Wisconsin Valley Conference

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Wisconsin Valley Conference Member School Locations in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Valley Conference is a high school athletic conference composed of the largest public schools in north central Wisconsin. Founded in 1921, it is one of Wisconsin's oldest athletic conferences, and all members belong to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

Founding and Early Years (1921-1956)

The Wisconsin Valley Conference was founded in 1921 [1] by seven medium- to large-enrollment high schools in north central Wisconsin: Antigo, Marshfield, Merrill, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln. The early years brought a lot of membership changes to the conference. In 1922, Edgar, Medford, Nekoosa and Tomahawk joined the conference. [2] Edgar left the following year, and in 1924, Shawano and Wautoma joined the Wisconsin Valley. [3] They would end up staying for two years, and after Medford left the conference in 1928, [4] membership stayed stable at nine schools for just over two decades. Nekoosa left the Wisconsin Valley in 1951 and in 1955, Tomahawk joined the Lumberjack Conference. [5] In addition to losing Tomahawk, the Wisconsin Valley faced an even greater change that year. Citing competitive imbalance in football, [6] the four smallest schools in the conference (Antigo, Marshfield, Merrill and Rhinelander) left the Wisconsin Valley to start a new conference called the Northern Wisconsin Conference. [7] These four schools continued to schedule WVC members Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids as non-conference opponents, [8] but not Wausau, who had been the dominant force in football for decades. Ultimately, Wausau joined the new Big Rivers Conference [9] and the four schools who left rejoined in 1956. [10]

Expansion and the Return of Old Rivals (1956-2008)

The revamped Wisconsin Valley Conference began play in 1956 with six schools (Antigo, Marshfield, Merrill, Rhinelander, Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln). A seventh school was added to the Wisconsin Valley in 1957 when D.C. Everest High School in Schofield joined the conference. [11] In 1970, Shawano became the eighth school to join the conference after leaving the Mid-Eastern Conference. [12] Wausau East was invited to rejoin the Wisconsin Valley Conference from the Big Rivers in 1973, along with newcomer Wausau West to bring conference membership to ten schools. [13] Shawano would leave the Wisconsin Valley Conference to join the Bay Conference in 1979, [14] and conference membership would remain at nine schools for nearly thirty years.

Present Day (2008-present)

In 2008, two of the smaller schools in the conference left to become member of the new Great Northern Conference: Antigo and Merrill. [15] Two years later, Merrill and Rhinelander would swap conferences, with Merrill returning to the Wisconsin Valley and Rhinelander taking their place in the Great Northern Conference. [16] [17] Merrill is set to return to the Great Northern Conference after fifteen years of Wisconsin Valley membership in 2025, [18] leaving the conference with six member schools.

List of Member Schools

Current Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoined
D.C. Everest Schofield, WI Public1,824Evergreens  1957
Marshfield Marshfield, WI Public1,250Tigers  1921 [a] , 1956
Merrill Merrill, WI Public801Bluejays  1921 [b] , 1956 [c] , 2010 [d]
Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public2,105Panthers  1921
Wausau East Wausau, WI Public948Lumberjacks  1921, 1973
Wausau West Wausau, WI Public1,535Warriors  1973
Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Wisconsin Rapids, WI Public1,467Red Raiders  1921

Notes

  1. ↑ Left the Wisconsin Valley Conference in 1955, returned in 1956
  2. ↑ Left the Wisconsin Valley Conference in 1955, returned in 1956
  3. ↑ Left the Wisconsin Valley Conference in 2008, returned in 2010
  4. ↑ Joining the Great Northern Conference in 2025

Former Members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Antigo Antigo, WI Public687Red Robins  1921, 19561955, 2008 Northern Wisconsin, Great Northern Great Northern
Rhinelander Rhinelander, WI Public747Hodags  1921, 19561955, 2010 Northern Wisconsin, Great Northern Great Northern
Edgar Edgar, WI Public201Wildcats  19221923Independent Marawood
Medford Medford, WI Public738Raiders  192219293-C Great Northern
Nekoosa Nekoosa, WI Public295Papermakers  19221951Independent South Central
Tomahawk Tomahawk, WI Public371Hatchets  19221955 Lumberjack Great Northern
Shawano Shawano, WI Public797Hawks  1924, 19701926, 1979Independent, Bay Bay
Wautoma Wautoma, WI Public381Hornets  192419267-C South Central

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo1965Large Schools
Rhinelander1966Medium Schools
Stevens Point1980Class A
Stevens Point1981Class A
Stevens Point1983Class A
Stevens Point1985Class A
Rhinelander1987Class A
Stevens Point1994Division 1
Stevens Point1997Division 1
Stevens Point1998Division 1
Stevens Point2003Division 1
Stevens Point2008Division 1
Stevens Point2013Division 1
Stevens Point2021-22Alternate Season
Stevens Point2022Division 1
Stevens Point2023Division 1
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1987Class A
Stevens Point2002Division 1
Stevens Point2003Division 1
Wausau East2009Division 1
Wausau East2010Division 1
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo1976Division 1
Antigo1978Division 1
D.C. Everest1981Division 1
Antigo1982Division 1
D.C. Everest1983Division 1
D.C. Everest1989Division 1
Marshfield1997Division 1
D.C. Everest1998Division 1
Marshfield2001Division 1
Marshfield2002Division 1
Girls Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Wisconsin Rapids2000Single Division
Boys Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo1967Single Division
Antigo1968Single Division
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Shawano1973Single Division
Merrill1981Class A

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1926Single Division
Wausau1929Single Division
Wausau1938Class A
Rhinelander1939Class A
Wisconsin Rapids1951Single Division
Stevens Point1954Single Division
Stevens Point1994Division 1
Stevens Point2015Division 1
Stevens Point2016Division 1
Stevens Point2017Division 1
Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1980Class A
D.C. Everest1986Class A
Gymnastics
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo2008Division 2
Boys Ice Hockey
SchoolYearDivision
Antigo1993Single Division
Stevens Point2002Single Division
Wausau West2011Single Division
Girls Ice Hockey
SchoolYearDivision
Wausau Co-op2008Single Division
Wausau Co-op2012Single Division
Wausau Co-op2017Single Division
Wausau Co-op2022Single Division
Wausau Co-op2024Single Division
Skiing
SchoolYearDivision
Rhinelander1963Single Division
Rhinelander1965Single Division
Rhinelander1967Single Division
Boys Wrestling
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1949Single Division
Merrill1970Single Division
Wisconsin Rapids1974Single Division
D.C. Everest1978Single Division
Wisconsin Rapids1979Single Division
Wisconsin Rapids1981Class A
D.C. Everest1982Class A
Antigo1983Class A
Wisconsin Rapids1985Class A
D.C. Everest1986Class A
Wisconsin Rapids1989Class A
Merrill1992Division 1
Merrill1993Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids1995Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids1996Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids1997Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids1998Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids1999Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2000Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2001Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2003Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2004Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2005Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2006Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2007Division 1
Wausau West2008Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2009Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2010Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2011Division 1
Wisconsin Rapids2012Division 1
Wausau West2013Division 1

Spring Sports

Baseball
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1979Class A
Stevens Point1989Class A
Stevens Point1994Division 1
Boys Golf
SchoolYearDivision
Merrill1964Single Division
Rhinelander1969Single Division
Stevens Point1981Single Division
Stevens Point1983Single Division
Girls Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
D.C. Everest2015Division 1
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1986Class A
Marshfield1991Division 1
Marshfield1997Division 1
Stevens Point2001Division 1
Stevens Point2002Division 1
Stevens Point2003Division 1
Stevens Point2004Division 1
Stevens Point2008Division 1
Stevens Point2009Division 1
Stevens Point2011Division 1
Stevens Point2016Division 1
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Stevens Point1955Class A
D.C. Everest1994Division 1
D.C. Everest1996Division 1
Stevens Point2023Division 1
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
D.C. Everest1991Division 1
Wausau West1995Division 1
D.C. Everest1999Division 1
D.C. Everest2021Division 1

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Antigo Giants Here Saturday for First Game". Marshfield News-Herald. 30 September 1921. p. 7. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  2. ↑ "Antigo Trims Wausau, Stevens Point Preps Tie for League Lead". Stevens Point Journal. 19 February 1923. p. 7. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Medford in Nearly Invincible Position in Conference, Point Slips Notch Below in Cage Race". Stevens Point Journal. 2 February 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  4. ↑ "Sport Ink-Lings". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. 10 January 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  5. ↑ McCormick, Henry J. (3 April 1955). "Playing the Game with Henry J. McCormick". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 53. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Expect Discussion on Valley's Future". Stevens Point Journal. 28 March 1955. p. 6. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  7. ↑ Associated Press (30 June 1954). "Northern Wisconsin Conference Formed". Stevens Point Journal. p. 13. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "Point, Rapids Domination of Valley Cage Race Threatened". Marshfield News-Herald. 11 November 1954. p. 16. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  9. ↑ Associated Press (24 April 1956). "Wausau, Four Other Schools to Play Next Fall". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Lewis, Ben (13 April 1956). "WVC Reorganization Is Almost Certainty". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  11. ↑ "D.C. Everest Admitted Into Valley Circuit". Stevens Point Journal. 13 November 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  12. ↑ Kloppenburg, Dick (19 December 1969). "Valley Conference takes in Shawano". Wausau Daily Herald. p. 17. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  13. ↑ Associated Press (24 February 1970). "Wausau Schools Will Join WVC". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 14. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Lee, John (12 February 1978). "Realignment pleases New London officials". Appleton Post-Crescent. pp. E6. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  15. ↑ Miller, Jake (12 December 2006). "Changes will strip Valley of tradition". Marshfield News-Herald. p. 11. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  16. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (26 June 2009). "Five-division basketball plan among two going to fall area meetings". Baraboo News Republic. p. 10. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  17. ↑ "Merrill moving back to WVC". Marshfield News-Herald. 27 June 2009. p. 9. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  18. ↑ "Board acts on conference plans; Merrill's move to GNC becomes official". Medford Star News. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
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