Big Rivers Conference Explained

The Big Rivers Conference is a high school athletic conference consisting of large high schools in western Wisconsin. Formed in 1956, its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

Formation and Early Years (1956-1989)

The Big Rivers Conference was formed by five large high schools in northern and western Wisconsin[1] . Four long-time independents (Eau Claire, La Crosse Central, Marinette and Menominee (MI)) joined with Wausau, who was forced out of the Wisconsin Valley Conference[2] [3] . The twin cities of Marinette and Menominee left the conference in 1963, primarily due to travel issues and lack of competitiveness in basketball[4] . The two exiting schools were replaced by four newcomers: Chippewa Falls from the disbanded Mississippi Valley Conference, the newly opened Eau Claire North, and two former independents in La Crosse Logan and Menomonie[5] . The conference added an eighth member in 1970 when Wausau High School split into Wausau East and the new Wausau West High School[6] . The two Wausau high schools would go back to the Wisconsin Valley Conference in 1973[7] [8], and membership stayed consistent until realignment in the late 1980s.

Present Day (1989-present)

In 1989, the two La Crosse high schools (Central and Logan) left the Big Rivers Conference to become charter members of the new Mississippi Valley Conference[9], along with other schools that were geographically closer than the Eau Claire-area schools[10] . Three schools from the Middle Border Conference (Hudson, Rice Lake and River Falls) took the place of the La Crosse high schools[11] and made for a smaller geographic footprint for the Big Rivers. New Richmond briefly joined the Big Rivers in 1998 from the Middle Border Conference[12], which they returned to after a four-year stint[13] . That same year, Superior became a football-only member of the Big Rivers Conference[14] . New Richmond would return to the Big Rivers in 2020[15], first as a football-only member and then as a full member in 2021[16] .

List of Member Schools

Current Members

SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoined
Chippewa FallsChippewa Falls, WIPublic1,454Cardinals1963
Eau Claire MemorialEau Claire, WIPublic1,589Old Abes1956
Eau Claire NorthEau Claire, WIPublic1,720Huskies1963
HudsonHudson, WIPublic1,800Raiders1989
MenomonieMenomonie, WIPublic1,022Mustangs1963
New RichmondNew Richmond, WIPublic1,112Tigers1998,2021
Rice LakeRice Lake, WIPublic714Warriors1989
River FallsRiver Falls, WIPublic1,114Wildcats1989

Notes

Former Members

SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conference
La Crosse CentralLa Crosse, WIPublic1,029RiverHawks19561989Mississippi Valley
MarinetteMarinette, WIPublic623Marines19561963None (independent)North Eastern
MenomineeMenominee, MIPublic353Maroons19561963N/AGreat Northern UP
Wausau EastWausau, WIPublic948Lumberjacks19561973Wisconsin Valley
La Crosse LoganLa Crosse, WIPublic738Rangers19631989Mississippi Valley
Wausau WestWausau, WIPublic1,535Warriors19701973Wisconsin Valley

Notes

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Boys Cross Country!School!Year!Division
Wausau1957Large Schools
La Crosse Central1977Class A
Girls Cross Country!School!Year!Division
La Crosse Central1985Class A
La Crosse Central1988Class A
Eau Claire Memorial2014Division 1
Eau Claire Memorial2015Division 1
Football!School!Year!Division
Menomonie1993Division 2
Menomonie1995Division 2
Menomonie1997Division 2
Menomonie1999Division 2
Menomonie2002Division 2
Rice Lake2017Division 3

Winter Sports

Boys Basketball!School!Year!Division
Wausau1960Single Division
Rice Lake1993Division 2
Girls Basketball!School!Year!Division
Hudson1998Division 1
Hudson2002Division 1
Curling!School!Year!Division
Wausau1959Single Division
Wausau1967Single Division
Gymnastics!School!Year!Division
La Crosse Central1984Class A
River Falls2002Division 2
River Falls2003Division 2
River Falls2004Division 2
River Falls2007Division 2
River Falls2010Division 2
River Falls2013Division 2
Boys Ice Hockey!School!Year!Division
Menomonie1991Single Division
Hudson2001Single Division
Hudson2004Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial2008Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial2013Single Division
Hudson2017Single Division
Hudson2018Single Division
Hudson2021Division 1
Hudson2022Division 1
Rice Lake2022Division 2
New Richmond2023Division 2
Girls Ice Hockey!School!Year!Division
Hudson2002Single Division
Hudson2003Single Division
River Falls/St. Croix Central2009Single Division
River Falls/St. Croix Central2010Single Division
River Falls/St. Croix Central2011Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial2018Single Division
Chippewa Falls/McDonell/Menomonie2021Single Division
Boys Skiing!School!Year!Division
Wausau1958Single Division
Wausau1959Single Division
Wausau1960Single Division
Wausau1961Single Division
Wausau1962Single Division
La Crosse Central1969Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1970Single Division
La Crosse Central1974Single Division
La Crosse Central1975Single Division

Spring Sports

Baseball!School!Year!Division
Eau Claire1957Single Division
Eau Claire1958Single Division
Eau Claire1961Single Division
Eau Claire1962Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1964Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1966Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1968Single Division
La Crosse Logan1971Single Division
La Crosse Central1978Class A
La Crosse Central1986Class A
Eau Claire North2011Division 1
Eau Claire North2019Division 1
Boys Golf!School!Year!Division
Eau Claire1959Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1974Single Division
Eau Claire Memorial1977Single Division
New Richmond1999Division 2
River Falls2002Division 1
River Falls2004Division 1
River Falls2005Division 1
Eau Claire Memorial2022Division 1
Softball!School!Year!Division
Menomonie1983Class A
Rice Lake2004Division 2
Chippewa Falls2012Division 1
Rice Lake2017Division 2
Boys Track & Field!School!Year!Division
La Crosse Central1963Class A
Rice Lake2018Division 2
Girls Track & Field!School!Year!Division
Hudson2007Division 1
Rice Lake2024Division 2

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Associated Press . 24 April 1956 . Big Rivers Conference Organized . 20 November 2024 . Stevens Point Journal . 6.
  2. News: 13 April 1956 . Vincent Suggests Leave of Absence for Wausau . 20 November 2024 . Stevens Point Journal . 6.
  3. News: Associated Press . 15 May 1956 . Okay Wausau Absence in Valley League . 20 November 2024 . Chippewa Herald-Telegram . 9.
  4. News: 7 April 1963 . Menominee, Marinette Glad to Get Out of "Big Rivers" . 20 November 2024 . Green Bay Press-Gazette . 23.
  5. News: Buzzell . Clell . 28 February 1963 . New Big Rivers Rivalry Topped by Old Abes' 9-1 . 20 November 2024 . Eau Claire Daily Telegram . 14.
  6. News: 11 August 1970 . Wausau West to open doors to 1,800 students . 20 November 2024 . Wausau Daily Herald . 19.
  7. News: 6 September 1973 . East hosts Antigo in football opener . 20 November 2024 . Wausau Daily Herald . 17.
  8. News: 6 September 1973 . West's 1st Valley foe is Shawano "11" . 20 November 2024 . Wausau Daily Herald . 17.
  9. News: Heaton . Shannon . 24 August 1989 . WIAA breathes life into new conference . 20 November 2024 . The La Crosse Tribune . Special Section 2.
  10. News: Seering . Jeff . 18 February 1988 . New weights and realignment . 20 November 2024 . Reedsburg Times-Press . 28.
  11. News: Steinbach . Glenn . 18 May 1988 . Sideline Chatter (WIAA realigns 41 schools) . 20 November 2024 . The Dunn County News . 13.
  12. News: Groskreutz . Stuart . 17 December 1998 . New Richmond would be happy to leave BRC . 20 November 2024 . Chippewa Herald-Telegram . 14.
  13. News: 8 April 2001 . WIAA approves conference realignment . 20 November 2024 . Chippewa Herald-Telegram . 13.
  14. News: Kleinhans . Jim . 11 April 2001 . Conference realignment: WIAA makes changes in Big Rivers, Dunn-St. Croix Conferences . 20 November 2024 . The Dunn County News . 9.
  15. News: Berg . Brandon . 15 July 2020 . Uncommon turnover . 20 November 2024 . Chippewa Herald-Telegram . A7.
  16. News: 9 March 2021 . Bloomer . 20 November 2024 . Chippewa Herald-Telegram . A7.

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