In what is possibly a first for the school, both of the Carthage College basketball teams are ranked nationally, according to polls released on Tuesday.

Previously unranked, the Reds (6-0) were ranked 13th in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll and 20th in the D3hoops.com poll.

Hope was No. 1 in the WBCA/USA Today/ESPN poll, while Illinois Wesleyan was No. 1 in the D3hoops.com poll.

The Red Men (6-2) slipped seven spots to 24th in the D3hoops.com poll where Washington University remained No. 1.

The Carthage women’s team travels to Chicago on Friday to play Robert Morris University in a 7 p.m. non-conference game at Loyola University’s Joseph J. Gentile Center.

The Carthage men’s team is idle until Saturday, Dec. 19 when the Red Men travel to Whiting, Ind., to take on Calumet College of St. Joseph in a 7 p.m. contest at the Recreation Athletic Facility.

Pelka honored

Carthage’s Michelle Pelka was named the CCIW Swimmer of the Week on Tuesday.

The junior from Elgin, Ill., had a personal in-season best and NCAA ‘B’ cut time of 4:36.66 in the 400-yard individual medley at the TYR/CollegeSwimming.com Classic over the weekend.

She was also a winner in three other events including the 100 butterfly (59.97), the 200 butterfly (2:10.26), and the 200 IM (2:12.83).

Pelka is the first Carthage swimmer — male or female — to be honored this season.

Wheaton’s Jonathan Nitz was also honored.