The Wisconsin Seminary League was a statewide interscholastic athletic organization consisting of Catholic seminaries in Wisconsin. It was operational from 1963 to 1969.
History
The Wisconsin Seminary League, also known by its official title of the Wisconsin Catholic Seminary Conference, was founded in 1963 by nine Catholic seminaries in the state of Wisconsin: Blessed Sacrament in Waupaca, Divine Word in East Troy, Mount St. Paul in Waukesha, Queen of Apostles in Madison, Sacred Heart in Oneida, Salvatorian in St. Nazianz, St. Francis de Sales in St. Francis, St. Joseph in Edgerton and St. Lawrence in Mount Calvary. The age range for players was slightly different than those in traditional high schools; instead of grades 9-12, teams consisted of boys in grades 10-13. Because of this, it was not associated with the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association, but WCIAA members were common non-conference athletic opponents. The conference was subdivided into divisions based on geography for their first season of basketball competition: Northern DivisionSouthern DivisionBlessed SacramentDivine WordSacred HeartMount St. PaulSalvatorianQueen of ApostlesSt. LawrenceSt. Francis de SalesSt. Joseph In 1965, the Pallotine Fathers ended Queen of Apostles' seminary program for a more traditional co-educational high school enrollment model, and two seminaries joined the conference as replacements: Holy Name in Madison and St. Columban in Oconomowoc. Both schools joined the conference's Southern Division: Northern DivisionSouthern DivisionBlessed SacramentDivine WordSacred HeartHoly NameSalvatorianMount St. PaulSt. LawrenceSt. ColumbanSt. Francis de SalesSt. Joseph In 1966, three schools (Mount St. Paul, St. Columban and St. Francis de Sales) left the Wisconsin Seminary League and the organization consolidated down to one division with seven schools. The conference's membership roster decreased to six in 1968, as Salvatorian Seminary closed and a new Catholic high school (John F. Kennedy Prep) opened on its former campus in St. Nazianz. The Wisconsin Seminary League was disbanded in 1969, by which time three of the remaining members (Holy Name, Sacred Heart, and St. Lawrence) had joined the WCIAA and remained members during that organization's transition into the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association. Former Seminary League members Divine Word and St. Joseph joined WISAA in 1970, and Blessed Sacrament closed its doors in 1971.
Conference membership history SeminaryLocationAffiliation/OrderMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceBlessed SacramentWaupaca, WIBlessed Sacrament FathersKnights 19631969IndependentClosed in 1971Divine WordEast Troy, WIVerbiteCrusaders 19631969IndependentClosed in 1991Mount St. PaulWaukesha, WISalvatorianMoors 19631966IndependentClosedQueen of ApostlesMadison, WIPallotineQueensmen 19631965Closed (replaced by co-ed high school)Sacred HeartOneida, WIDiocese of Green BayScouts 19631969IndependentClosed in 1976SalvatorianSt. Nazianz, WISalvatorianRoyals 19631968Closed (replaced by JFK Prep)St. Francis de SalesSt. Francis, WIArchdiocese of MilwaukeeSaints 19631966IndependentClosed in 1979St. JosephEdgerton, WIRedemptoristsJohawks 19631969IndependentClosed in 1980St. LawrenceMount Calvary, WIFranciscanHilltoppers 19631969Fox Valley Tri-CountyWisconsin Flyway (2025)Holy NameMadison, WIDiocese of MadisonHilanders 19651969IndependentClosed in 1995St. ColumbanOconomowoc, WIMissionary Society of St. ColumbanRamblers 19651966IndependentClosed in 1971
Membership timeline
References