The Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association is a former organization for high school athletics in Wisconsin. Its membership consisted entirely of parochial high schools, and was in operation from 1957 to 1968.
History The origins of the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association date back to 1928, when Marquette University in Milwaukee sponsored a basketball tournament for the state's Catholic high schools. This was the first such competition in the state, and it eventually became an annual event. In 1957, the thirty-four Catholic high schools participating in that year's tournament assembled to form the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association. At the time of the WCIAA's founding, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association limited its membership to public high schools, and the WCIAA gave parochial schools the chance to compete for statewide championships. Over the course of its eleven-year existence, the WCIAA sponsored championships for:
Baseball Basketball Cross Country Golf Tennis Track and Field Wrestling
By the late 1960s, many new independent high schools had opened up in the state of Wisconsin that were outside the Catholic church, sponsored either by other religions or private entities. The forty-one members of the WCIAA added twelve non-Catholic high schools in 1968 (along with Queen of Apostles, a Catholic high school in Madison who was already slated to join) and became the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association to reflect its expanded scope.
Executive Directors
Phil Schrempf (1957–1959) Steve Pavela (1959–1968)
WCIAA membership history +SchoolLocationDioceseEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedLeftCurrent StatusAbbot PenningsDe PereGreen BayN/A Squires 19571968Closed in 1990 (merged into Notre Dame Academy)AquinasLa CrosseLa Crosse307Blugolds 19571968WIAA (Mississippi Valley)AssumptionWisconsin RapidsLa Crosse139Royals 19571968WIAA (Marawood)Beloit CatholicBeloitMadisonN/ACrusaders 19571968Closed in 2000Campion JesuitPrairie du ChienLa CrosseN/ARed Knights 19571968Closed in 1975CathedralSuperiorSuperiorN/APanthers 19571968Closed in 1969Catholic MemorialWaukeshaMilwaukee576Crusaders 19571968WIAA (Classic Eight)Columbus CatholicMarshfieldLa Crosse146Dons 19571968WIAA (Cloverbelt)De PaduaAshlandSuperiorN/ABruins 19571967ClosedDon BoscoMilwaukeeMilwaukeeN/ADons 19571968Closed in 1972 (merged into Thomas More)EdgewoodMadisonMadison569Crusaders 19571968WIAA (Badger)MadonnaMaustonLa CrosseN/ACowboys 19571966ClosedMarinette Central CatholicMarinetteGreen Bay38Cavaliers 19571968WIAA (Marinette & Oconto)Marquette UniversityMilwaukeeMilwaukee1,794Hilltoppers 19571968WIAA (Greater Metro)MaryheartPittsvilleLa CrosseN/AGolden Eagles 19571961ClosedMcDonell Central CatholicChippewa FallsLa Crosse206Macks 19571968WIAA (Cloverbelt)MessmerMilwaukeeMilwaukee499Bishops 19571968WIAA (Midwest Classic)Newman CatholicWausauLa Crosse128Cardinals 19571968WIAA (Marawood)Notre DameMilwaukeeMilwaukeeN/ARedwings 19571968Closed in 1988Our Lady of PremontreGreen BayGreen BayN/ACadets 19571968Closed in 1990 (merged into Notre Dame Academy)PacelliStevens PointLa Crosse169Cardinals 19571968WIAA (Central Wisconsin)Pius XIMilwaukeeMilwaukee699Popes 19571968WIAA (Woodland)RegisEau ClaireLa Crosse210Ramblers 19571968WIAA (Cloverbelt)Sacred HeartLimaLa CrosseN/ARedmen 19571966ClosedSt. Benedict the MoorMilwaukeeMilwaukeeN/ABrown Bombers 19571964ClosedSt. BonaventureSturtevantMilwaukeeN/ACardinals 19571968Closed in 1983St. Catherine'sRacineMilwaukee472Angels 19571968WIAA (Metro Classic)St. GregorySt. NazianzGreen BayN/AKnights 19571968Closed in 1969St. JohnLittle ChuteGreen BayN/AFlying Dutchmen 19571968Closed in 1973St. John's CathedralMilwaukeeMilwaukeeN/AEagles 19571968Closed in 1976St. MaryKenoshaMilwaukeeN/ABlue Knights 19571958ClosedSt. Mary CatholicNeenahGreen Bay277Zephyrs 19571968WIAA (Big East)St. Mary'sBurlingtonMilwaukee128Hilltoppers 19571968WIAA (Midwest Classic)St. Mary's SpringsFond du LacMilwaukee263Ledgers 19571968WIAA (Wisconsin Flyway)DominicanWhitefish BayMilwaukee324Knights 19581968WIAA (Metro Classic)St. JosephKenoshaMilwaukee229Lancers 19581968WIAA (Metro Classic)XavierAppletonGreen Bay468Hawks 19601968WIAA (Bay)Francis JordanMilwaukeeMilwaukeeN/ACardinals 19611968Closed in 1969Lourdes AcademyOshkoshGreen Bay178Knights 19611968WIAA (Trailways)Holy Cross SeminaryLa CrosseLa CrosseN/AComets 19641968Closed in 1971de Sales PrepSt. FrancisMilwaukeeN/ASaints 19651968Closed in 1979RoncalliManitowocGreen Bay223Jets 19651968WIAA (Eastern Wisconsin)Holy Name SeminaryMadisonMadisonN/AHilanders 19661968Closed in 1995Sacred Heart SeminaryOneidaGreen BayN/AScouts 19661968Closed in 1976Salvatorian SeminarySt. NazianzGreen BayN/ARoyals 19661968Closed (succeeded by JFK Prep)St. Lawrence SeminaryMount CalvaryMilwaukee256Hilltoppers 19661968WIAA (Independent)Pio NonoSt. FrancisMilwaukeeN/ASpartans 19671968Closed in 1972 (merged into Thomas More)
Membership timeline
Former WCIAA-affiliated conferences Alignments are listed for WCIAA membership dates only; see links for full conference histories.
Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference SchoolLocationTenureAssumption High SchoolWisconsin Rapids1957-1968Campion Jesuit High SchoolPrairie du Chien1957-1968Columbus Catholic High SchoolMarshfield1957-1968Newman Catholic High SchoolWausau1957-1968Pacelli High SchoolStevens Point1957-1968McDonell Central Catholic High SchoolChippewa Falls1961-1968Regis High SchoolEau Claire1963-1968Aquinas High SchoolLa Crosse1964-1968
Fox Valley Catholic Conference SchoolLocationTenureAbbot Pennings High SchoolDe Pere1957-1968Marinette Central Catholic High SchoolMarinette1957-1968Our Lady of Premontre High SchoolGreen Bay1957-1968St. John High SchoolLittle Chute1957-1968St. Mary Catholic High SchoolNeenah1957-1968St. Mary's Springs AcademyFond du Lac1957-1968Lourdes AcademyOshkosh1961-1968Xavier High SchoolAppleton1961-1968
Milwaukee Catholic Conference SchoolLocationTenureCatholic Memorial High SchoolWaukesha1957-1968Don Bosco High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968Marquette University High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968Messmer High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968Notre Dame High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968Pius XI High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968St. Bonaventure High SchoolSturtevant1957-1968St. Catherine's High SchoolRacine1957-1968St. John's Cathedral High SchoolMilwaukee1957-1968Dominican High SchoolWhitefish Bay1958-1968St. Joseph High SchoolKenosha1958-1968St. Benedict the Moor High SchoolMilwaukee1959-1964Francis Jordan High SchoolMilwaukee1961-1968
WCIAA members in non-WCIAA conferences SchoolLocationTenureConferenceBeloit Catholic High SchoolBeloit1957-1961SWAPS ConferenceSt. Mary's High SchoolBurlington1957-1961SWAPS ConferenceMcDonell Central Catholic High SchoolChippewa Falls1960-1961Bi-State ConferenceSacred Heart High SchoolLima1960-1966Bi-State ConferenceSt. Mary's High SchoolBurlington1961-1963Southeastern Wisconsin ConferenceMadonna High SchoolMauston1962-1966Central-C ConferenceSt. Gregory High SchoolSt. Nazianz1963-1968Kettle Moraine ConferenceSt. Mary's High SchoolBurlington1963-1968Southeastern Badger ConferenceBeloit Catholic High SchoolBeloit1964-1968SHARK Conference (IHSA)Cathedral High SchoolSuperior1965-1968Michigan-Wisconsin Conferencede Sales Preparatory AcademySt. Francis1965-1968Wisconsin Seminary LeagueHoly Name SeminaryMadison1966-1968Wisconsin Seminary LeagueSacred Heart SeminaryOneida1966-1968Wisconsin Seminary LeagueSalvatorian SeminarySt. Nazianz1966-1968Wisconsin Seminary LeagueSt. Lawrence SeminaryMount Calvary1966-1968Wisconsin Seminary LeagueRoncalli High SchoolManitowoc1967-1968Kettle Moraine Conference
List of state champions +BaseballYearChampion1957Notre Dame1958Edgewood1959Marquette University1960Edgewood1961Edgewood1962Marquette University1963Pius XI1964Pius XI1965St. Joseph1966Edgewood1967Edgewood1968St. Catherine's +Basketball (pre-WCIAA)YearChampion1928Marquette University1929Marquette University1930Campion Jesuit1931Campion Jesuit1932Campion Jesuit1933St. John's Cathedral1934None1935None1936St. Norbert1937St. Norbert1938Notre Dame1939St. Norbert1940St. Mary Catholic1941Aquinas1942Edgewood1943Edgewood1944Aquinas1945Edgewood1946Aquinas1947Regis1948Regis1949Aquinas1950Aquinas1951St. Norbert1952Regis1953St. Mary Catholic1954Marquette University1955St. Mary Catholic1956St. Norbert +BasketballYearChampion1957St. Norbert1958St. Catherine's1959St. Catherine's1960St. Mary Catholic1961St. Catherine's1962Edgewood1963Xavier1964Marinette Central Catholic1965Marquette University1966Messmer1967Marquette University1968Messmer +Cross CountryYearChampion1967Pius XI +GolfYearChampion1957Aquinas1958Marquette University1959St. Mary's Springs1960St. Catherine's1961St. Catherine's1962Don Bosco1963Marquette University1964Marquette University1965Marquette University1966Marquette University1967St. Joseph1968Pius XI +TennisYearChampion1960Catholic Memorial1961Catholic Memorial1962Catholic Memorial1963Catholic Memorial, Xavier (tie)1964Catholic Memorial1965Marquette University1966Marquette University1967Beloit Catholic, Marquette University (tie)1968Edgewood +Track & FieldYearChampion1957Marquette University1958Marquette University1959Pius XI1960Pius XI1961Pius XI1962Marquette University1963Marquette University1964AquinasYearClass AClass B1965Marquette UniversityAssumption1966MessmerColumbus Catholic1967Pius XIAssumption1968MessmerAssumption +WrestlingYearChampion1957St. Catherine's1958Don Bosco1959Catholic Memorial1960Catholic Memorial1961St. Joseph1962St. Joseph1963St. Joseph1964St. Joseph1965St. Joseph1966St. Joseph1967Aquinas1968Aquinas
References