Wisconsin high school athletic conference
Big Eight Conference Member School Locations in
Wisconsin The Big Eight Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in south central Wisconsin . All member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association .
History
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 in 1930,[ 5] and they immediately became members upon opening.[ 6] The original Big Eight lineup lasted for over thirty years before rapid growth 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 three more recently opened high schools joined the conference. Jerome I. Case High School opened on Racine's west side in 1966, and two others joined in 1967: 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
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
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
See also
References
^ " "Big Six" Gridders Kick Off Saturday" . The Capital Times . 9 October 1925. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ 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 .
^ "Board Acts on H.S. Bond Vote" . Racine Journal Times . 17 July 1925. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Horlick High Joins "Big Six", 1929 Grid Schedule is Announced" . The Capital Times . 14 January 1929. p. 9. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ Noll, Henry (24 January 1925). "Council Favors New High School for West Side" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "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 .
^ Bednarek, David (10 September 1963). "28,000 Give Schools Bustling Start Here" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Music's in the air, Second high school opens on a clear note" . Kenosha News . 9 September 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ Brautigam, Richard (22 June 1965). "Board, By Secret Vote, Names New High School "Madison" " . The Capital Times . p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ 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 .
^ "Big 8 (to 13) Plans Ahead for Football, Basketball" . Janesville Weekly Gazette . 10 May 1966. p. 12. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "2 Senior Highs Are Named For Geo. Parker, J.A. Craig" . Janesville Weekly Gazette . 12 May 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Big Eight is disbanding" . Kenosha News . 12 August 1967. p. 11. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Tremper, Bradford in new conference" . Kenosha News . 10 July 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Kenosha pays costs of plan" . Kenosha News Courier . 27 March 1979. p. 9. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ Lindstrom, Don (3 September 1970). "Memorial Sticks to the Air" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 28. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "Sun Prairie rips Watertown" . Wisconsin State Journal . 10 September 1977. p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ Semrau, Dennis (29 September 1992). "WIAA committee rejects tournament seeding" . The Capital Times . p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ "WIAA approves another realignment" . Wisconsin Dells Events . 8 November 2006. p. 10. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
^ Rickert, Chris (3 April 2019). "Major school projects get approved" . Wisconsin State Journal . pp. A11. Retrieved 18 November 2024 .
External links
Current Members Associate Members Former Members