History
The North Central Hockey Conference was founded in 1973 by six programs located in north central Wisconsin: Mosinee, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Tomahawk, Wausau East and Wausau West. [1] These schools belonged to two conferences that did not sponsor hockey (the Wisconsin Valley and Lumberjack) and grouped together to ensure regular competition amongst its member schools. The conference gained a seventh member in 1974 when Northland Pines in Eagle River joined the group. [2] [3] That number increased to eight in 1977 (D.C. Everest) [4] and nine in 1981 (Antigo). [5] When Pacelli in Stevens Point joined as the conference's tenth member in 1982, [6] the North Central Hockey Conference partitioned its membership into north and south divisions:
| North Division | South Division |
|---|---|
| Antigo | D.C. Everest |
| Northland Pines | Mosinee |
| Rhinelander | Pacelli |
| Wausau East | Stevens Point |
| Wausau West | Tomahawk |
This arrangement continued for two more seasons after Pacelli's 1983 exit from the conference, [7] and the nine remaining schools consolidated back down to a single division in 1985. [8] The addition of Waupaca in 1989 [9] brought membership to ten schools, where it would remain for another two years. In 1991, six schools left the conference (Antigo, D.C. Everest, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wausau East and Wausau West) when the Wisconsin Valley Conference began sponsorship of boys hockey in their athletic offerings. [10] To offset the losses, the North Central Hockey Conference added Lumberjack members Lakeland Union and Medford to keep the league afloat. [11] The Lumberjack Conference also started sponsorship of hockey in 1991, and four NCHC members (Lakeland Union, Medford, Northland Pines and Tomahawk) maintained dual membership in both organizations [12] before the North Central Hockey Conference was disbanded in 1997. Mosinee and Waupaca joined the Lumberjack Conference as associate members in boys hockey after the North Central Hockey Conference's demise. [13]
