Southern Lakes Conference

The Southern Lakes Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership based in southeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 1953, the conference and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

1953-1997

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8.1miles

   

Location of Original Southern Lakes Conference Members

The Southern Lakes Conference traces its origin to the break-up of the Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois (SWANI) Conference in 1952. ^[1] The five Wisconsin-based schools in that conference (Burlington, Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and Whitewater) entered into negotiations with three schools from the Southeastern Wisconsin Conference (East Troy, Mukwonago and Wilmot Union) to form a new eight-member league, ^[2] which was eventually named the Southern Lakes Conference and began play in 1953. ^{[3] [4]} In 1958, Lake Geneva and Genoa City High Schools merged to form Badger High School, ^[5] which took Lake Geneva's place in the conference. Big Foot High School in Walworth joined the Southern Lakes Conference in 1961, ^[6] increasing membership to nine schools. A tenth school (Salem Central, now Westosha Central) joined in 1969, ^[7] and the next year, membership increased to twelve with the addition of Union Grove and Waterford. All three of the new members previously played in the Southeastern Badger Conference, which was dissolved in 1970. To better facilitate scheduling and competition, the Southern Lakes Conference was split into Eastern and Western Divisions: ^[8]

Eastern Division	Western Division
Burlington	Badger
Mukwonago	Big Foot
Salem Central	Delavan-Darien
Union Grove	East Troy
Waterford	Elkhorn
Wilmot	Whitewater

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19miles

   

Location of Southern Lakes Conference Members (1982-1997)

In 1980, Mukwonago left to join the Parkland Conference ^[9] as part of a major realignment of southeastern Wisconsin high schools. Big Foot followed them out of the conference two years later, and they were replaced by Jefferson ^[10] and Milton, with Badger moving to the Eastern Division to keep divisions at six members each, an alignment that would remain in place until 1997: ^[11]

Eastern Division	Western Division
Badger	Delavan-Darien
Burlington	East Troy
Salem Central	Elkhorn
Union Grove	Jefferson
Waterford	Milton
Wilmot	Whitewater

1997-present

In 1997, all of the schools in the Eastern Division left the Southern Lakes Conference: Burlington joined the Southeast Conference, ^[12] and the remaining schools formed the Lakeshore Conference ^[13] along with St. Catherine's High School in Racine and St. Joseph High School in Kenosha. Fort Atkinson joined the Southern Lakes that same year to bring conference membership to seven schools in a single division. In 2008, the five public schools in the Lakeshore Conference (Badger, Union Grove, Waterford, Westosha Central and Wilmot) rejoined the Southern Lakes Conference. They replaced five schools that exited the conference: three joined the Rock Valley Conference ^[14] (East Troy, Jefferson and Whitewater) and two joined the Badger Conference ^[15] (Fort Atkinson and Milton). Burlington rejoined the Southern Lakes from the Southeast Conference the next year, ^[16] and Beloit Memorial became the latest addition to the Southern Lakes when they joined in 2023 from the Big Eight Conference. ^[17] They replaced Delavan-Darien, who left for the Rock Valley Conference that same year.

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. ^[18] The Southern Lakes Conference began the 2020-2021 cycle with the same eight-member group as its full membership roster for football. ^[19] The 2022-2023 realignment cycle brought changes to the Southern Lakes that would predate its non-football realignment by a year. Delavan-Darien moved over to the Rock Valley Conference, and Beloit Memorial joined from the Big Eight Conference. ^[20] This alignment will be maintained through the 2024-2025 cycle, ^[21] In 2026, Westosha Central will shift to the Southeast Conference, which the Southern Lakes Conference will enter into a scheduling partnership with. As part of this partnership, there will be one crossover game per season per team that counts in the overall conference standings. ^[22]

List of member schools

Current members

School	Location	Affiliation	Enrollment	Mascot	Colors	Joined
Badger	Lake Geneva, WI	Public	1,320	Badgers		1958, [5] 2008 [14] [15]
Beloit Memorial	Beloit, WI	Public	1,578	Purple Knights		2023 [17]
Burlington	Burlington, WI	Public	1,001	Demons		1953, [2] 2009 [16]
Elkhorn	Elkhorn, WI	Public	1,142	Elks		1953 [2]
Union Grove	Union Grove, WI	Public	1,049	Broncos		1970, [8] 2008 [14] [15]
Waterford	Waterford, WI	Public	958	Wolverines		1970, [8] 2008 [14] [15]
Westosha Central [a]	Paddock Lake, WI	Public	1,220	Falcons		1969, [7] 2008 [14] [15]
Wilmot Union	Wilmot, WI	Public	951	Panthers		1953, [2] 2008 [14] [15]

Notes

1. Known as Salem Central High School prior to 1985.

Former members

School	Location	Affiliation	Enrollment	Mascot	Colors	Joined	Left	Conference Joined	Current Conference
Delavan-Darien [a]	Delavan, WI	Public	628	Comets		1953 [2]	2023 [17]	Rock Valley
East Troy	East Troy, WI	Public	504	Trojans		1953 [2]	2008 [14]	Rock Valley
Lake Geneva	Lake Geneva, WI	Public	N/A	Resorters		1953 [2]	1958 [5]	Merged with Genoa City High School
Mukwonago	Mukwonago, WI	Public	1,619	Indians		1953 [2]	1980 [9]	Parkland	Classic Eight
Whitewater	Whitewater, WI	Public	606	Whippets		1953 [2]	2008 [14]	Rock Valley	Capitol (2025)
Big Foot	Walworth, WI	Public	449	Chiefs		1961 [6]	1982 [11]	Rock Valley
Jefferson	Jefferson, WI	Public	604	Eagles		1982 [11]	2008 [14]	Rock Valley
Milton	Milton, WI	Public	1,059	Redhawks		1982 [11]	2008 [15]	Badger
Fort Atkinson	Fort Atkinson, WI	Public	964	Blackhawks		1997 [12]	2008 [15]	Badger

Former football-only members

School	Location	Affiliation	Enrollment	Mascot	Colors	Seasons	Conference Joined	Primary Conference
Beloit Memorial	Beloit, WI	Public	1,578	Purple Knights		2022 [20]	Southern Lakes	Big Eight

Notes

1. Known as Delavan High School prior to 1957.

Membership timeline

Full members

 Eastern Division Western Division

Football members (since 2020)

Membership map

Southern Lakes Conference

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8.1miles

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

   

Location of Southern Lakes Conference full members:

1

Badger

2

Beloit Memorial

3

Burlington

4

Elkhorn

5

Union Grove

6

Waterford

7

Westosha Central

8

Wilmot Union

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country

School	Year	Division
Mukwonago	1964	Small Schools
Burlington	1965	Small Schools
Mukwonago	1966	Small Schools
Whitewater	1987	Class B
Whitewater	1993	Division 2
Whitewater	1994	Division 2
Whitewater	1995	Division 2

Football

School	Year	Division
Whitewater	1980	Division 2
Milton	1986	Division 3
Milton	1989	Division 3
Jefferson	1991	Division 3
Badger	2023	Division 2

Girls Golf

School	Year	Division
Westosha Central	2021	Division 1
Westosha Central	2022	Division 1

Boys Soccer

School	Year	Division
Union Grove	2023	Division 2

Girls Volleyball

School	Year	Division
Westosha Central	1989	Class A
Westosha Central	1992	Division 2

Winter sports

Boys Basketball

School	Year	Division
Elkhorn	1978	Class B
Elkhorn	1979	Class B
Wilmot Union	1984	Class B
Wilmot Union	1991	Division 2

Girls Basketball

School	Year	Division
Waterford	1985	Class B
Elkhorn	1997	Division 2

Gymnastics

School	Year	Division
Waterford	1991	Division 2
Union Grove/ Williams Bay/ Wilmot	2021	Division 1
Elkhorn	2024	Division 2

Boys Wrestling

School	Year	Division
East Troy	1986	Class B
East Troy	1987	Class B
East Troy	1988	Class B

Spring sports

Baseball

School	Year	Division
Wilmot Union	1970	Single Division
Whitewater	1995	Division 2
Whitewater	1999	Division 2

Boys Golf

School	Year	Division
Badger	1994	Division 1

Softball

School	Year	Division
Burlington	1984	Class A
Union Grove	2011	Division 2
Westosha Central	2013	Division 1
Westosha Central	2015	Division 1

Boys Track & Field

School	Year	Division
Elkhorn	1958	Class B
Mukwonago	1962	Class B
Whitewater	1970	Class B
Whitewater	1971	Class B
Whitewater	1973	Class B
Whitewater	1978	Class B

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

School	Quantity	Years
Burlington	20	1956, 1957, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2024
Whitewater	15	1961, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Elkhorn	14	1958, 1959, 1962, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2020
Westosha Central	12	1982, 1985, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Badger	10	1966, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2015
East Troy	10	1960, 1963, 1967, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008
Delavan-Darien	7	1974, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1991, 2000, 2004
Waterford	6	1981, 1986, 1995, 1996, 2010, 2025
Wilmot Union	6	1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995
Mukwonago	3	1965, 1975, 1978
Union Grove	3	1983, 2014, 2018
Fort Atkinson	2	2001, 2002
Milton	2	1983, 2006
Lake Geneva	2	1954, 1955
Jefferson	1	1998
Beloit Memorial	0
Big Foot	0

Girls Basketball

School	Quantity	Years
Union Grove	12	2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Jefferson	11	1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2007
Waterford	11	1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2015, 2019
Delavan-Darien	8	1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 2008, 2009, 2010
Westosha Central	6	1980, 1981, 1982, 1995, 1996, 1997
Wilmot Union	6	1993, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2014, 2016
Elkhorn	5	1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006
Milton	5	1986, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999
Badger	4	1989, 1992, 2012, 2020
Fort Atkinson	3	1998, 2000, 2001
Whitewater	3	1983, 1984, 2008
Burlington	2	1988, 1991
Mukwonago	2	1978, 1979
East Troy	1	1981
Beloit Memorial	0
Big Foot	0

Football

School	Quantity	Years
Burlington	26	1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2014
Whitewater	16	1956, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1993, 1999
Badger	12	1960, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024
Delavan-Darien	11	1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1967, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1999, 2004, 2010
Elkhorn	11	1974, 1976, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2014
Milton	11	1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Waterford	10	1980, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019
Wilmot Union	9	1954, 1955, 1966, 1978, 1985, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019
East Troy	5	1959, 1978, 1979, 1989, 1992
Big Foot	3	1970, 1971, 1975
Mukwonago	3	1954, 1957, 1972
Westosha Central	3	1985, 1989, 1992
Fort Atkinson	2	2000, 2003
Jefferson	2	1991, 1997
Union Grove	2	2008, 2021
Lake Geneva	1	1953
Beloit Memorial	0

References

1. "Meet to Form New Conference". Racine Journal Times. January 11, 1952. p. 17. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
2. "Meet Monday to Plan Athletic League to Succeed SWANI". Lake Geneva Regional News. March 6, 1952. p. 9. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
3. "Southern Lakes Conference Sports Review 1953-1990". Southern Lakes Conference. 1990. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
4. Raubacher, George (March 26, 1953). "Southern Lakes League Set to Operate in 1953-54". Janesville Weekly Gazette. p. 10. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
5. "Log 1958". 1958 Lake Geneva High School Yearbook, Dedication. 1958. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
6. "Whitewater Helps Elkhorn Take Charge in Southern Lakes". Janesville Weekly Gazette. December 6, 1961. p. 18. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
7. "S. Lakes Turns Down 2 Schools". Waukesha Daily Freeman. January 17, 1969. p. 8. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
8. "Prep Cage Standings - Southern Lakes Conference". Waukesha Daily Freeman. December 16, 1970. p. 13. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
9. "Arrow Eighty-One". 1981 Mukwonago High School Yearbook, page 131 (see Boys Basketball caption). 1981. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
10. "The J, Volume 64". 1983 Jefferson High School Yearbook, page 58 ("Slow outset moves to stronger ending"). 1983. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
11. "The J, Volume 63". 1982 Jefferson High School Yearbook, page 48 ("Sports"). 1982. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
12. Stewart, Mark (May 8, 1997). "New conferences have some familiar faces". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 3. ProQuest   260542551 . Retrieved October 24, 2024.
13. "LAKESHORE - Lancers hope to take next step, improving on good season looks like tough task". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. November 25, 1997. p. 4. ProQuest   260683990 . Retrieved October 24, 2024.
14. Kaebisch, Mike (August 24, 2008). "On The Move: Four New Teams Change the Landscape of the Rock Valley Conference". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 47. ProQuest   391544699 . Retrieved October 24, 2024.
15. "The New Look". Wisconsin State Journal. October 6, 2006. pp. D5. ProQuest   391459702 . Retrieved October 24, 2024.
16. Wedeward, Dave (July 30, 2009). "Elkhorn's Lee has big shoes to fill". The Janesville Gazette. ProQuest   241675178 . Retrieved October 24, 2024.
17. Daily News staff (April 14, 2023). "Beloit Memorial's move to Southern Lakes Conference approved". Beloit Daily News. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
18. "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 9, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
19. "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 6, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
20. "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 11, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
21. "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
22. "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2025.

External links

• Southern Lakes Conference