Southern Lakes Conference

The Southern Lakes Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership based in southeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 1953, the conference and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

1953-1997

The Southern Lakes Conference traces its origin to the break-up of the Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois (SWANI) Conference in 1952. The five Wisconsin-based schools in that conference (Burlington, Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and Whitewater) entered into negotiations with three schools from the Southeastern Wisconsin Conference (East Troy, Mukwonago and Wilmot Union) to form a new eight-member league, which was eventually named the Southern Lakes Conference and began play in 1953. In 1958, Lake Geneva and Genoa City High Schools merged to form Badger High School, which took Lake Geneva's place in the conference. Big Foot High School in Walworth joined the Southern Lakes Conference in 1961, increasing membership to nine schools. A tenth school (Salem Central, now Westosha Central) joined in 1969, and the next year, membership increased to twelve with the addition of Union Grove and Waterford. All three of the new members previously played in the Southeastern Badger Conference, which was dissolved in 1970. To better facilitate scheduling and competition, the Southern Lakes Conference was split into Eastern and Western Divisions: Eastern DivisionWestern DivisionBurlingtonBadgerMukwonagoBig FootSalem CentralDelavan-DarienUnion GroveEast TroyWaterfordElkhornWilmotWhitewater

In 1980, Mukwonago left to join the Parkland Conference as part of a major realignment of southeastern Wisconsin high schools. Big Foot followed them out of the conference two years later, and they were replaced by Jefferson and Milton, with Badger moving to the Eastern Division to keep divisions at six members each, an alignment that would remain in place until 1997: Eastern DivisionWestern DivisionBadgerDelavan-DarienBurlingtonEast TroySalem CentralElkhornUnion GroveJeffersonWaterfordMiltonWilmotWhitewater

1997-present In 1997, all of the schools in the Eastern Division left the Southern Lakes Conference: Burlington joined the Southeast Conference, and the remaining schools formed the Lakeshore Conference along with St. Catherine's High School in Racine and St. Joseph High School in Kenosha. Fort Atkinson joined the Southern Lakes that same year to bring conference membership to seven schools in a single division. In 2008, the five public schools in the Lakeshore Conference (Badger, Union Grove, Waterford, Westosha Central and Wilmot) rejoined the Southern Lakes Conference. They replaced five schools that exited the conference: three joined the Rock Valley Conference (East Troy, Jefferson and Whitewater) and two joined the Badger Conference (Fort Atkinson and Milton). Burlington rejoined the Southern Lakes from the Southeast Conference the next year, and Beloit Memorial became the latest addition to the Southern Lakes when they joined in 2023 from the Big Eight Conference. They replaced Delavan-Darien, who left for the Rock Valley Conference that same year.

Football-only alignment In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle. The Southern Lakes Conference began the 2020-2021 cycle with the same eight-member group as its full membership roster for football. The 2022-2023 realignment cycle brought changes to the Southern Lakes that would predate its non-football realignment by a year. Delavan-Darien moved over to the Rock Valley Conference, and Beloit Memorial joined from the Big Eight Conference. This alignment will be maintained through at least the 2026-2027 competition cycle.

List of member schools

Current full members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedBadgerLake Geneva, WIPublic1,217Badgers 1958, 2008Beloit MemorialBeloit, WIPublic1,248Purple Knights 2023BurlingtonBurlington, WIPublic950Demons 1953, 2009ElkhornElkhorn, WIPublic1,252Elks 1953Union GroveUnion Grove, WIPublic1,050Broncos 1970, 2008WaterfordWaterford, WIPublic906Wolverines 1970, 2008Westosha CentralPaddock Lake, WIPublic1,336Falcons 1969, 2008Wilmot UnionWilmot, WIPublic844Panthers 1953, 2008

Notes

Current associate members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsPrimary ConferenceSport(s)Delavan-DarienDelavan, WIPublicComets Rock ValleyBoys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & DiveEdgertonEdgerton, WIPublicCrimson Tide Rock ValleyBoys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & DiveJeffersonJefferson, WIPublicEagles Rock ValleyGymnastics, Boys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & DivePlattevillePlatteville, WIPublicHillmen Southwest WisconsinBoys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & DiveThe Prairie SchoolWind Point, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Hawks Metro ClassicBoys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & DiveWhitewaterWhitewater, WIPublicWhippets Rock ValleyGymnastics, Boys Swim & Dive, Girls Swim & Dive

Notes

Current co-operative members TeamColorsHost SchoolCo-operative MembersSport(s)BUW Gymnastics Wilmot UnionBadger, Burlington, Union Grove, Williams BayGymnastics

Former full members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceBig FootWalworth, WIPublicChiefs 19611982Rock ValleyDelavan-DarienDelavan, WIPublicComets 19532023Rock ValleyEast TroyEast Troy, WIPublicTrojans 19532008Rock ValleyFort AtkinsonFort Atkinson, WIPublicBlackhawks 19972008BadgerJeffersonJefferson, WIPublicEagles 19822008Rock ValleyLake GenevaLake Geneva, WIPublicResorters 19531958Merged with Genoa City High SchoolMiltonMilton, WIPublicRedhawks 19822008BadgerMukwonagoMukwonago, WIPublicIndians 19531980ParklandClassic 8WhitewaterWhitewater, WIPublicWhippets 19532008Rock ValleyRock Valley

Former football-only members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsConference JoinedPrimary ConferenceBeloit MemorialBeloit, WIPublicPurple Knights 2022Southern LakesBig Eight

Membership timeline

Full members

Football members

Membership map

Sponsored sports +Badger●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Beloit Memorial●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Burlington●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Elkhorn●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Union Grove●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Waterford●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Westosha Central●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●Wilmot Union●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Notes

List of state champions

Fall sports +Boys Cross CountrySchoolYearDivisionMukwonago1964Small SchoolsBurlington1965Small SchoolsMukwonago1966Small SchoolsWhitewater1987Class BWhitewater1993Division 2Whitewater1994Division 2Whitewater1995Division 2 +FootballSchoolYearDivisionWhitewater1980Division 2Milton1986Division 3Milton1989Division 3Jefferson1991Division 3Badger2023Division 2 +Girls GolfSchoolYearDivisionWestosha Central2021Division 1Westosha Central2022Division 1 +Boys SoccerSchoolYearDivisionUnion Grove2023Division 2 +Girls VolleyballSchoolYearDivisionWestosha Central1989Class AWestosha Central1992Division 2

Winter sports +Boys BasketballSchoolYearDivisionElkhorn1978Class BElkhorn1979Class BWilmot Union1984Class BWilmot Union1991Division 2 +Girls BasketballSchoolYearDivisionWaterford1985Class BElkhorn1997Division 2 +GymnasticsSchoolYearDivisionWaterford1991Division 2Union Grove/Williams Bay/Wilmot Union2021Division 1Elkhorn2024Division 2 +Boys WrestlingSchoolYearDivisionEast Troy1986Class BEast Troy1987Class BEast Troy1988Class B

Spring sports +BaseballSchoolYearDivisionWilmot Union1970Single DivisionWhitewater1995Division 2Whitewater1999Division 2 +Boys GolfSchoolYearDivisionBadger1994Division 1 +SoftballSchoolYearDivisionBurlington1984Class AUnion Grove2011Division 2Westosha Central2013Division 1Westosha Central2015Division 1 +Boys Track & FieldSchoolYearDivisionElkhorn1958Class BMukwonago1962Class BWhitewater1970Class BWhitewater1971Class BWhitewater1973Class BWhitewater1978Class B

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball SchoolQuantityYearsBurlington201956, 1957, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2024Whitewater151961, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995Elkhorn141958, 1959, 1962, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2020Westosha Central121982, 1985, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Badger101966, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2015East Troy101960, 1963, 1967, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008Delavan-Darien71974, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1991, 2000, 2004Waterford71981, 1986, 1995, 1996, 2010, 2025, 2026Wilmot Union61984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995Mukwonago31965, 1975, 1978Union Grove31983, 2014, 2018Fort Atkinson22001, 2002Milton21983, 2006Lake Geneva21954, 1955Beloit Memorial12026Jefferson11998Big Foot0

Girls Basketball SchoolQuantityYearsUnion Grove122010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Jefferson111987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2007Waterford111981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2015, 2019Delavan-Darien81979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 2008, 2009, 2010Elkhorn61996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2026Westosha Central61980, 1981, 1982, 1995, 1996, 1997Wilmot Union61993, 1994, 1995, 2013, 2014, 2016Milton51986, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999Badger41989, 1992, 2012, 2020Fort Atkinson31998, 2000, 2001Whitewater31983, 1984, 2008Burlington21988, 1991Mukwonago21978, 1979East Troy11981Beloit Memorial0Big Foot0

Football SchoolQuantityYearsBurlington261968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2014Whitewater161956, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1993, 1999Badger131960, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Delavan-Darien111958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1967, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1999, 2004, 2010Elkhorn111974, 1976, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2014Milton111985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007Waterford101980, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019Wilmot Union91954, 1955, 1966, 1978, 1985, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019East Troy51959, 1978, 1979, 1989, 1992Big Foot31970, 1971, 1975Mukwonago31954, 1957, 1972Westosha Central31985, 1989, 1992Fort Atkinson22000, 2003Jefferson21991, 1997Union Grove22008, 2021Lake Geneva11953Beloit Memorial0

References

External links Southern Lakes Conference