The Mid-Suburban League (MSL) is an Illinois High School Association recognized high school extra-curricular league which includes 12 schools located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The conference is split up into two divisions for all interscholastic activities. The primary criteria for the separate divisions was formerly geography, with the schools in the West Division being located west of IL Route 53 and the schools of the East Division being east of it. However, the schools of the western division are also larger than the schools of the eastern division.
Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, the MSL no longer has divisions based on geographic alignments, and are now determined individually per sport based on performance. The conference now has a “top” and a “bottom” division labeled “East” and “West” at random. It is now possible that a single school will be represented in both the East and West Division. Below are the traditional alignments.
Members
West Division School Town Team Name Colors Joined IHSA Classes (2/3/4) Reference Barrington High School Barrington Broncos/Fillies 1977 AA/3A/4A Conant High School Hoffman Estates Cougars 1965 AA/3A/4A Fremd High School Palatine Vikings 1967 AA/3A/4A Hoffman Estates High School Hoffman Estates Hawks 1975 AA/3A/4A Palatine High School Palatine Pirates 1965 AA/3A/4A Schaumburg High School Schaumburg Saxons 1970 AA/3A/4A
East Division School Town Team Name Colors Joined IHSA Classes (2/3/4) Reference Buffalo Grove High School Buffalo Grove Bison 1974 AA/3A/4A Elk Grove High School Elk Grove Village Grenadiers 1967 AA/3A/4A Hersey High School Arlington Heights Huskies 1969 AA/3A/4A Prospect High School Mt. Prospect Knights 1963 AA/3A/4A Rolling Meadows High School Rolling Meadows Mustangs 1971 AA/3A/4A Wheeling High School Wheeling Wildcats 1964 AA/3A/4A
Former Members School Town Team Name Colors Joined LeftCurrent Conference Arlington High School Arlington Heights Cardinals 1966 1984none (closed in 1984)Deerfield High SchoolDeerfieldWarriors 19631965Central Suburban LeagueForest View High SchoolArlington HeightsFalcons 19631986none (closed in 1986)Glenbard North High SchoolCarol StreamPanthers 19681973DuKane ConferenceGlenbrook North High SchoolNorthbrookSpartans 19631965Central Suburban LeagueGlenbrook South High SchoolGlenviewTitans 19631965Central Suburban LeagueMaine West High SchoolDes PlainesWarriors 19631967Central Suburban LeagueNew Trier West High SchoolNorthfieldCowboys 19641965none (closed in 1981)Niles North High SchoolSkokieVikings 19641965Central Suburban League
History The Mid-Suburban League came into existence for the 1963–64 school year. The MSL and Des Plaines Valley League both broke off from an interim suburban league that dated back several decades. The original members of the MSL were Deerfield High School, Forest View High School, Glenbrook North High School, Glenbrook South High School, Maine West High School, and Prospect High School. Not even a year old, the conference announced expansion for the 1965–66 season with, Palatine High School, Wheeling High School, Niles North High School, and New Trier West High School joining as the schools opened. The MSL then announced a realignment for the 1965–66 season when Niles West High School and James B. Conant High School were added, with Deerfield, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, Niles West, Niles North, and New Trier West comprising one division, and Forest View, Prospect, Wheeling, Maine West, and James Conant comprising the other.
Just prior to the start of the 1964–65 season, it was announced that Arlington High School would join the league for the 1966–67 season, leaving the West Suburban Conference, and joining the division which included Forest View High School and soon to open school Elk Grove High School and 5 year old high school Fremd. Maine West left the league in 1967 and moved to the Central Suburban. Glenbard North joined the league in 1968, and Hersey in 1969, closing out the final changes in the conference of the 1960's.
The conference would change again in the early 1970's as Schaumburg was added in 1970, Rolling Meadows in 1971, Buffalo Grove in 1974 and Hoffman Estates in 1975. At the conclusion of the 1973 school year, Glenbard North would leave for the DuPage Valley Conference, however, in 1977, Barrington would come over from the North Suburban Conference. Unfortunately, in 1984, based on declining enrollment and high maintenance costs, Arlington High School would close with Forest View seeing the same fate 2 years later.
Membership timeline
References
External links Mid-Suburban League homepage