Badger Conference

Last updated
Badger Conference Logo.jpg

The Badger Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in south central Wisconsin. Established in 1952, the Badger Conference is a member of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

1952-1977

Badger Conference
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
30km
19miles
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Location of Original Badger Conference Members

The Badger Conference was formed in 1952, [1] and most of its members came from two conferences that disbanded the year prior: Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Monroe, Stoughton and Wisconsin High from the Southern Ten Conference, and Evansville, Jefferson, Lake Mills and Milton from the Rock River Valley League. Middleton, formerly of the Madison Suburban Conference, rounded out the original membership roster at ten schools. Three years after joining the conference, three schools left for the Madison Suburban Conference: Evansville, Lake Mills and Milton. [2] They were replaced by the recently opened Monona Grove High School, who joined the conference in 1956. [3] Sun Prairie moved over from the Madison Suburban Conference in 1963, [4] and University of Wisconsin High was closed the next year, with its students being moved to Madison Central High School. [5] The Badger Conference's membership roster would stay consistent until major realignment in the late 1970s.

1977–2001

In 1977, the Badger Conference underwent a significant realignment. Three schools left the conference: Edgerton and Jefferson for the Rock Valley Conference and Sun Prairie for the Big Eight Conference. [6] They were replaced that same year by Oregon from the Central Suburban Conference and Sauk Prairie from the South Central Conference. [7] Ten years later, DeForest and Waunakee joined from the Capitol Conference. [8] Middleton left to join the Big Eight in 1994, and their place was taken by Verona from the Capitol Conference. [9] [10] Fort Atkinson left for the Southern Lakes Conference in 1997, [11] and Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart in Madison joined in 1999 after competing independently as a WISAA member for most of their athletic history. [12] [13]

2001–present

In 2001, the Badger Conference expanded from nine to fourteen schools, adding three schools formerly in the South Central Conference (Baraboo, Portage and Reedsburg) and two who joined from the Capitol Conference (McFarland and Mount Horeb). [14] In order to accommodate this, the conference split its members into North and South Divisions: [15]

North DivisionSouth Division
BarabooEdgewood
DeForestMcFarland
Mount HorebMonona Grove
PortageMonroe
ReedsburgOregon
Sauk PrairieStoughton
WaunakeeVerona

In 2008, McFarland and Verona left the Badger Conference to join the Rock Valley and Big Eight Conferences, respectively. [16] Their place in the South Division was taken by Fort Atkinson and Milton, who rejoined the Badger Conference from the Southern Lakes Conference. [17] Beaver Dam and Watertown joined from the dissolved Wisconsin Little Ten Conference in 2017 [18] and were placed in separate divisions (Beaver Dam in the North, Watertown in the South). In 2021, the Badger Conference realigned its divisions by East and West for most sports: [19]

East DivisionWest Division
Beaver DamBaraboo
DeForestEdgewood
Fort AtkinsonMonroe
MiltonMount Horeb
Monona GroveOregon
StoughtonPortage
WatertownReedsburg
WaunakeeSauk Prairie

This alignment only remained in place for two years, as it was replaced by Large School and Small School divisions in 2023. During this same year, McFarland and Monroe swapped conference affiliations: McFarland rejoined the Badger Conference and Monroe went to the Rock Valley Conference. [20] Monroe's departure left Stoughton as the only school to have been a member of the conference for its entire history.

Football-only alignment

In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle. [21] The Badger Conference remained at sixteen schools and adopted the large/small school divisional alignment three years before doing so for all sports, but with some changes to membership. Janesville Craig and Janesville Parker moved over as football-only members from the Big Eight Conference and were placed in the large-school division, with Edgewood and Monroe moving over to the Rock Valley Conference. [22] The two Janesville schools returned to the Big Eight Conference for the 2022 football season, exchanging affiliations with Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West. Baraboo and Reedsburg moved over to the Mississippi Valley Conference and DeForest took their place in the small-schools division to give the Badger Conference fourteen members in two seven-team divisions for football. [23] In 2024, Edgewood made their return to the Badger Conference as a football member, joining from the Capitol Conference along with Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills. They replaced Beaver Dam and Watertown, who left to join the East Central Conference as football-only members. Three schools moved over from the small-school division (DeForest, Fort Atkinson and Monona Grove) to give the large-school division eight members and the small-school division (who play an interlocking schedule with the East Central Conference) six members. [24] The Badger Conference will be expanding to sixteen football members for the 2026-2027 cycle, welcoming back Beaver Dam and Watertown from the shuttered East Central Conference. Portage will also be swapping affiliations with McFarland, with the former joining the Rock Valley Conference. [25]

List of member schools

Current members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedDivision
Baraboo Baraboo, WI Public919Thunderbirds  2001Small
Beaver Dam Beaver Dam, WI Public1124Golden Beavers  2017Large
DeForest DeForest, WI Public1093Norskies  1987Large
Edgewood Madison, WI Private, Catholic (Dominican)569Crusaders  1999Small
Fort Atkinson [a] Fort Atkinson, WI Public964Blackhawks  1952, 2008Large
McFarland [b] McFarland, WI Public774Spartans  2001, 2023Small
Milton Milton, WI Public1059Red Hawks  2008Large
Monona Grove Monona, WI Public1127Silver Eagles  1956Large
Mount Horeb Mount Horeb, WI Public792Vikings  2001Small
Oregon Oregon, WI Public1248Panthers  1977Large
Portage Portage, WI Public705Warriors  2001Small
Reedsburg Reedsburg, WI Public897Beavers  2001Small
Sauk Prairie Prairie du Sac, WI Public858Eagles  1977Small
Stoughton Stoughton, WI Public868Vikings  1952Small
Watertown Watertown, WI Public1170Goslings  2017Large
Waunakee Waunakee, WI Public1309Warriors  1987Large

Notes

  1. ↑ Left the Badger Conference in 1997, returned in 2008
  2. ↑ Left the Badger Conference in 2008, returned in 2023

Current football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedPrimary Conference
Lakeside Lutheran Lake Mills, WI Private (WELS)506Warriors  2024 Capitol
Sun Prairie East Sun Prairie, WI Public1,329Cardinals  2022 Big Eight
Sun Prairie West Sun Prairie, WI Public1,347Wolves   2022 Big Eight

Former members

InstitutionLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Edgerton Edgerton, WI Public537Crimson Tide  19521977 Rock Valley
Evansville Evansville, WI Public507Blue Devils  19521955 Madison Suburban Rock Valley
Jefferson Jefferson, WI Public604Eagles  19521977 Rock Valley Capitol
Lake Mills Lake Mills, WI Public491L-Cats  19521955 Madison Suburban Capitol
Middleton Middleton, WI Public2,357Cardinals  19521994 Big Eight
Monroe Monroe, WI Public742Cheesemakers  19522023 Rock Valley
Wisconsin High Madison, WI University of Wisconsin-MadisonN/ABadger Preps  19521964Closed (folded into Madison Central)
Sun Prairie [a] Sun Prairie, WI Public1,329Cardinals  19631977 Big Eight
Verona Verona, WI Public1,801Wildcats  19942008 Big Eight

Notes

  1. ↑ Currently known as Sun Prairie East High School

Former football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsSeasonsConference JoinedPrimary Conference
Janesville Craig Janesville, WI Public1,684Cougars  2020-2021 Big Eight Big Eight
Janesville Parker Janesville, WI Public1,429Vikings  2020-2021 Big Eight Big Eight

Membership timeline

Full members

Badger Conference

 North Division South Division East Division West Division Large Schools Small Schools

Football members (since 2020)

Badger Conference

 Large Schools Small Schools

Membership map

Badger Conference
Badger Conference
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
30km
19miles
16
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
15
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
14
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
13
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
12
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
11
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
10
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
9
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
8
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
7
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
6
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
5
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
4
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
3
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
2
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Location of Badger Conference full members:
1
Baraboo
2
Beaver Dam
3
DeForest
4
Edgewood
5
Fort Atkinson
6
McFarland
7
Milton
8
Monona Grove
9
Mount Horeb
10
Oregon
11
Portage
12
Reedsburg
13
Sauk Prairie
14
Stoughton
15
Watertown
16
Waunakee

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Monona Grove1959Medium Schools
Monroe1973Medium Schools
Monroe1974Class A
Monroe1979Class A
Oregon1988Class A
Middleton1992Division 1
McFarland2002Division 2
Edgewood2013Division 2
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Mount Horeb/Barneveld2008Division 2
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Monona Grove1977Division 2
Middleton1983Division 2
Monona Grove1984Division 3
Monroe1986Division 2
Middleton1987Division 2
Monroe1990Division 2
Monroe1991Division 2
Monroe1992Division 2
Monroe1994Division 3
Waunakee1999Division 3
Waunakee2002Division 3
Reedsburg2009Division 3
Waunakee2009Division 2
Waunakee2010Division 2
Waunakee2011Division 2
Monona Grove2013Division 3
Waunakee2017Division 2
DeForest2019Division 3
Waunakee2021Division 2
Monroe2022Division 3
Girls Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Edgewood2001Single Division
Edgewood2002Single Division
Edgewood2003Division 2
Edgewood2004Division 2
Edgewood2005Division 2
Edgewood2006Division 2
Edgewood2007Division 2
Edgewood2008Division 2
Edgewood2009Division 2
Edgewood2011Division 2
Edgewood2012Division 2
Edgewood2013Division 2
Edgewood2014Division 2
Edgewood2018Division 2
Edgewood2019Division 2
Boys Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
Sauk Prairie1996Division 2
Oregon1998Division 2
Mount Horeb2011Division 2
Oregon2013Division 2
Mount Horeb2015Division 3
Mount Horeb2017Division 3
Oregon2018Division 2
Oregon2021Division 2
Oregon2022Division 2
Girls Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Verona1998Division 2
Sauk Prairie2002Division 2
DeForest2006Division 2
DeForest2007Division 2
DeForest2008Division 2
Milton2010Division 2
Milton2011Division 2
Edgewood2015Division 2
Edgewood2016Division 2
Edgewood2017Division 2
Edgewood2018Division 2
Edgewood2019Division 2
Edgewood2020-21Alternate Season
Edgewood2021Division 2
Edgewood2022Division 2
Girls Tennis
SchoolYearDivision
Edgewood2013Division 2
Edgewood2015Division 2
Edgewood2016Division 2
Boys Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Wisconsin High1954Single Division
Wisconsin High1962Single Division
Wisconsin High1963Single Division
Monona Grove1965Single Division

Winter sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Monroe1965Single Division
Edgewood2002Division 2
Monroe2007Division 2
Mount Horeb2015Division 2
Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Monroe1989Class A
Waunakee1993Division 2
Monroe2006Division 2
Monroe2008Division 2
Edgewood2017Division 3
Beaver Dam2018Division 2
Beaver Dam2019Division 2
Edgewood2024Division 3
Girls Gymnastics
SchoolYearDivision
Mount Horeb2015Division 2
Mount Horeb2020Division 2
Edgewood/Verona2023Division 1
Boys Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Verona2000Division 2
McFarland2007Division 2
McFarland2008Division 2
Monona Grove2013Division 2
Edgewood2014Division 2
Monona Grove2015Division 2
Monona Grove2016Division 2
Monona Grove2017Division 2
Monona Grove2018Division 2
Edgewood2019Division 2
Edgewood2020Division 2
Edgewood2022Division 2
Boys Wrestling
SchoolYearDivision
Stoughton1968Single Division
Stoughton1972Single Division
Monroe1973Single Division
Stoughton1975Single Division
Stoughton1976Single Division
Stoughton1977Single Division
Stoughton1987Class A
Stoughton1988Class A
Stoughton2018Division 1
Stoughton2019Division 1
Stoughton2020Division 1

Spring sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Sun Prairie1974Single Division
Sauk Prairie1996Division 2
Edgewood2004Division 2
Portage2006Division 2
Edgewood2009Division 2
Portage2012Division 2
Waunakee2018Division 1
Milton2022Division 1
Edgewood2024Division 2
Boys Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Wisconsin High1955Single Division
Monona Grove1989Class B
Middleton1993Division 1
McFarland2004Division 2
Edgewood2009Division 2
Edgewood2010Division 2
Edgewood2017Division 2
Edgewood2018Division 2
Edgewood2019Division 2
Edgewood2021Division 2
Edgewood2022Division 2
Edgewood2023Division 2
Girls Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
Monona Grove2001Division 2
Monona Grove2002Division 2
Monona Grove2003Division 2
Edgewood2009Division 2
Edgewood2009Division 2
Oregon2015Division 2
Oregon2019Division 2
Oregon2022Division 2
Oregon2024Division 2
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
Middleton1989Class A
Monroe2003Division 2
Portage2005Division 2
Boys Tennis
SchoolYearDivision
Monroe1996Division 2
Sauk Prairie2001Division 2
Sauk Prairie2003Division 2
Edgewood2016Division 2
Edgewood2018Division 2
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Monroe1966Class B
Monona Grove1982Class A
Monona Grove1984Class B
Monona Grove1985Class B
Sauk Prairie1999Division 2
Verona1999Division 1
Monroe2014Division 2
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Sauk Prairie1996Division 2
Edgewood2002Division 2
DeForest2023Division 1

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Monroe151955, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022
Stoughton151956, 1963, 1969, 1981, 1982, 1999, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2024
Waunakee151992, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
Fort Atkinson111957, 1958, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2025
Monona Grove111962, 1966, 1979, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2018, 2019
Sun Prairie81968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976
Oregon71986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2000, 2003, 2004
Sauk Prairie61996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2023
Edgewood42003, 2004, 2009, 2017
Mount Horeb42014, 2015, 2019, 2025
Portage42002, 2003, 2004, 2007
Wisconsin High31953, 1954, 1961
Middleton21984, 1988
DeForest12022
Edgerton11953
McFarland12002
Verona12006
Baraboo0
Beaver Dam0
Evansville0
Jefferson0
Lake Mills0
Milton0
Reedsburg0
Watertown0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Monroe201980, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2018
Monona Grove121976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019
DeForest111991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016
Waunakee111993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2025
Oregon91978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 2015, 2020, 2023, 2024
Stoughton61977, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017
Beaver Dam52018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
Edgewood52006, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2025
Baraboo22011, 2013
Middleton21975, 1991
Reedsburg22005, 2022
Sauk Prairie22009, 2010
McFarland12024
Milton12011
Sun Prairie11976
Edgerton0
Fort Atkinson0
Jefferson0
Mount Horeb0
Portage0
Verona0
Watertown0

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
Monona Grove281958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Waunakee221998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Monroe131986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2016
Middleton121953, 1955, 1959, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1983, 1988
Mount Horeb/
Barneveld		62002, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Stoughton61952, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1975, 2019
Fort Atkinson51956, 1957, 1964, 1976, 2021
Oregon51978, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1990
DeForest41996, 2009, 2014, 2019
Jefferson41954, 1964, 1974, 1975
Milton42007, 2014, 2015, 2019
Sun Prairie41964, 1966, 1973, 1975
Verona42002, 2005, 2006, 2008
Edgewood21999, 2005
Reedsburg22009, 2013
Sauk Prairie11981
Baraboo0
Beaver Dam0
Edgerton0
Evansville0
Janesville Craig0
Janesville Parker0
Lake Mills0
Lakeside Lutheran0
McFarland0
Portage0
Sun Prairie West0
Watertown0
Wisconsin High0

References

  1. ↑ Associated Press (March 23, 1952). "New Badger Prep League Completed". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. p. 10. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Wisconsin High Wins Easily, 82-42". The Capital Times. February 11, 1955. p. 13. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hinrichs, Art (March 2, 1955). "Badger Loop Holds Spring Meet". The Capital Times. p. 17. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Sun Prairie Is Invited to Join Badger Circuit". Janesville Weekly Gazette. May 11, 1962. p. 14. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ McCormick, George (November 6, 1962). "Wisconsin High-Central Merger Advanced a Step". The Capital Times. p. 13. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  6. ↑ Hillstrom, Eric (August 17, 1977). "Learning to live with realignment". The Capital Times. p. 69. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  7. ↑ Lindstrom, Don (August 13, 1976). "Badger Conference teams wouldn't have made playoff". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 60. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  8. ↑ Lindstrom, Don (August 1, 1986). "A bigger Badger Conference kills 2 rivalries". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 18. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  9. ↑ Semrau, Dennis (December 8, 1993). "Sugar River Raiders still homeless". The Capital Times. p. 21. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (August 28, 1994). "Newcomer Verona adjusts to its surroundings". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 46. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (May 8, 1996). "Realignment works its way through WIAA". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 21. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Notes". The La Crosse Tribune. April 23, 1998. p. 21. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  13. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (May 5, 1998). "Middleton duo stick together". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 12. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  14. ↑ Semrau, Dennis (December 7, 1999). "WIAA realignment plan moves closer to reality". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Prep Scoreboard (see Badger Conference)". Wisconsin State Journal. December 25, 2001. p. 22. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  16. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (October 6, 2006). "Hauser sticks to her plan". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. D1. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  17. ↑ Zizzo, Nick (August 24, 2008). "Moving Back In". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 33. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  18. ↑ Kabelowsky, Art (April 20, 2016). "Beaver Dam and Watertown join Badger Conference". Baraboo News Republic. p. 9. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  19. ↑ Masson, Jon (September 9, 2021). "Badger coaches unsure about new quad format". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. B6. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Conference (from A6)". Portage Daily Register. February 16, 2023. pp. A7. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 9, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  22. ↑ "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 6, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 11, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  24. ↑ "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  25. ↑ "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.