STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Conference Realignment Task Force assembled and reviewed submitted applications at the first meeting of the 2025-26 conference realignment process for all sports except football Tuesday at the executive office.
Twenty-four schools requested a change from their current conference affiliation or independent status, including Altoona for wrestling only, Appleton West, Brookfield East, Catholic Central for boys’ volleyball only, Divine Savior Holy Angels, Franklin, Germantown, Grafton, Hamilton, Kenosha Tremper, Lakeside Lutheran, Marquette, Menomonee Falls, Middleton for boys' lacrosse only, Milwaukee Academy of Science, Oak Creek, Parkview for girls' golf only, St. Ambrose, Shawano for boys hockey, Sun Prairie West for boys’ volleyball only, The Lincoln Academy, Viroqua, Wauwatosa East and Wauwatosa West.
The Conference Realignment Task Force voted to advance eight plans to its meeting on Jan.15, 2026, for final consideration when all schools impacted by the proposed realignment will have the opportunity to express support of opposition to the plan.
Five of the proposals advanced are sport specific. Altoona would move to the Middle Border Conference from the Cloverbelt in Wrestling only; the Shawano Co-op would transition into the Great Northern Conference for only boys hockey; the Sun Prairie Co-op would split into two stand-alone programs in the Big Eight Conference for boys’ volleyball only; Parkview would go from independent status to joining the Rock Valley Conference in girls’ golf; and Middleton would depart its current co-op in the Badger Conference to form a stand-alone boys’ lacrosse team in the Big Eight Conference.
The Task Force also advanced three schools’ realignment solutions for all sports, excluding football. Proposals would move Appleton West from the Fox Valley Association to the Bay Conference, and St. Ambrose and The Lincoln Academy from independent status to the Trailways Conference.
There were 12 applications that were modified by the Task Force to combine into a single plan that will advance to the Task Force review at its Jan. 15 meeting. Those initial requests were submitted by Brookfield East, Divine Savior Holy Angels, Franklin, Germantown, Grafton, Hamilton, Kenosha Tremper, Marquette, Menomonee Falls, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa East and Wauwatosa West. The original plans and the Task Force modified plan can be accessed on the conference realignment Requests and Proposals page of the WIAA website at: wiaawi.org.
In addition, the Task Force will consider a pair of solutions submitted by Lakeside Lutheran and Milwaukee Academy of Science with the options to approve one or deny both proposals. Schools impacted by either of the two proposals will be afforded the opportunity to provide feedback prior to the Task Force’s decision at its Jan. 15 meeting.
The realignment solutions submitted by Viroqua to move from the Coulee Conference to the Southwest Conference and by Catholic Central to be aligned with the Southern Lakes Conference for boys volleyball only were not approved. Both schools may appeal the decision at the Task Force meeting on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. The details of the plans denied by the Task Force can be accessed on the conference realignment Requests and Proposals page of the WIAA website.
The Board of Control will give final consideration of realignment plans advanced by the Task Force at its meeting on March 10, 2026.
The WIAA, as defined by its Constitution, is a voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 515 senior high schools and 43 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580.