The Interstate 8 Athletic Conference is an athletic conference for high schools in Michigan formed in 2014 with eight schools in south central Michigan. The conference currently consists of seven Class A and B schools from Barry, Branch, Calhoun, and Jackson counties. The name of the conference derives from the I-69 and I-94 corridors.
History The conference was founded in 2014 with the following charter members: Charlotte, Coldwater, Harper Creek, Jackson Lumen Christi, Jackson Northwest, Marshall, Parma Western, and Pennfield.
After the 2015-16 school year, Charlotte left the conference and eventually rejoin the Capital Area Activities Conference. Hastings from the Ottawa-Kent Conference was selected to replace Charlotte starting in the 2016-17 school year.
In August 2022, it was announced that Lumen Christi, the smallest member and the only private school in the conference would depart the Interstate 8 to join the Catholic High School League beginning in the 2023-24 school year. With Lumen Christi's departure, the remaining seven schools at some point or another participated in the old Twin Valley Conference that existed from 1931 to 2001.
In February 2026, it was announced that Jackson Northwest, the largest member in the conference would depart the Interstate 8 to join the Southeastern Conference (MHSAA) in the 2027-2028 school year.
Member schools Current members SchoolNicknameLocationClassEnrollmentJoinedPrevious ConferenceColorsBattle Creek Harper CreekBeaversEmmett Township, Calhoun CountyA7932014Southwestern Michigan Athletic ConferenceBattle Creek PennfieldPanthersPennfield Township, Calhoun CountyB6342014Kalamazoo Valley AssociationColdwaterCardinalsColdwater, Branch CountyA9002014Southwestern Michigan Athletic ConferenceHastingsSaxonsHastings, Barry CountyB7662016Ottawa-Kent ConferenceJackson NorthwestMountiesBlackman Township, Jackson CountyA9352014Capital Area Activities ConferenceMarshallRedhawksMarshall, Calhoun CountyB7822014Southwestern Michigan Athletic ConferenceParma WesternPanthersSpring Arbor Township, Jackson CountyB7772014Capital Area Activities Conference
Notes
Former members SchoolNicknameLocationJoinedPrevious ConferenceDepartedSuccessive ConferenceCurrent ConferenceCharlotteOriolesCharlotte, Eaton County2014Capital Area Activities Conference2016IndependentCapital Area Activities ConferenceJackson Lumen ChristiTitansSummit Township, Jackson County2023Catholic High School League
Membership Timeline
Champions Football Year TeamRecord 2014 Jackson Lumen Christi 7–0 2015 Coldwater 7–0 2016 Harper CreekJackson Lumen Christi 6–1 2017 Harper Creek 7–0 2018 Jackson Lumen Christi 7–0 2019 Jackson Lumen Christi 7–0 2020 Hastings 4–1 2021 Harper CreekHastingsJackson Lumen Christi 6–1 2022 Hastings 7–0 2023 Hastings 6–0 2024 Harper Creek 6–0 2025 Harper Creek 6–0
References