Wisconsin Valley Conference

Last updated

Logo-Wisconsin Valley.jpg

The Wisconsin Valley Conference is a high school athletic conference composed of the largest public schools in north central Wisconsin. Founded in 1920, it is one of Wisconsin's oldest athletic conferences, and all members belong to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

1921-1946

Wisconsin Valley Conference
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
50km
31miles
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Location of Original Wisconsin Valley Conference Members

The Wisconsin Valley Conference was founded in 1920 [1] by seven medium- to large-enrollment high schools in north central Wisconsin: Antigo, Marshfield, Merrill, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln. After sponsoring a full football schedule for the first two seasons, basketball played their first full schedule for the 1921-1922 school year. [2] The early years of the Wisconsin Valley Cofnerence saw many smaller schools join for short periods of time, especially for basketball. In 1922, Edgar, Medford and Nekoosa joined and Tomahawk joined the conference for that sport, [3] with Tomahawk also joining the conference's football roster. [4] Edgar left the following year, and in 1924, Shawano and Wautoma joined the WVC. [5] Shawano also became members in football, along with basketball members Medford, for the 1924 season. [6] Nekoosa became the WVC's eleventh football playing member when it joined the group for the 1925 season. [7] In 1926, Shawano and Wautoma left the Wisconsin Valley Conference, and after Medford's exit in 1928, [8] membership stayed stable at nine schools for just over two decades.

1946-1956

Over time, tensions grew between the larger and smaller schools in the conference, with the smaller schools seeking other options outside the WVC. Tomahawk was the first of these schools to take action: first becoming charter members of the football-only Lumberjack Conference in 1946, [9] then joining as full members in 1954 after the league began to sponsor other sports the year prior. [10] Nekoosa followed Tomahawk out of the WVC, joining the Lumberjack for football in 1948, [11] then becoming full members of the newly reformed South Central Conference in 1952. [12] After the loss of Tomahawk as full members in 1954, the Wisconsin Valley Conference faced an even greater challenge the next year. Citing competitive imbalance in football, [13] 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. [14] These four schools continued to schedule WVC members Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids as non-conference opponents, [15] but not Wausau, who had been the dominant force in football for decades. Wausau claimed one last Wisconsin Valley Conference title for football [16] before they joined the new Big Rivers Conference [17] and the four schools who left the WVC rejoined in 1956. [18]

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 former Lumberjack Conference members D.C. Everest High School in Schofield joined the conference. [19] In 1970, Shawano became the eighth school to join the conference after leaving the disbanded Mid-Eastern Conference. [20] 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. [21] Shawano left the Wisconsin Valley Conference to join the Bay Conference in 1979, [22] and the membership group would remain at nine schools for nearly thirty years.

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. [23] Rhinelander left to compete as an independent in football for the 2009 season before leaving to join the Great Northern Conference as full members in 2010. Merrill, who left the WVC two years earlier to become GNC members, rejoined the WVC for all sports but football as Rhinelander's replacement. [24] [25] After two seasons of difficulties scheduling non-conference opponents, the six football-playing members of the Wisconsin Valley Conference joined forces with the ten-member Fox Valley Association to form the Valley Football Association, which began play in 2011. [26] [27] This arrangement lasted until the WIAA's 2024-2025 competition cycle, when the WVC was reinstated for football and entered into a scheduling partnership with the similarly sized Big Rivers Conference. Five full members of the conference (D.C. Everest, Marshfield, Stevens Point, Wausau West and Wisconsin Rapids) were joined by Big Rivers members Eau Claire Memorial and Eau Claire North in a seven-member roster. [28] This arrangement is set to remain in place through at least the 2026-2027 football competition cycle. [29] In 2025, Merrill returned to the Great Northern Conference after fifteen years of Wisconsin Valley membership, [30] leaving the conference with six full member schools.

List of member schools

Current members

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

Notes

  1. ↑ Left the Wisconsin Valley Conference in 1955, returned in 1956

Football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedPrimary Conference
Eau Claire Memorial Eau Claire, WI Public1,589Old Abes  2024 Big Rivers
Eau Claire North Eau Claire, WI Public1,720Huskies  2024 Big Rivers

Former members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Antigo Antigo, WI Public687Red Robins  1921, 19561955, 2008 Northern Wisconsin, Great Northern Great Northern
Merrill Merrill, WI Public801Blue Jays  1921, 1956, 20101955, 2008, 2025 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  19221928 3-C Great Northern
Nekoosa Nekoosa, WI Public295Papermakers  19221952 South Central
Tomahawk Tomahawk, WI Public371Hatchets  19221954 Lumberjack Great Northern
Shawano Shawano, WI Public797Hawks  1924, 19701926, 1979Independent, Bay Bay
Wautoma Wautoma, WI Public381Hornets  19241926 7-C South Central

Membership timeline

Full members

Wisconsin Valley Conference

Football members

Wisconsin Valley Conference

Membership map

Wisconsin Valley Conference
Wisconsin Valley Conference
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
30km
19miles
6
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
5
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
4
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
3
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
2
Transparent square.svg
Transparent square.svg
Location of Wisconsin Valley Conference full members:
1
D.C. Everest
2
Marshfield
3
Stevens Point
4
Wausau East
5
Wausau West
6
Wisconsin Rapids

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

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

Source

SchoolQuantityYears
Stevens Point271924, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1965, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
Rhinelander211936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1948, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004
Wisconsin Rapids191946, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1995, 2005, 2011
Wausau/East181929, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1955, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
Antigo141922, 1923, 1935, 1942, 1943, 1956, 1962, 1963, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1997, 1998
D.C. Everest91967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1998, 2012, 2020, 2021
Marshfield71992, 2010, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Wausau West51992, 1993, 1996, 2009, 2010
Shawano31925, 1926, 1973
Medford11924
Merrill12019
Nekoosa11929
Tomahawk11928
Edgar0
Wautoma0

Girls Basketball

Source

SchoolQuantityYears
D.C. Everest181976, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Stevens Point131980, 1985, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025
Marshfield121976, 1977, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2020, 2024
Merrill101983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2007
Wausau West41981, 2013, 2021, 2022
Wausau East31977, 1978, 1979
Antigo21982, 2007
Rhinelander0
Shawano0
Wisconsin Rapids0

Football

Source

SchoolQuantityYears
D.C. Everest241957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2024
Antigo221920, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1959, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992
Stevens Point201922, 1925, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1977, 1988, 1990, 1993, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010
Wausau/East201922, 1926, 1930, 1933, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955
Wisconsin Rapids101923, 1936, 1946, 1965, 1967, 1980, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994
Marshfield61927, 1930, 1932, 1999, 2001, 2002
Rhinelander51934, 1938, 1964, 1974, 1989
Merrill41921, 1954, 1977, 1979
Shawano11924
Wausau West11993
Eau Claire Memorial0
Eau Claire North0
Medford0
Nekoosa0
Tomahawk0

References

  1. ↑ "Valley Schools Arrange Games". Stevens Point Journal. April 27, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Antigo Giants Here Saturday for First Game". Marshfield News-Herald. September 30, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Antigo Trims Wausau, Stevens Point Preps Tie for League Lead". Stevens Point Journal. February 19, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Look to Wausau and Point for Tie in League". Marshfield News-Herald. November 1, 1922. p. 7. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Medford in Nearly Invincible Position in Conference, Point Slips Notch Below in Cage Race". Stevens Point Journal. February 2, 1925. p. 6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Gerbert Given Real Praise". Merrill Daily Herald. November 18, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Antigo-Shawano Battle Will Decide Second Place". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. November 12, 1925. p. 5. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Sport Ink-Lings". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. January 10, 1929. p. 5. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  9. ↑ "New Grid Loop Being Organized". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. November 9, 1945. p. 5. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  10. ↑ "4 Schools Form New Prep League". The Capital Times. Associated Press. July 1, 1954. p. 26. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Await Conference Meeting to Decide Lumberjack Title". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. November 4, 1948. p. 13. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  12. ↑ "South Central League Expands". Wisconsin State Journal. November 30, 1951. p. 34. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Expect Discussion on Valley's Future". Stevens Point Journal. March 28, 1955. p. 6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  14. ↑ Associated Press (June 30, 1954). "Northern Wisconsin Conference Formed". Stevens Point Journal. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Point, Rapids Domination of Valley Cage Race Threatened". Marshfield News-Herald. November 11, 1954. p. 16. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Wausau and Eau Claire Play 14-14 (Tie) Game". Wausau Daily Herald. October 29, 1955. p. 14. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  17. ↑ Associated Press (April 24, 1956). "Wausau, Four Other Schools to Play Next Fall". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  18. ↑ Lewis, Ben (April 13, 1956). "WVC Reorganization Is Almost Certainty". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  19. ↑ "D.C. Everest Admitted Into Valley Circuit". Stevens Point Journal. November 13, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  20. ↑ Kloppenburg, Dick (December 19, 1969). "Valley Conference takes in Shawano". Wausau Daily Herald. p. 17. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  21. ↑ Associated Press (February 24, 1970). "Wausau Schools Will Join WVC". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 14. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  22. ↑ Lee, John (February 12, 1978). "Realignment pleases New London officials". Appleton Post-Crescent. pp. E6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  23. ↑ Miller, Jake (December 12, 2006). "Changes will strip Valley of tradition". Marshfield News-Herald. p. 11. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  24. ↑ Hernandez, Rob (June 26, 2009). "Five-division basketball plan among two going to fall area meetings". Baraboo News Republic. p. 10. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Merrill moving back to WVC". Marshfield News-Herald. June 27, 2009. p. 9. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  26. ↑ Arguello, Ricardo (August 4, 2011). "Starting from scratch". Appleton Post-Crescent. pp. B-1. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  27. ↑ Johnson, Tim (August 14, 2011). "Season of change". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. pp. B-1. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  28. ↑ "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  29. ↑ "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Board acts on conference plans; Merrill's move to GNC becomes official". Medford Star News. March 6, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.