STEVENS POINT, Wis. – On Dec. 6, 2023, the Director of Communications for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) announced changes as a result of a meeting of the WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force.
The Task Force assembled and reviewed applications from 20 schools in the first meeting of the 2023-24 realignment process at the executive office, a press release announced.
“The schools requesting relief from their current conference in sports other than football included Ashland, Berlin, Central Wisconsin Christian, Clinton, DeForest, Elk Mound, Fox Valley Lutheran, Fuller Collegiate Academy, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Lincoln Academy, Merrill, Oak Creek, Osseo-Fairchild, Ripon, St. Augustine Prep, Sun Prairie East, Waukesha North, Waukesha South, West De Pere, and Winneconne,” the release said.
All plans reviewed and approved by the Task Force and the Board of Control would be implemented in the fall of the 2025-26 school year.
With regard to Merrill, the Task Force advanced proposals that move Merrill from the Wisconsin Valley Conference into the Great Northern Conference for all sports except football.
All schools newly affected by the realignment solutions modified by the Task Force may provide written feedback or appear virtually at the Task Force meeting Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, at 10 a.m. Requests to participate in the virtual hearing and provide additional information must be emailed to Assistant Director Melissa Gehring at [email protected] by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. Schools will be provided a maximum of three minutes to present new information on the modified plans, and schools in the same conference are asked to designate one spokesperson who will represent all schools. The time afforded to this spokesperson will be extended to eight minutes.
Member schools impacted by a proposed realignment solution may appeal the decision at the Task Force meeting on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. at 10 a.m. Requests to appeal must be submitted in writing to Gehring at [email protected] by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. A school may appeal by having a representative appear at the WIAA office or appear virtually. Each school will be provided a maximum of five minutes to present new information to the Task Force.
The Task Force will finalize and submit proposals for the Board of Control meeting on March 5, 2024, following the Jan. 11 Conference Realignment Task Force meeting.
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, contact the WIAA office at 715.344.8580.