The Classic Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin. Consisting entirely of private schools during its ten year existence from 1973 to 1983, all member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association.
History 1973–1978
The Classic Conference was founded in 1973 by seven private high schools in southeastern Wisconsin: Central Wisconsin Christian in Waupun, de Sales Prep in St. Francis, Notre Dame in Milwaukee, Sheboygan Christian, St. Bonaventure in Sturtevant, St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield and University Lake School in Hartland. Notre Dame and St. Bonaventure were previously part of the Milwaukee Catholic Conference, and the other five schools were independents at the time of the Classic Conference’s formation. SJMA would only spend one season in the conference before joining the Midwest Prep Conference in 1974, and they were replaced by Maranatha Baptist Academy in Watertown. Shoreland Lutheran in Somers joined in 1975, and Brookfield Academy became members of the Classic Conference in 1976. They swapped affiliations with Maranatha Baptist Academy, who left to join the Indian Trails Conference. Kettle Moraine Lutheran in Jackson joined as full members in 1977 after becoming members in girls’ sports the year prior. The Prairie School in Wind Point also joined the conference, bringing membership in the Classic Conference to ten schools. This was KML’s first conference affiliation after opening a few years earlier, while The Prairie School came over from the Indian Trails Conference.
1978–1983
De Sales Preparatory Seminary closed its doors in 1979, and were immediately replaced by another Catholic seminary, St. Lawrence in Mount Calvary. Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond du Lac also joined the conference that year, bringing the roster to eleven members. Both schools were previously members of the Bay-Lakes Conference, which had disbanded the season before. In 1981, University Lake School left the Classic Conference to compete as an independent for one season prior to the formation of the Southern Wisconsin and Illinois Small Schools (SWISS) Conference in 1982. Sheboygan Lutheran joined the Classic Conference to take ULS’s place. The eleven schools would compete until 1983, when a merger agreement was reached with the Midwest Prep Conference. All but two schools in the conference joined the new Midwest Classic Conference for the 1983-84 school year, with Brookfield Academy competing as an independent before entering the SWISS Conference in 1984 and St. Bonaventure High School closing its doors after over eighty years of operation.
Conference membership history
Final members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceBrookfield AcademyBrookfield, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Blue Knights 19761983IndependentMidwest ClassicCentral Wisconsin ChristianWaupun, WIPrivate (Reformed)Crusaders 19731983Midwest ClassicTrailwaysKettle Moraine LutheranJackson, WIPrivate (WELS)Chargers 19771983Midwest ClassicGlacier TrailsNotre DameMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic)Redwings 19731983Midwest ClassicClosed in 1988Sheboygan ChristianSheboygan, WIPrivate (Christian)Eagles 19731983Midwest ClassicBig EastSheboygan LutheranSheboygan, WIPrivate (LCMS)Crusaders 19811983Midwest ClassicBig EastShoreland LutheranSomers, WIPrivate (WELS)Pacers 19751983Midwest ClassicMetro ClassicSt. BonaventureSturtevant, WIPrivate (Catholic)Cardinals 19731983Closed in 1983St. Lawrence SeminaryMount Calvary, WIPrivate (Catholic, Capuchin)Hilltoppers 19791983Midwest ClassicWisconsin FlywayThe Prairie SchoolWind Point, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Hawks 19771983Midwest ClassicMetro ClassicWinnebago LutheranFond du Lac, WIPrivate (WELS)Vikings 19791983Midwest ClassicWisconsin Flyway
Previous members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent Conferencede Sales Preparatory SeminarySt. Francis, WIPrivate (Catholic)Saints 19731979ClosedMaranatha Baptist AcademyWatertown, WIPrivate (Baptist)Crusaders 19741976Indian TrailsSt. John's Military AcademyDelafield, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian, Military)Lancers 19731974Midwest PrepMidwest ClassicUniversity Lake SchoolHartland, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Lakers 19731981IndependentLake City
Membership timeline
List of state champions
Fall sports + Boys Cross CountrySchoolYearOrganizationDivision Central Wisconsin Christian1978WISAAClass C + Boys SoccerSchoolYearOrganization Notre Dame1977WISAA University Lake School1978WISAA + Girls TennisSchoolYearOrganization The Prairie School1980WISAA
Winter sports + Boys BasketballSchoolYearOrganizationDivision Notre Dame1976WISAAClass B Notre Dame1978WISAAClass B Notre Dame1979WISAAClass B Central Wisconsin Christian1980WISAAClass B Sheboygan Christian1981WISAAClass B The Prairie School1982WISAAClass B
Spring sports + Girls Track & FieldSchoolYearOrganizationDivision Winnebago Lutheran1980WISAAClass C
List of conference champions Boys Basketball SchoolQuantityYears Notre Dame61975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982 Central Wisconsin Christian31980, 1982, 1983 The Prairie School31980, 1981, 1983 St. Bonaventure11974 Brookfield Academy0 de Sales Prep0 Kettle Moraine Lutheran0 Maranatha Baptist Academy0 Sheboygan Christian0 Sheboygan Lutheran0 Shoreland Lutheran0 St. John’s Military Academy0 St. Lawrence Seminary0 University Lake School0 Winnebago Lutheran0
Girls Basketball SchoolQuantityYears Winnebago Lutheran21980, 1982 Brookfield Academy11983 Central Wisconsin Christian11981 Shoreland Lutheran11982 Kettle Moraine Lutheran0 Maranatha Baptist Academy0 Notre Dame0 Sheboygan Christian0 Sheboygan Lutheran0 St. Bonaventure0 The Prairie School0 University Lake School0Champions pre-1980 unknown
References