2026 Best Colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division II) in Illinois

Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 5 colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.

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Top 5 Colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division II)

Explore the leading programs below:

1

Lewis University
Romeoville, IL

85% Academic Quality Percentile

17 Team Participants

Our analysis found Lewis University to be the best college for Women's Basketball (Division II) in Illinois. Lewis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Romeoville, IL. Team revenue averages $43,176 per participant, against $43,176 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,669.

2

McKendree University
Lebanon, IL

73% Academic Quality Percentile

17 Team Participants

McKendree University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division II). Based in Lebanon, IL, McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $38,615 per participant, with expenses of about $38,615 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,695.

3

University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL

80% Academic Quality Percentile

13 Team Participants

University of Illinois Springfield landed the #3 spot for Women's Basketball (Division II). University of Illinois Springfield is a public school based in Springfield, IL. Team revenue averages $37,067 per participant, against $37,067 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $4,768 per athlete.

4

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

77% Academic Quality Percentile

16 Team Participants

Roosevelt University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Chicago, IL, Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $40,507 per participant, with expenses of about $40,507 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,633.

5

Quincy University
Quincy, IL

67% Academic Quality Percentile

16 Team Participants

Quincy University landed the #5 spot for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Quincy, IL, Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $37,162 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $37,280 per participant. Athletic aid averages $8,507 per athlete.

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Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.

This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.

References

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

See our data sources and methodologies.