Woodland Conference

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The Woodland Conference is a high school athletic conference with its geographic footprint in southeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 1993, the Woodland Conference and its members are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Contents

History

1993-2006

Woodland Conference
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4.3miles
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Location of Original Woodland Conference Members

The Woodland Conference was formed in 1993 by nine medium-sized high schools in the Milwaukee metropolitan area: Brookfield Central, Brookfield East, Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa East and Wauwatosa West. [1] Six of the original members came from two area conferences that disbanded the year prior: the Braveland Conference (Brookfield Central and Brookfield East) and the Suburban Park Conference (Cudahy, Greendale, Greenfield and South Milwaukee). Franklin was formerly in the Parkland Conference, and Wauwatosa East and Wauwatosa West were former members of the North Shore Conference. The original membership roster remained intact for the first four years of the conference's history before major realignment occurred in 1997. [2] Five schools left the Woodland conference that year: three became charter members of the new Greater Metro Conference (Brookfield Central, Brookfield East and Wauwatosa West) [2] and two went to the Southeast Conference (Franklin and South Milwaukee). [3] These four schools were replaced by three schools formerly in the Parkland Conference (New Berlin Eisenhower, New Berlin West and Whitnall) [4] and Thomas More from the Metro Conference. [5] The entry of Thomas More into the Woodland Conference coincided with the merger between the public schools of the WIAA and the private schools in the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association. [6]

2006-2014

In 2006, the Woodland Conference welcomed four schools displaced by the cessation of the Parkland Conference: Brown Deer, Pewaukee, Shorewood and St. Francis. [7] To accommodate the expansion from eight to twelve members, the Woodland Conference subdivided along geographic lines:

North DivisionSouth Division
Brown DeerCudahy
New Berlin EisenhowerGreendale
New Berlin WestGreenfield
PewaukeeSt. Francis
ShorewoodThomas More
Wauwatosa WestWhitnall

In 2009, South Milwaukee returned to the Woodland Conference after being dissatisfied by the competitive imbalance they experienced as members of the Southeast Conference. [8] The conference realigned again, with larger schools in the conference comprising the Black Division and smaller ones in the Blue Division:

Black DivisionBlue Division
GreendaleBrown Deer
GreenfieldCudahy
New Berlin EisenhowerNew Berlin West
South MilwaukeePewaukee
Wauwatosa WestShorewood
WhtnallSt. Francis
Thomas More

After three years of this arrangement, the Woodland Conference realigned by geography into East and West Divisions in 2012. Pius XI also joined that year after leaving the Classic 8 Conference, replacing Thomas More after they joined the new Metro Classic Conference: [9]

East DivisionWest Division
Brown DeerGreendale
CudahyNew Berlin Eisenhower
GreenfieldNew Berlin West
ShorewoodPewaukee
South MilwaukeePius XI
St. FrancisWauwatosa West
Whitnall

2014-present

St. Francis left the Woodland Conference in 2014 to join with smaller schools in the Midwest Classic Conference. [10] In 2017, the Woodland Conference lost Wauwatosa West to the Greater Metro Conference while accepting two of its former members (Milwaukee Lutheran and West Allis Central). [11] Wisconsin Lutheran also joined the Woodland Conference after the dissolution of their longtime home, the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference. [12] Milwaukee Lutheran became members of the East Division, and West Allis Central and Wisconsin Lutheran joined the West Division:

East DivisionWest Division
Brown DeerGreendale
CudahyNew Berlin Eisenhower
GreenfieldNew Berlin West
Milwaukee LutheranPewaukee
ShorewoodPius XI
South MilwaukeeWest Allis Central
WhitnallWisconsin Lutheran

The Woodland Conference has expanded its membership roster to sixteen schools in 2025, accepting Waukesha North and Waukesha South from the Classic 8 Conference. [13] An updated divisional alignment has not yet been announced.

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. [14] The eight-member conference originally referred to as the Woodland East featured Cudahy, Grafton, Greendale, Greenfield, Shorewood/Messmer, South Milwaukee, Whitnall and Wisconsin Lutheran as its original members. [15] All members with the exception of Grafton (whose primary affiliation is with the North Shore Conference) were full members of the Woodland Conference. Another conference that was first called the Woodland West changed its name to the Parkland Conference before competition began, reviving a name previously used for an all-sport conference from 1963 to 2006. [15] Membership remained intact for the first four seasons of play before changes were made for the 2024-2025 cycle. Cudahy was moved to the large-schools division of the Midwest Classic Conference, with full Woodland members Milwaukee Lutheran moving over from the Parkland Conference as their replacement. [16] For the 2026-2027 realignment cycle, the Woodland Conference will be losing three members: Grafton (Glacier Trails), Shorewood/Messmer (Midwest Classic) and Wisconsin Lutheran (North Shore). They will be replaced by the two high schools in West Allis, with Nathan Hale joining from the Greater Metro Conference and West Allis Central moving over from the Parkland Conference. Along with the Parkland Conference, the Woodland Conference will have seven schools each and play one mandatory crossover game per school. [17]

List of conference members

Current members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedDivision
Brown Deer Brown Deer, WI Public579Falcons  2006 [7] East
Cudahy Cudahy, WI Public677Packers  1993 [1] East
Greendale Greendale, WI Public931Panthers  1993 [1] West
Greenfield Greenfield, WI Public1,163Hustlin' Hawks  1993 [1] East
Milwaukee Lutheran Milwaukee, WI Private (LCMS)908Red Knights  2017 [11] East
New Berlin Eisenhower New Berlin, WI Public711Lions  1997 [2] West
New Berlin West New Berlin, WI Public699Vikings  1997 [2] West
Pewaukee Pewaukee, WI Public874Pirates  2006 [7] West
Pius XI Milwaukee, WI Private (Catholic)699Popes  2012 [9] West
Shorewood Shorewood, WI Public662Greyhounds  2006 [7] East
South Milwaukee South Milwaukee, WI Public1,002Rockets  1993, [1] 2009 [8] East
Waukesha North Waukesha, WI Public1,018Northstars  2025 [13] TBD
Waukesha South Waukesha, WI Public1,179Blackshirts  2025 [13] TBD
West Allis Central West Allis, WI Public1,126Bulldogs  2017 [11] West
Whitnall Greenfield, WI Public826Falcons  1997 [2] East
Wisconsin Lutheran Milwaukee, WI Private (WELS)938Vikings  2017 [12] West

Current football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedPrimary Conference
Grafton Grafton, WI Public713Black Hawks  2020 North Shore

Future football-only members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoiningFormer ConferencePrimary Conference
Nathan Hale West Allis, WI Public1,373Huskies  2026 Greater Metro Greater Metro

Former members

SchoolLocationAffiliation Enrollment MascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
Brookfield Central Brookfield, WI Public1,270Lancers  1993 [1] 1997 [2] Greater Metro
Brookfield East Brookfield, WI Public1,362Spartans  1993 [1] 1997 [2] Greater Metro
Franklin Franklin, WI Public1,570Sabers  1993 [1] 1997 [2] Southeast
Wauwatosa East Wauwatosa, WI Public1,047Red Raiders  1993 [1] 1997 [2] Greater Metro
Wauwatosa West Wauwatosa, WI Public1,028Trojans  1993 [1] 2017 [11] Greater Metro
St. Francis St. Francis, WI Public522Mariners  2006 [7] 2014 [10] Midwest Classic
St. Thomas More Milwaukee, WI Private (Catholic)547Cavaliers  1997 [2] 2012 [9] Metro Classic

Membership timeline

Full members

Woodland Conference

 North Division South Division Black Division Blue Division East Division West Division

Football members (since 2020)

Woodland Conference

Membership map

Woodland Conference
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4.3miles
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List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Shorewood2006Division 2
Shorewood2009Division 2
Shorewood2010Division 2
Shorewood2012Division 2
Pewaukee2015Division 2
Shorewood2021Division 2
Girls Cross Country
SchoolYearDivision
Pewaukee2009Division 2
Pewaukee2015Division 2
Shorewood2019Division 2
Football
SchoolYearDivision
Cudahy1994Division 2
Boys Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
Saint Thomas More2006Division 3
Pius XI2018Division 3
Shorewood2019Division 3
Shorewood2021Division 3
New Berlin Eisenhower2022Division 3
Girls Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Whitnall1999Division 2
Whitnall2000Division 2
Shorewood2012Division 2
Girls Tennis
SchoolYearDivision
Greendale1994Division 2
Greendale1997Division 2
Greendale1999Division 2
Girls Volleyball
SchoolYearDivision
Wauwatosa East1994Division 1
Thomas More1999Division 1 (WISAA)
Thomas More2000Division 2

Winter sports

Boys Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
New Berlin West2000Division 2
New Berlin Eisenhower2008Division 2
Brown Deer2014Division 3
Brown Deer2015Division 3
Pewaukee2021Division 2
Pewaukee2022Division 2
Pewaukee2023Division 2
Wisconsin Lutheran2024Division 2
Wisconsin Lutheran2025Division 2
Girls Basketball
SchoolYearDivision
New Berlin Eisenhower2010Division 2
Pius XI2015Division 2
New Berlin Eisenhower2016Division 2
Pewaukee2024Division 2
Boys Swimming & Diving
SchoolYearDivision
Brookfield Central1994Division 2
Brookfield Central1995Division 2
Brookfield East1996Division 2

Spring sports

Girls Soccer
SchoolYearDivision
Wauwatosa East1996
Wauwatosa East1997Division 1
New Berlin Eisenhower2022Division 3
Softball
SchoolYearDivision
South Milwaukee1998Division 1
Greendale2006Division 2
New Berlin Eisenhower2008Division 2
New Berlin West2016Division 2
Whitnall2018Division 2
Boys Tennis
SchoolYearDivision
Greendale1995Division 2
Brookfield Central1996Division 1
Greendale2005Division 2
Boys Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Brown Deer2008Division 2
Shorewood2013Division 2
Shorewood2022Division 2
Girls Track & Field
SchoolYearDivision
Brown Deer2007Division 2
Wisconsin Lutheran2019Division 2
Shorewood2022Division 2

Summer sports

Baseball
SchoolYear
Greendale1995
South Milwaukee1996
Wauwatosa East1997
New Berlin West2013

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
New Berlin Eisenhower102003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2020
Pewaukee102008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Whitnall102008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Brown Deer72008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Greenfield51999, 2004, 2007, 2019, 2025
New Berlin West42000, 2005, 2008, 2011
Saint Thomas More41998, 2001, 2002, 2012
Wauwatosa East41994, 1995, 1996, 1997
Wisconsin Lutheran42020, 2022, 2024, 2025
Greendale21996, 2007
Pius XI22014, 2015
Wauwatosa West22003, 2011
Milwaukee Lutheran12020
South Milwaukee12011
West Allis Central12019
Brookfield Central0
Brookfield East0
Cudahy0
Franklin0
Shorewood0
St. Francis0
Waukesha North0
Waukesha South0

Girls Basketball

SchoolQuantityYears
New Berlin Eisenhower112002, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Pewaukee92008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Greendale71996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007
Pius XI62013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022
South Milwaukee61995, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Whitnall51994, 2008, 2009, 2024, 2025
Cudahy42003, 2004, 2007, 2017
Shorewood42014, 2015, 2016, 2018
Greenfield22021, 2023
Saint Thomas More21998, 2000
New Berlin West12017
Wauwatosa East11995
Brookfield Central0
Brookfield East0
Brown Deer0
Franklin0
Milwaukee Lutheran0
St. Francis0
Waukesha North0
Waukesha South0
Wauwatosa West0
West Allis Central0
Wisconsin Lutheran0

Football

SchoolQuantityYears
Greendale102002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021
New Berlin Eisenhower102002, 2003, 2006, 2007 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Cudahy71993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
Pewaukee52008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016
Whitnall51998, 2000, 2012, 2017, 2019
Brown Deer42007, 2010, 2012, 2014
Grafton32022, 2023, 2024
South Milwaukee32012, 2013, 2014
Greenfield22015, 2016
New Berlin West12019
Saint Thomas More12004
Shorewood/
Messmer
12018
Wauwatosa East11995
Wisconsin Lutheran12023
Brookfield Central0
Brookfield East0
Franklin0
Milwaukee Lutheran0
Pius XI0
St. Francis0
Wauwatosa West0
West Allis Central0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "High School Scoreboard". Waukesha Freeman. September 11, 1993. p. 31. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "1997-98 Conference Lineup". Waukesha Freeman. August 27, 1997. p. 3. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  3. "The Duffel Bag (Final Edition)". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 15, 1996. p. 5. ProQuest   260367825 . Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  4. "Positive moves for many football teams". Waukesha Freeman. October 18, 1997. p. 39. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  5. Associated Press (March 6, 1997). "Last hurrah at hand for Metro Conference". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 10. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  6. Anderson, Eric (April 24, 1997). "WIAA easily approves merger with WISAA". Racine Journal Times. p. 27. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Many questions in new Woodland". Waukesha Freeman. February 4, 2005. p. 12. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  8. 1 2 Kabelowsky, Art (December 6, 2008). "PREPS PLUS: Realignment restores rivalry, WIAA board OKs proposal". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. pp. C7. ProQuest   263789702 . Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 "New eras kick off all around". Kenosha News. August 14, 2012. pp. B1. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "WIAA (from Page 1B)". Waukesha Freeman. September 19, 2013. pp. 3B. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Sports (Review)". Oconomowoc Enterprise. December 29, 2016. pp. 2B. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  12. 1 2 Bucher, Chris (April 21, 2016). "Conference realignment approved". Oconomowoc Enterprise. p. 9. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 Delsman, Chuck (December 14, 2023). "Conference move a great one for North, South". Waukesha Freeman. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  14. "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 9, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  15. 1 2 "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. February 6, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  16. "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 14, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  17. "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. December 10, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.