Dairyland Conference

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The Dairyland Conference is a high school athletic conference in west central Wisconsin. It was founded in 1959 and all member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

Formation and Early Years (1959-1977)

The Dairyland Conference was formed by six small high schools in west central Wisconsin in 1959. Three members came from the original Mississippi Valley Conference (Augusta, Osseo and Whitehall) and the other three from the disbanded Trempealeau Valley Conference (Blair, Eleva-Strum and Independence). [1] The membership roster soon increased to eight schools, with Lincoln High School in Alma Center joining from the West Central Conference in 1961 [2] and Cochrane-Fountain City moving over from the Mississippi Valley Conference in 1963. [3] [4] Alma High School joined the Dairyland Conference in 1971 from the West Central Conference. [5] They replaced Cochrane-Fountain City, who was moved to the Coulee Conference that year. [6]

Expansion and Divisional Realignment (1977-2000)

In 1977, the Dairyland Conference added four schools: two from the Coulee Conference (Cochrane-Fountain City and Melrose-Mindoro) and two from the defunct West Central Conference (Gilmanton and Taylor). [7] The membership roster would remain the same for eight years, until the league realigned into divisions based on enrollment size in 1985: [8]

Large SchoolsSmall Schools
AugustaAlma
Cochrane-Fountain CityAlma Center Lincoln
Eleva-StrumBlair
Melrose-MindoroGilmanton
Osseo-FairchildIndependence
WhitehallTaylor

Osseo-Fairchild left for membership in the Cloverbelt Conference after the first season of this alignment. [9] In 1989, Blair and Taylor merged to form Blair-Taylor High School, inheriting both predecessors' Dairyland membership in the process. [10] [11] The Dairyland Conference also consolidated into a single division that year. Augusta's departure to the Cloverbelt Conference in 1990 would bring membership down to nine schools. [12] Luther High School in Onalaska entered the Dairyland Conference in 1991, bringing the roster back up to ten schools. [13] The next year, the conference reinstated the Large School/Small School divisional alignment: [14]

Large SchoolsSmall Schools
Blair-TaylorAlma
Cochrane-Fountain CityAlma Center Lincoln
LutherEleva-Strum
Melrose-MindoroGilmanton
WhitehallIndependence

Luther was voted out of the conference in 1996, with members citing issues with travel distances and competition level disparity. [15] Soon after Luther left the conference in 1997, they were invited to become members of the Coulee Conference. [16]

Present Day (2000-present)

Immanuel Lutheran High School in Eau Claire joined the Dairyland Conference as its tenth member in 2000, after the merger between the WIAA and the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association was completed. [17] Eleva-Strum moved over to the Large Schools division to even out the divisional balance at five members each: [18]

Large SchoolsSmall Schools
Blair-TaylorAlma
Cochrane-Fountain CityAlma Center Lincoln
Eleva-StrumGilmanton
Melrose-MindoroImmanuel Lutheran
WhitehallIndependence

In 2006, Alma Center Lincoln and Eleva-Strum swapped divisions, [19] and in 2009, Alma High School entered into a cooperative agreement for most sports with nearby Pepin High School. The Pepin/Alma cooperative inherited Alma's place in the Dairyland Conference's Small Schools division. [20] Augusta reentered the Dairyland in 2014 and was added to the conference's Large Schools division. [21] Blair-Taylor and Eleva-Strum switched divisions in 2016, [22] [23] with the latter making their return to the Large Schools division. Blair-Taylor returned to the Large Schools division in 2021, [24] with Alma Center Lincoln moving back to the Small Schools division. [25] Two years later, Independence and Gilmanton became a cooperative program and remained in the Small Schools division. Cochrane-Fountain City moved over to the Small Schools division to balance the alignment at five schools per division: [26]

Large SchoolsSmall Schools
AugustaAlma Center Lincoln
Blair-TaylorCochrane-Fountain City
Eleva-StrumImmanuel Lutheran
Melrose-MindoroIndependence/Gilmanton
WhitehallPepin/Alma

In 2025, Osseo-Fairchild will make its return to the Dairyland Conference after nearly four decades of Cloverbelt Conference membership. [27] The conference has yet to announce its divisional alignment with Osseo-Fairchild's addition.

List of Conference Members

Current Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoined
Alma Center Lincoln Alma Center, WI Public164Hornets  1961 [2]
Augusta Augusta, WI Public226Beavers  1959, [1] 2014 [21]
Blair-Taylor Blair, WI Public193Wildcats  1989 [10] [11]
Cochrane-Fountain City Fountain City, WI Public175Pirates  1963, [3] [4] 1977 [7]
Eleva-Strum Strum, WI Public197Cardinals  1959 [1]
Immanuel Lutheran Eau Claire, WI Private (Lutheran, CLC)96Lancers  2000 [17]
Independence/Gilmanton Independence, WI Public172Indees  2023 [26]
Melrose-Mindoro Melrose, WI Public223Mustangs  1977 [7]
Pepin/Alma Pepin, WI Public149Eagles  2009 [20]
Whitehall Whitehall, WI Public216Norse  1959 [1]

Former Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Blair Blair, WI PublicN/ACardinals  1959 [1] 1989 [10] [11] Closed (merged into Blair-Taylor)
Independence Independence, WI Public143Indees  1959 [1] 2023 [26] Dairlyland (coop with Gilmanton)
Osseo-Fairchild Osseo, WI Public255Chieftains  1959 [1] 1986 [9] Cloverbelt
Alma Alma, WI Public65Rivermen  1971 [5] 2009 [20] Dairyland (coop with Pepin)
Taylor Taylor, WI PublicN/ATrojans  1977 [7] 1989 [10] [11] Closed (merged into Blair-Taylor)
Gilmanton Gilmanton, WI Public39Panthers  1977 [7] 2023 [26] Dairyland (coop with Independence)
Luther Onalaska, WI Private (Lutheran, WELS)228Knights  1991 [13] 1997 [15] Coulee

Future Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedFormer Conference
Osseo-Fairchild Osseo, WI Public255Thunder  2025 [27] Cloverbelt

Membership Timeline

Dairyland Conference

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Cochrane-Fountain City1984Class C
Cochrane-Fountain City1993Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City1994Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City1995Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City1996Division 3
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Cochrane-Fountain City1996Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City1998Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City1999Division 3
Cochrane-Fountain City2022Division 3
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Osseo-Fairchild1977Division 4
Osseo-Fairchild1981Division 5
Osseo-Fairchild1982Division 5
Augusta1989Division 6
Eleva-Strum2007Division 7
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Immanuel Lutheran2024Division 5

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Eleva-Strum2008Division 4
Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Gilmanton2001Division 4

Spring Sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Eleva-Strum2024Division 4
Boys Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Eleva-Strum1989Class C
Eleva-Strum2008Division 3
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Whitehall1986Class C
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Whitehall2008Division 3

Summer Sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Whitehall1986Single Division

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Blanchard, Ken (16 November 1958). "Battin' the Breeze (see "Dairyland New Tag")". La Crosse Tribune. p. 15. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Four Area Grid Loops Open Schedules Friday". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. 14 September 1961. p. 13. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 Gunderson, Jim (28 March 1962). "Gunning for Sports (see "More Conference Changes")". La Crosse Tribune. p. 21. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 Gunderson, Jim (5 July 1962). "BRF Joins S-C Loop". La Crosse Tribune. p. 20. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Lincoln Football Prospects Good". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. 20 August 1971. p. 8. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  6. ↑ Pickett, Jim (3 September 1971). "Alma Center Lincoln Eyes End of Long Grid Drought". La Crosse Tribune. p. 18. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Lisser, Bill (30 August 1977). "Mel-Min, C-FC switch to Dairyland". La Crosse Tribune. p. 37. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Whitehall turns back Osseo-Fairchild". La Crosse Tribune. 6 December 1985. p. 21. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  9. 1 2 Taschner, Tony (23 August 1986). "Stanley-Boyd has experience to rebound". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. p. 30. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Linda (20 September 1988). "Blair, Taylor schools begin consolidation". La Crosse Tribune. p. 10. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "It's Wildcats for Blair-Taylor". La Crosse Tribune. 6 January 1989. p. 9. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  12. ↑ "Augusta eyes final title in Dairyland". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. 20 September 1989. p. 20. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  13. 1 2 Quast, Steve (12 April 1990). "Onalaska Luther prepares to join Dairyland Conference". La Crosse Tribune. p. 29. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Indees romp past Lincoln". La Crosse Tribune. 16 December 1992. p. 5. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 Kabelowsky, Art (13 January 1996). "Move could affect Onalaska Luther". La Crosse Tribune. p. 7. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  16. ↑ Cohen, Andrew (20 April 1996). "Area leagues next on WIAA agenda". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 33. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  17. 1 2 Holmes, Kirk (24 April 1999). "Ramblers, Lancers, Macks get the OK". La Crosse Tribune. p. 16. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  18. ↑ Nelson, Loren (26 November 2000). "Becker keeps Gilmanton humming along". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. 28 (Basketball 2000 insert). Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  19. ↑ Ziemer, Joe (11 January 2007). "Fall Creek better than WCC mark (see Standings)". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. p. 25. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 Brommerich, David L. (5 April 2009). "Pepin, Alma enter co-op". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. B3. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  21. 1 2 Ziemer, Joe (11 December 2014). "Keep an eye on Appleby". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. pp. D3. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "Dairyland - Large Basketball (Standings)". MaxPreps. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  23. ↑ "Dairyland - Small Basketball (Standings)". MaxPreps. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  24. ↑ "Dairyland - Large Basketball (Standings)". MaxPreps. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  25. ↑ "Dairyland - Small Basketball (Standings)". MaxPreps. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Dairyland - Small Basketball (Standings)". MaxPreps. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  27. 1 2 "Approved Plans from the 2023-24 Conference Realignment Cycle". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
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