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Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)

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Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin) is located in Wisconsin
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)
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Big Eight Conference Member School Locations in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association's Big Eight Conference is a high school athletic conference in south central Wisconsin. The management of the conference is vested in the principals of the member schools, who determine the rules governing eligibility of athletes and schedules.

History

Formation and Early Years (1925-1964)

The Big Eight Conference was originally formed in 1925 as the Big Six Conference and its original members were Beloit Memorial, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison Central, Madison East and Racine[1]. It consisted of the largest high schools in southern Wisconsin that were located outside of the greater Milwaukee area and was alternatively known by its official name (the Southern Wisconsin Conference) during its early years[2]. The conference added a seventh high school in 1929, a year after Racine High School split into William Horlick High School on the north side and Washington Park High School on the south side of the city[3]. Park took Racine's place in the conference when it was split in 1928, and Horlick joined the conference a year later[4]. However, it wouldn't be known as the "Big Seven" for long as Madison added a third high school on the west side of the city[5], and they immediately became members upon opening[6]. The original Big Eight lineup lasted over thirty years before growing pains created a rift that changed its membership in the modern era.

Growing Pains and Split (1964-1970)

As the metropolitan areas of the Big Eight grew, so too did the need for more space for high school students to relieve overcrowding. Madison opened a fourth high school on the city's far east side in 1963 named after Wisconsin politician Robert M. LaFollette[7]. They joined the Big Eight in 1964 along with the new George Nelson Tremper High School on the south side of Kenosha[8]. The existing high school in Kenosha was also renamed after local educator Mary D. Bradford. More changes were on the horizon, and by 1967 three more recently high schools joined the conference. Jerome I. Case High School opened on Racine's west side in 1966, and two others joined the following year: James Madison Memorial High School[9] (renamed after Wisconsin politician Vel Phillips in 2021[10]) on Madison's far west side and George S. Parker High School on Janesville's west side[11]. Janesville's current high school was also named after local politician Joseph A. Craig in the process[12].

By this time, the Big Eight had ballooned to thirteen members (twelve after Madison Central High School closed in 1969), and along with that growth came greater problems with scheduling and travel. In 1967, the five Madison high schools announced their exit from the Big Eight Conference and gave the three high schools in Rock County the option of joining them in a new conference, which they accepted[13]. The five high schools in Racine and Kenosha formed the South Shore Conference after their forced removal from the Big Eight[14], which had a tumultuous ten-year history before it was finally disbanded in 1980[15].

Present Day (1970-present)

With the Madison-area schools having successfully split from those in southeastern Wisconsin, the new-look Big Eight Conference began play in 1970 with seven schools (Beloit Memorial, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Madison East, Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial and Madison West)[16]. Membership increased back to eight with the addition of Sun Prairie High School from the Badger Conference in 1977[17], and in later years the Big Eight added two other large metropolitan Madison high schools: Middleton in 1994[18] and Verona in 2008[19] (both formerly of the Badger Conference). Membership stayed at ten schools until 2022, when Sun Prairie High School completed its split into two schools[20]. Sun Prairie High School became Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West High School was completed on the west side of the district. The following year, Beloit Memorial left the Big Eight after nearly a century of membership to join the Southern Lakes Conference.

List of Member Schools

Current Members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined
Janesville Craig Janesville, WI Public 1,684 Cougars     1967
Janesville Parker Janesville, WI Public 1,429 Vikings     1967
Madison East Madison, WI Public 1,662 Purgolders     1925
Madison La Follette Madison, WI Public 1,577 Lancers     1964
Madison Memorial Madison, WI Public 2,122 Spartans     1967
Madison West Madison, WI Public 2,226 Regents     1930
Middleton Middleton, WI Public 2,357 Cardinals     1994
Sun Prairie East Sun Prairie, WI Public 1,329 Cardinals     1963
Sun Prairie West Sun Prairie, WI Public 1,347 Wolves       2022
Verona Verona, WI Public 1,801 Wildcats     2008

Former Members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Beloit Memorial Beloit, WI Public 1,578 Purple Knights     1925 2023 Southern Lakes
Janesville Janesville, WI Public N/A Bluebirds     1925 1967 Split into Craig and Parker High Schools
Kenosha Bradford Kenosha, WI Public 1,765 Red Devils     1925 1970 South Shore Southeast
Kenosha Tremper Kenosha, WI Public 1,835 Trojans     1964 1970 South Shore Southeast
Madison Central Madison, WI Public N/A Tigers     1925 1969 Closed in 1969
Racine Racine, WI Public N/A Black and Gold     1925 1928 Split into Horlick and Park High Schools
Racine Case Racine, WI Public 1,892 Eagles     1966 1970 South Shore Southeast
Racine Horlick Racine, WI Public 1,360 Rebels     1929 1970 South Shore Southeast
Racine Park Racine, WI Public 1,059 Panthers     1928 1970 South Shore Southeast

Associate Members

School Sport
Fort Atkinson/Cambridge Boys' Volleyball
Edgewood Catholic Boys' Volleyball
Beloit Memorial Boys' Ice Hockey
Sun Prairie East/Sun Prairie West Boys' Ice Hockey

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Boys Cross Country
School Year Division
Madison West 1947 Single Division
Racine Park 1948 Single Division
Racine Park 1949 Large Schools
Janesville 1950 Large Schools
Madison West 1951 Large Schools
Madison West 1955 Large Schools
Janesville 1961 Large Schools
Janesville 1962 Large Schools
Madison West 1963 Large Schools
Racine Horlick 1966 Large Schools
Madison Memorial 1967 Large Schools
Madison Memorial 1969 Large Schools
Madison Memorial 1991 Division 1
Madison West 2004 Division 1
Madison La Follette 2006 Division 1
Madison La Follette 2007 Division 1
Madison West 2012 Division 1
Madison West 2014 Division 1
Madison West 2016 Division 1
Middleton 2017 Division 1
Middleton 2019 Division 1
Girls Cross Country
School Year Division
Madison Memorial 1980 Class A
Madison Memorial 1984 Class A
Janesville Craig 1991 Division 1
Middleton 1995 Division 1
Middleton 1996 Division 1
Middleton 1997 Division 1
Middleton 2006 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2016 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2017 Division 1
Middleton 2020-21 Alternate Season
Middleton 2021 Division 1
Football
School Year Division
Madison West 1977 Division 1
Sun Prairie 1995 Division 1
Girls Golf
School Year Division
Madison West 1972 Single Division
Madison West 1973 Single Division
Madison West 1974 Single Division
Madison West 1975 Single Division
Madison West 1976 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1977 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1979 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1980 Single Division
Middleton 2009 Division 1
Verona 2014 Division 1
Middleton 2015 Division 1
Middleton 2019 Division 1
Middleton 2020-21 Alternate Season
Boys Soccer
School Year Division
Madison West 1984 Single Division
Madison West 1987 Single Division
Madison West 1988 Single Division
Middleton 2004 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2006 Division 1
Verona 2019 Division 1
Verona 2022 Division 1
Middleton 2023 Division 1
Girls Swimming & Diving
School Year Division
Madison Memorial 1970 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1971 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1972 Single Division
Madison West 1973 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1974 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1975 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1976 Single Division
Madison West 1977 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1978 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1979 Single Division
Madison West 1980 Single Division
Madison West 1981 Single Division
Madison West 1982 Single Division
Madison West 1983 Single Division
Madison West 1986 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1988 Single Division
Madison West 1989 Single Division
Madison West 1990 Single Division
Madison West 1991 Single Division
Madison West 1992 Division 1
Madison Memorial 1993 Division 1
Madison Memorial 1994 Division 1
Madison West 1995 Division 1
Madison West 1996 Division 1
Madison West 1997 Division 1
Madison West 1998 Division 1
Madison Memorial 1999 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2000 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2001 Division 1
Madison East 2007 Division 1
Middleton 2016 Division 1
Middleton 2017 Division 1
Middleton 2018 Division 1
Middleton 2023 Division 1
Girls Tennis
School Year Division
Madison Memorial 1987 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1988 Single Division
Middleton 2013 Division 1
Middleton 2020-21 Alternate Season
Boys Volleyball
School Year Division
Madison West 1947 Single Division
Madison Central 1949 Single Division
Madison Central 1950 Single Division
Middleton 2023 Single Division

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball
School Year Division
Beloit Memorial 1932 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1933 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1934 Class A
Beloit Memorial 1937 Class A
Racine Park 1943 Single Division
Madison West 1945 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1947 Single Division
Madison East 1958 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1969 Single Division
Janesville Parker 1971 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1973 Class A
Madison La Follette 1977 Class A
Madison La Follette 1982 Class A
Madison West 1992 Division 1
Madison La Follette 2002 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2005 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2009 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2011 Division 1
Girls Basketball
School Year Division
Madison West 1976 Class A
Madison West 1982 Class A
Janesville Parker 1993 Division 1
Janesville Parker 2000 Division 1
Janesville Parker 2001 Division 1
Verona 2016 Division 1
Gymnastics
School Year Division
Madison La Follette 1983 Class A
Madison East 1987 Class A
Verona/Edgewood 2023 Division 1
Boys Ice Hockey
School Year Division
Madison East 1973 Single Division
Madison East 1975 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1976 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1977 Single Division
Madison East 1978 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1979 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1980 Single Division
Madison West 1983 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1985 Single Division
Madison East 1987 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1988 Single Division
Sun Prairie 1997 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1998 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1999 Single Division
Madison Memorial 2000 Single Division
Verona 2014 Single Division
Verona 2020 Division 1
Skating
School Year Division
Madison Central 1926 Single Division
Madison Central 1928 Single Division
Boys Swimming & Diving
School Year Division
Kenosha 1929 Single Division
Kenosha 1930 Single Division
Kenosha 1931 Single Division
Kenosha 1934 Single Division
Kenosha 1952 Single Division
Janesville 1955 Single Division
Janesville 1961 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1975 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1976 Single Division
Madison West 1977 Single Division
Madison West 1978 Single Division
Madison West 1979 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1980 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1981 Single Division
Madison West 1982 Single Division
Madison West 1983 Single Division
Madison West 1984 Single Division
Madison West 1985 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1986 Single Division
Madison West 1987 Single Division
Madison West 1988 Single Division
Madison West 1989 Single Division
Madison West 1990 Single Division
Madison West 1991 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1992 Single Division
Madison West 1993 Division 1
Madison Memorial 1994 Division 1
Madison Memorial 1996 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2005 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2006 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2007 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2009 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2011 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2012 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2013 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2014 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2015 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2016 Division 1
Madison West 2018 Division 1
Madison West 2019 Division 1
Middleton 2020 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2021 Division 1
Middleton 2023 Division 1
Middleton 2024 Division 1
Boys Wrestling
School Year Division
Madison East 1955 Single Division
Kenosha 1956 Single Division
Madison West 1965 Single Division
Racine Park 1967 Single Division
Racine Park 1969 Single Division

Spring Sports

Baseball
School Year Division
Madison Central 1949 Single Division
Madison West 1952 Single Division
Kenosha 1963 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1965 Single Division
Madison East 1967 Single Division
Kenosha Tremper 1969 Single Division
Janesville Parker 1977 Single Division
Janesville Craig 1983 Class A
Janesville Craig 1984 Class A
Janesville Craig 1988 Class A
Madison Memorial 1990 Class A
Madison Memorial 1992 Division 1
Sun Prairie 1994 Division 1
Sun Prairie 1997 Division 1
Middleton 2003 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2005 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2006 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2012 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2013 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2014 Division 1
Janesville Craig 2015 Division 1
Sun Prairie 2021 Division 1
Boys Golf
School Year Division
Kenosha 1929 Single Division
Racine Park 1931 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1932 Single Division
Madison West 1934 Single Division
Madison West 1935 Single Division
Madison West 1936 Single Division
Beloit Memorial 1945 Single Division
Racine Park 1947 Single Division
Racine Park 1948 Single Division
Madison West 1949 Single Division
Racine Horlick 1950 Single Division
Janesville 1951 Single Division
Racine Horlick 1952 Single Division
Janesville 1953 Single Division
Madison West 1956 Single Division
Madison West 1957 Single Division
Racine Park 1958 Single Division
Madison West 1960 Single Division
Madison West 1961 Single Division
Madison West 1962 Single Division
Janesville 1963 Single Division
Madison East 1965 Single Division
Madison West 1966 Single Division
Madison West 1967 Single Division
Racine Park 1968 Single Division
Racine Park 1970 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1972 Single Division
Madison West 1976 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1984 Single Division
Madison West 1987 Single Division
Madison West 1988 Class A
Madison Memorial 1990 Class A
Sun Prairie 1991 Division 1
Madison West 1995 Division 1
Middleton 1997 Division 1
Middleton 1998 Division 1
Middleton 1999 Division 1
Madison La Follette 2003 Division 1
Middleton 2011 Division 1
Boys Lacrosse
School Year Division
Middleton 2024 Single Division
Girls Soccer
School Year Division
Madison Memorial 1986 Single Division
Madison Memorial 1987 Single Division
Madison West 1988 Single Division
Madison West 1991 Single Division
Madison West 1999 Division 1
Madison West 2000 Division 1
Middleton 2006 Division 1
Verona 2010 Division 1
Madison West 2012 Division 1
Softball
School Year Division
Madison West 1976 Single Division
Sun Prairie 2018 Division 1
Boys Tennis
School Year Division
Racine Park 1931 Single Division
Madison West 1948 Single Division
Boys Track & Field
School Year Division
Kenosha 1927 Class A
Madison West 1942 Class A
Madison West 1944 Class A
Kenosha 1947 Class A
Madison West 1948 Class A
Beloit Memorial 1949 Class A
Madison West 1951 Class A
Madison West 1952 Class A
Madison West 1953 Class A
Madison West 1956 Class A
Kenosha 1957 Class A
Madison West 1964 Class A
Kenosha Bradford 1965 Class A
Racine Horlick 1968 Class A
Madison La Follette 1969 Class A
Madison Memorial 1970 Class A
Racine Case 1970 Class A
Madison Memorial 1973 Class A
Beloit Memorial 1977 Class A
Beloit Memorial 1991 Division 1
Madison La Follette 2002 Division 1
Girls Track & Field
School Year Division
Madison Memorial 1972 Class A
Madison Memorial 1973 Class A
Madison West 1974 Class A
Madison West 1975 Class A
Madison East 1977 Class A
Madison Memorial 1977 Class A
Madison Memorial 1979 Class A
Madison West 1980 Class A
Madison West 1981 Class A
Madison West 1982 Class A
Madison West 1985 Class A
Middleton 1997 Division 1
Middleton 1998 Division 1
Madison Memorial 2003 Division 1

References

  1. ^ ""Big Six" Gridders Kick Off Saturday". The Capital Times. 9 October 1925. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  2. ^ Sinclair, Frank (12 November 1926). "Local High Elevens Await Strong Foes, Central Has Even Chance For Title". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Board Acts on H.S. Bond Vote". Racine Journal Times. 17 July 1925. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Horlick High Joins "Big Six", 1929 Grid Schedule is Announced". The Capital Times. 14 January 1929. p. 9. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  5. ^ Noll, Henry (24 January 1925). "Council Favors New High School for West Side". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Admit Madison West to Prep School Circuit, Big Seven To Become Big Eight". The Capital Times. 26 December 1929. p. 21. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. ^ Bednarek, David (10 September 1963). "28,000 Give Schools Bustling Start Here". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Music's in the air, Second high school opens on a clear note". Kenosha News. 9 September 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  9. ^ Brautigam, Richard (22 June 1965). "Board, By Secret Vote, Names New High School "Madison"". The Capital Times. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  10. ^ Girard, Scott (3 November 2021). ""Vel Phillips Memorial High School", Committee choses Phillips for renaming of James Madison Memorial". The Capital Times. pp. O16. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Big 8 (to 13) Plans Ahead for Football, Basketball". Janesville Weekly Gazette. 10 May 1966. p. 12. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  12. ^ "2 Senior Highs Are Named For Geo. Parker, J.A. Craig". Janesville Weekly Gazette. 12 May 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Big Eight is disbanding". Kenosha News. 12 August 1967. p. 11. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Tremper, Bradford in new conference". Kenosha News. 10 July 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Kenosha pays costs of plan". Kenosha News Courier. 27 March 1979. p. 9. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  16. ^ Lindstrom, Don (3 September 1970). "Memorial Sticks to the Air". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 28. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Sun Prairie rips Watertown". Wisconsin State Journal. 10 September 1977. p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  18. ^ Semrau, Dennis (29 September 1992). "WIAA committee rejects tournament seeding". The Capital Times. p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  19. ^ "WIAA approves another realignment". Wisconsin Dells Events. 8 November 2006. p. 10. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  20. ^ Rickert, Chris (3 April 2019). "Major school projects get approved". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. A11. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
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