Great Northern Conference

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Great Northern Conference Logo.jpg

The Great Northern Conference is a high school athletic conference based in north central Wisconsin. Founded in 2008, the conference and its member schools belong to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

The Great Northern Conference was formed in 2008 by seven medium-sized high schools in north central Wisconsin. Four of its original members (Lakeland Union, Medford, Northland Pines and Tomahawk) were previously members of the Lumberjack Conference, which had disbanded the year prior. [1] Two schools joined from the Wisconsin Valley Conference (Antigo and Merrill) [2] and Mosinee moved over from the Cloverbelt Conference. [1] For Antigo and Merrill, this move grouped them with schools more in line with their enrollment size instead of being two of the smallest schools in their former conference. [2] Two years after the Great Northern Conference was formed, Merrill swapped affiliations with Wisconsin Valley Conference member Rhinelander. [3] [4] They rejoined in 2025 from the Wisconsin Valley Conference, bringing the Great Northern Conference's membership group to eight schools. [5]

List of member schools

Current full members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoined
Antigo Antigo, WI Public687Red Robins  2008 [2]
Lakeland Union Minocqua, WI Public717Thunderbirds  2008 [1]
Medford Medford, WI Public738Raiders  2008 [1]
Merrill Merrill, WIPublic801Bluejays  2008, [2] 2025 [5]
Mosinee Mosinee, WI Public621Indians  2008 [1]
Northland Pines Eagle River, WI Public451Eagles  2008 [1]
Rhinelander Rhinelander, WI Public747Hodags  2010 [3] [4]
Tomahawk Tomahawk, WI Public371Hatchets  2008 [1]

Current associate members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsPrimary ConferenceSports
Ashland Ashland, WI Public635Oredockers   Heart O'North Gymnastics, [a] Boys Tennis
Colby Colby, WI Public309Hornets   Cloverbelt Girls Swim & Dive [b]
Columbus Catholic Marshfield, WI Private (Catholic)146Dons   Marawood Girls Tennis
Marshfield Marshfield, WI Public1,250Tigers   Wisconsin Valley Gymnastics
Newman Catholic Wausau, WI Private (Catholic)128Cardinals   Marawood Girls Tennis
Pacelli Stevens Point, WI Private (Catholic)169Cardinals   Central Wisconsin Boys Tennis, Girls Tennis
Phillips Phillips, WI Public217Loggers   Marawood Girls Tennis
Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public2,105Panthers   Wisconsin Valley Gymnastics
Waupaca Waupaca, WI Public589Comets   North Eastern Boys Hockey
Wausau East Wausau, WI Public948Lumberjacks   Wisconsin Valley Football
Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin Rapids, WI Public1,467Red Raiders   Wisconsin Valley Gymnastics

Notes

  1. ↑ Co-operative with Drummond, Mellen and Washburn
  2. ↑ Co-operative with Abbotsford

Current co-operative members

TeamColorsHost SchoolCo-operative MembersSport(s)
Trident Swim Team   Ladysmith Bloomer, Bruce, Flambeau, Lake Holcombe Girls Swim & Dive

Former associate members

SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsSeasonsSportsPrimary Conference
Ashland Ashland, WI Public635Oredockers  2011-2023Football Lake Superior, Heart O'North
Merrill Merrill, WI Public801Bluejays  2011-2024Football Wisconsin Valley
Hayward Hayward, WI Public604Hurricanes  2020-2023Football Heart O'North

Membership timeline

Full members

Great Northern Conference

Football members

Great Northern Conference

Membership map

Great Northern Conference
Great Northern Conference
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30km
19miles
8
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7
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6
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5
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Location of Great Northern Conference full members:
1
Antigo
2
Lakeland Union
3
Medford
4
Merrill
5
Mosinee
6
Northland Pines
7
Rhinelander
8
Tomahawk

Sanctioned sports

Baseball
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Cross Country
Girls Cross Country
Football
Boys Golf
Gymnastics
Boys Hockey
Boys Soccer
Girls Soccer
Softball
Boys Swim & Dive
Girls Swim & Dive
Boys Tennis
Girls Tennis
Boys Track & Field
Girls Track & Field
Girls Volleyball
Boys Wrestling
Girls Wrestling
AntigoXXXXXXXXX [a] XXXXXXXXXXXX
Lakeland UnionXXXXXXXX [b] XXXXXXXXXXXXX
MedfordXXXXXXXX [c] X [d] XXXXXXXXXXXX
MerrillXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MosineeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Northland PinesXXXXXXXXXXXXX
RhinelanderXXXXXXXXX [e] XXXXXXXXXXXX
TomahawkXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Notes

  1. ↑ Co-operative with Wittenberg-Birnamwood
  2. ↑ Co-operative with Northland Pines
  3. ↑ Co-operative with Colby
  4. ↑ Co-operative with Abbotsford, Edgar and Rib Lake
  5. ↑ Co-operative with Laona, Phelps and Three Lakes

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Tomahawk2008Division 2
Lakeland Union2016Division 2
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Medford2018Division 2
Girls Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Rhinelander2020Division 2
Rhinelander2023Division 2

Winter sports

Boys Hockey
SchoolYearDivision
Tomahawk2025Division 2
Girls Hockey
SchoolYear
Central Wisconsin Storm2022
Central Wisconsin Storm2024
Boys Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Rhinelander2023Division 2

Spring sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo2019Division 2
Boys Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Lakeland Union2024Division 2
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
Mosinee2014Division 2

List of conference champions

Source: [6]

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Rhinelander72013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2024, 2025
Antigo42009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Medford42017, 2020, 2021, 2023
Mosinee42016, 2019, 2022, 2023
Lakeland Union0
Merrill0
Northland Pines0
Tomahawk0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
Lakeland Union72011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025
Mosinee42014, 2016, 2021, 2022
Medford32010, 2012, 2013
Rhinelander22019, 2020
Antigo12009
Merrill12009
Northland Pines12013
Tomahawk0

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
Medford72012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2024
Antigo52008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017
Mosinee52011, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2023
Merrill32009, 2014, 2016
Ashland12018
Lakeland Union12008
Hayward0
Rhinelander0
Tomahawk0
Wausau East0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lueck, Collin (June 11, 2008). "Merrill High School ready for move to brand new conference". Merrill Foto News. p. 31. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Miller, Jake (December 12, 2006). "Changes will strip Valley of tradition". Marshfield News-Herald. p. 11. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Hernandez, Rob (June 26, 2009). "Five-division basketball plan among two going to fall area meetings". Baraboo News Republic. p. 10. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Merrill moving back to WVC". Marshfield News-Herald. June 27, 2009. p. 9. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Board acts on conference plans; Merrill's move to GNC becomes official". Medford Star News. March 6, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  6. ↑ "All-Time GNC Champions" (PDF). Great Northern Conference. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
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