North Central Hockey Conference

The North Central Hockey Conference is a former high school athletic conference in northern Wisconsin that sponsored boys hockey. Founded in 1973 and disbanded in 1997, the conference's member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

The North Central Hockey Conference was founded in 1973 by six programs located in north central Wisconsin: Mosinee, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Tomahawk, Wausau East and Wausau West. These schools belonged to two conferences that did not sponsor hockey (the Wisconsin Valley and Lumberjack) and grouped together to ensure regular competition amongst its member schools. The conference gained a seventh member in 1974 when Northland Pines in Eagle River joined the group. That number increased to eight in 1977 (D.C. Everest) and nine in 1981 (Antigo). When Pacelli in Stevens Point joined as the conference's tenth member in 1982, the North Central Hockey Conference partitioned its membership into north and south divisions: North DivisionSouth DivisionAntigoD.C. EverestNorthland PinesMosineeRhinelanderPacelliWausau EastStevens PointWausau WestTomahawk

This arrangement continued for two more seasons after Pacelli's 1983 exit from the conference, and the nine remaining schools consolidated back down to a single division in 1985. The addition of Waupaca in 1989 brought membership to ten schools, where it would remain for another two years. In 1991, six schools left the conference (Antigo, D.C. Everest, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wausau East and Wausau West) when the Wisconsin Valley Conference began sponsorship of boys hockey in their athletic offerings. To offset the losses, the North Central Hockey Conference added Lumberjack members Lakeland Union and Medford to keep the league afloat. The Lumberjack Conference also started sponsorship of hockey in 1991, and four NCHC members (Lakeland Union, Medford, Northland Pines and Tomahawk) maintained dual membership in both organizations before the North Central Hockey Conference was disbanded in 1997. Mosinee and Waupaca joined the Lumberjack Conference as associate members in boys hockey after the North Central Hockey Conference's demise.

Conference membership history

Final members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftPrimary ConferenceLakeland UnionMinocqua, WIPublicThunderbirds 19911997LumberjackMedfordMedford, WIPublicRed Raiders 19911997LumberjackMosineeMosinee, WIPublicIndians 19731997Lumberjack, CloverbeltNorthland PinesEagle River, WIPublicEagles 19741997LumberjackTomahawkTomahawk, WIPublicHatchets 19731997LumberjackWaupacaWaupaca, WIPublicComets 19891997East Central

Former members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftPrimary ConferenceAntigoAntigo, WIPublicRed Robins 19811991Wisconsin ValleyD.C. EverestWeston, WIPublicEvergreens 19771991Wisconsin ValleyPacelliStevens Point, WIPrivate (Catholic)Cardinals 19821983Central Wisconsin CatholicRhinelanderRhinelander, WIPublicHodags 19731991Wisconsin ValleyStevens PointStevens Point, WIPublicPanthers 19731991Wisconsin ValleyWausau EastWausau, WIPublicLumberjacks 19731991Wisconsin ValleyWausau WestWausau, WIPublicWarriors 19731991Wisconsin Valley

Membership timeline

List of state champions Source: SchoolYearNorthland Pines1984Northland Pines1986Northland Pines1989

List of conference champions SchoolQuantityYearsNorthland Pines151975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996Mosinee61974, 1984, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997Stevens Point61976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986Wausau West31985, 1988, 1991Wausau East11974Antigo0D.C. Everest0Lakeland Union0Medford0Pacelli0Rhinelander0Waupaca0 References