.

Local fans can catch the season opener at 4 p.m. Nov. 8 at Memorial Gymnasium against Westminster College. Of the Prairie Fire’s first nine games, six will be played on Tim Heimann Court, including conference matchups against Lawrence University on Dec. 2 and Monmouth College on Dec. 6.

Knox will face perennial national power Williams College on Dec. 19 in Florida, followed by a game against Maritime College on Dec. 21 with a 10 a.m. Eastern time tipoff.

The final nonconference game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Dec. 31 at home against Millikin University. In 2026, Knox will play 13 more conference games, aiming for a top-four finish to qualify for the Midwest Conference Tournament, set for Feb. 27–28 and hosted by the regular-season champion.

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On the schedule

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
• Carl Sandburg women’s basketball vs. Monmouth, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 31, 2025
• Knox College volleyball at Grinnell College, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
• Knox cross country at Midwest Conference Championships, 10 a.m.
• Knox women’s soccer vs. Grinnell College, noon
• Sandburg men’s soccer vs. Triton or Moraine Valley, Region IV quarterfinal, noon
• Knox football vs. Cornell College, 1 p.m.
• Knox volleyball at Cornell College, 1 p.m.
• Knox men’s soccer vs. Grinnell College, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025
• Carl Sandburg women’s basketball vs. Culver-Stockton JV, 1 p.m.
• Carl Sandburg men’s basketball vs. Culver-Stockton JV, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025
• Carl Sandburg women’s basketball vs. Southeastern Community College, 5:30 p.m.