Capitol Conference (Wisconsin)

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The Capitol Conference is a high school athletic conference in south central Wisconsin. It was founded in 1969, and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

Madison Suburban Split and Early Years (1969-1994)

The Capitol Conference was formed in 1969 after the breakup of the larger Madison Suburban Conference into three separate organizations. Six of its original members came from the conference's Western section (Lodi, McFarland, Poynette, Verona, Waunakee and Wisconsin Heights) and two came from the Central section (DeForest and Waterloo). [1] In 1977, Poynette left to rejoin the Dual County Conference (having previously been a member from 1926 to 1954) [2] and Waterloo became a member of the Eastern Suburban Conference. [3] Two schools moved over from the Central Suburban Conference (Columbus and Lake Mills) to take their place and keep the conference at eight member schools. [4] Mount Horeb became the ninth member of the Capitol Conference after leaving the Southern Eight Conference in 1983. [5] In 1987, that number went back down to eight as DeForest and Waunakee left to become the newest members of the Badger Conference [6] and Poynette rejoined the Capitol Conference as a replacement. [7]

Growth-Driven Membership Shuffle (1994-2006)

By 1994, the Verona Area School District was the fastest-growing district in the Madison area, and they were invited to enter the Badger Conference with an eye towards continued future growth. [8] Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills took their place in 1995 after leaving the Eastern Suburban Conference, giving Lake Mills a crosstown rivalry for conference play. [9] Cambridge, Marshall and Waterloo followed Lakeside Lutheran out of the Eastern Suburban in 2001, offsetting the loss of Lodi and Poynette to the South Central Conference and McFarland and Mount Horeb to the Badger Conference. [10] For Waterloo, this was their second stint in the conference after having been a member from 1969 to 1977. The Capitol Conference would remain a seven-member league for the next five years before major changes would occur.

Divisional Realignment and Complete Overhaul (2006-present)

In 2006, the Capitol Conference reached its high of twelve member schools when Lodi and Poynette rejoined from the South Central Conference, Belleville and New Glarus came over from the Six Rivers Conference and Luther Prep in Watertown was added after being displaced from the Parkland Conference after it ceased operations. With the addition of the new schools came realignment into the Capitol North and Capitol South divisions: [11]

Capitol NorthCapitol South
ColumbusBelleville
Lake MillsCambridge
Lakeside LutheranMarshall
LodiNew Glarus
Luther PrepWaterloo
PoynetteWisconsin Heights

This alignment stayed intact for sixteen years before Luther Prep exited the conference to rejoin the Midwest Classic Conference in 2023. [12] Two years later, the Capitol Conference will undergo a significant revamping of its membership roster. All six schools in the Capitol South division, along with Poynette from the Capitol North and Brodhead from the Rock Valley Conference, are set to form a new conference yet to be named for the 2025-26 school year. The Capitol Conference will become an eight-member loop with the addition of three schools from the Rock Valley (Clinton, Jefferson and Whitewater) and one from the dissolved East Central Conference (Waupun). [13]

List of Conference Members

Current Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoined
Belleville Belleville, WI Public279Wildcats  2006 [11]
Cambridge Cambridge, WI Public266Bluejays  2001 [10]
Columbus Columbus, WI Public390Cardinals  1977 [4]
Lake Mills Lake Mills, WI Public491L-Cats  1977 [4]
Lakeside Lutheran Lake Mills, WI Private (Lutheran, WELS)506Warriors  1995 [9]
Lodi Lodi, WI Public451Blue Devils  1969, [1] 2006 [11]
Marshall Marshall, WI Public292Cardinals  2001 [10]
New Glarus New Glarus, WI Public323Glarner Knights  2006 [11]
Poynette Poynette, WI Public310Pumas  1969, [1] 1987, [7] 2006 [11]
Waterloo Waterloo, WI Public259Pirates  1969, [1] 2001 [10]
Wisconsin Heights Mazomanie, WI Public228Vanguards  1969 [1]

Former Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
DeForest DeForest, WI Public1,093Norskies  1969 [1] 1987 [6] Badger
McFarland McFarland, WI Public774Spartans  1969 [1] 2001 [10] Badger
Verona Verona, WI Public1,801Wildcats  1969 [1] 1994 [8] Badger Big Eight
Waunakee Waunakee, WI Public1,309Warriors  1969 [1] 1987 [6] Badger
Mount Horeb Mount Horeb, WI Public792Vikings  1983 [5] 2001 [10] Badger
Luther Prep Watertown, WI Public (Lutheran, WELS)407Phoenix  2006 [11] 2023 [12] Midwest Classic

Future Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedFormer Conference
Clinton Clinton, WI Public359Cougars  2025 [13] Rock Valley
Jefferson Jefferson, WI Public604Eagles  2025 [13] Rock Valley
Waupun Waupun, WI Public573Warriors  2025 [13] East Central
Whitewater Whitewater, WI Public606Whippets  2025 [13] Rock Valley

Membership Timeline

Capitol Conference (Wisconsin)

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Wisconsin Heights1973Small Schools
Verona1974Class B
Verona1982Class B
Verona1991Division 2
McFarland1996Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran1999Division 2 (WISAA)
Lakeside Lutheran2023Division 2
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Verona1980Class B
Verona1981Class B
Mount Horeb1983Class B
Verona1984Class B
Mount Horeb1990Division 2
Mount Horeb1994Division 2
Mount Horeb1995Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2007Division 2
Football
SchoolYearDivision
DeForest1982Division 4
Columbus1990Division 4
Columbus1996Division 4
Lodi2017Division 4
Columbus2022Division 4
Lodi2023Division 4
Boys Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
Columbus2008Division 3
Sugar River co-op

(Belleville/New Glarus)

2023Division 3
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Waunakee1985Class B
Waunakee1986Class B
Wisconsin Heights2008Division 3
Waterloo2014Division 3
Waterloo2015Division 3
Lakeside Lutheran2017Division 2

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
McFarland1973Class B
McFarland1974Class C
Marshall2002Division 3
New Glarus2019Division 4
Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
McFarland1983Class B
McFarland1999Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2001Division 3
Columbus2002Division 2
Columbus2003Division 2
Marshall2018Division 3
Marshall2019Division 3
Lake Mills2021Division 2
Gymnastics
SchoolYearDivision
Lake Mills1979Class B
Lake Mills1980Class B
Mount Horeb1984Class B
Mount Horeb1993Division 2
Boys Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Verona1993Division 2
Boys Wrestling
SchoolYearDivision
Lodi1998Division 2
Lodi2008Division 2

Spring Sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Wisconsin Heights1989Class C
Lodi2013Division 2
Wisconsin Heights2014Division 3
Boys Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Mount Horeb1988Class B
Lodi1990Class B
Lodi1996Division 2
Lake Mills1997Division 3
Lodi1998Division 2
Lodi2015Division 2
Cambridge2023Division 3
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
Waunakee1987Class B
Poynette1998Division 2
Poynette2011Division 3
Poynette2018Division 3
Poynette2019Division 3
Poynette2022Division 2
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
McFarland1977Class C
Verona1992Division 2
Sugar River co-op

(Belleville/New Glarus)

2012Division 2
Cambridge2018Division 3
Lodi2021Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2023Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2024Division 2
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Lake Mills1974Class B
Lake Mills1980Class B
Verona1984Class B
Verona1985Class B
Lake Mills1986Class B
Verona1991Division 2
Mount Horeb/Barneveld1996Division 2
McFarland2001Division 2
Columbus2004Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2005Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran2006Division 2

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dommershausen, Joe (8 June 1969). "New Area Conferences Finish Organization". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  2. ↑ Hillstrom, Eric (1 September 1977). "Most interesting prep season ahead". The Capital Times. p. 18. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Husty Aims for Winning Repeat". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. 1 September 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Dommershausen, Joe (31 August 1977). "Waunakee is coaches' choice". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Mount Horeb prepares for a new group of foes". Wisconsin State Journal. 28 August 1983. pp. 49 (Football '83 insert). Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 McMillin Jr., Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football". The Capital Times. p. 23. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  7. 1 2 Hibner, Perry (15 October 1987). "Poynette adjusts to Capitol Conference". Portage Daily Register. p. 6. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  8. 1 2 Semrau, Dennis (19 September 1992). "Middleton, Verona to move". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  9. 1 2 Semrau, Dennis (24 August 1994). "Capitol to add Lakeside Lutheran". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hernandez, Rob (27 January 2000). "Realignment set for 2001". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 22. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Semrau, Dennis (13 April 2006). "Conference realignment issue won't disappear". The Capital Times. p. 47. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  12. 1 2 Masson, Jon (15 January 2022). "Realignment plan takes step forward". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. B6. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Lindblad, Peter (12 January 2024). "WIAA: Badger Conference lacrosse conference realignment addressed". DeForest Times-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
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