Capitol Conference (Wisconsin)

❧

Wikipedia

The Capitol Conference is a high school athletic conference in south central Wisconsin. It was founded in 1969, and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA).

History

1969-1994

About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
30km
19miles
Wisconsin Heights
Waunakee
Waterloo
Verona
Poynette
McFarland
Lodi
DeForest
Location of Original Capitol Conference Members

The Capitol Conference was formed in 1969 after the breakup of the larger Madison Suburban Conference into three separate organizations. Six of its original members came from the conference's Western section (Lodi, McFarland, Poynette, Verona, Waunakee and Wisconsin Heights) and two came from the Central section (DeForest and Waterloo).[1] In 1977, Poynette left to rejoin the Dual County Conference (having previously been a member from 1926 to 1954)[2] and Waterloo became a member of the Eastern Suburban Conference.[3] Two schools moved over from the Central Suburban Conference (Columbus and Lake Mills) to take their place and keep the conference at eight member schools.[4] Mount Horeb joined the Capitol Conference after leaving the Southern Eight Conference in 1983,[5] replacing Lake Mills, who briefly joined the Eastern Suburban Conference.[6] In 1987, DeForest and Waunakee left to become the newest members of the Badger Conference[7] with Lake Mills and Poynette rejoining the Capitol Conference as their replacements.[8][9]

1994-2006

By 1994, the Verona Area School District was the fastest-growing district in the Madison area, and they were invited to enter the Badger Conference with an eye towards continued future growth.[10] Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills took their place in 1995 after leaving the Eastern Suburban Conference, renewing their crosstown rivalry with Lake Mills.[11] Cambridge, Marshall and Waterloo followed Lakeside Lutheran out of the Eastern Suburban in 2001, offsetting the loss of Lodi and Poynette to the South Central Conference and McFarland and Mount Horeb to the Badger Conference.[12] For Waterloo, this was their second stint in the conference after having been a member from 1969 to 1977. The Capitol Conference would remain a seven-member league for the next five years before major changes would occur.

2006-present

In 2006, the Capitol Conference reached its high of twelve member schools when Lodi and Poynette rejoined from the South Central Conference, Belleville and New Glarus came over from the Six Rivers Conference and Luther Prep in Watertown was added after being displaced from the Parkland Conference when it ceased operations. With the addition of the new schools came realignment into the Capitol North and Capitol South divisions:[13]

Capitol North Capitol South
Columbus Belleville
Lake Mills Cambridge
Lakeside Lutheran Marshall
Lodi New Glarus
Luther Prep Waterloo
Poynette Wisconsin Heights

This alignment stayed intact for sixteen years before Luther Prep exited the conference to rejoin the Midwest Classic Conference in 2023.[14] In 2025, Waupun joined from the disbanded East Central Conference, taking Luther Prep's place in the Capitol North.[15]

Football-only alignment

In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle.[16] Eight schools were designated as football members for the Capitol Conference: Big Foot, Columbus, Horicon/Hustisford, Lake Mills, Lakeside Lutheran, Lodi, Luther Prep and Turner.[17] The Capitol Conference also operates a small-school division consisting of Cambridge, Clinton, Dodgeland, Markesan, Marshall, Palmyra-Eagle, Pardeeville and Waterloo. This conference competes under the Eastern Suburban Conference banner, which was the name of an all-sport conference that last played in 2001.[18] Several schools entering the Capitol Conference for football had primary affiliations with the Rock Valley and Trailways Conferences. In 2022, Horicon/Hustisford moved over to the Eastern Suburban Conference and Luther Prep left to join the Midwest Classic Conference. The six remaining schools in the Capitol Conference welcomed Edgewood from the Rock Valley Cofnerence and New Glarus/Monticello from the Southwest Wisconsin Conference to bring the roster to eight schools.[19] Three schools left the Capitol Conference football alignment in 2024: Edgewood and Lakeside Lutheran left the Capitol Conference as football members in 2024 to join the Badger Conference, and New Glarus returned to the Southwest Wisconsin Conference after a two-year absence. The two outgoing schools were replaced by Clinton and Horicon/Hustisford, with the latter making their return from the Eastern Suburban Conference.[20] Horicon/Hustisford will be returning to the Eastern Suburban Conference for the 2026-2027 realignment cycle, and their position will be taken by East Troy, moving over from the Rock Valley Conference.[21]

List of conference members

Current full members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Division
Belleville Belleville, WI Public 275[22] Wildcats     2006[13] South
Cambridge Cambridge, WI Public 306[23] Bluejays     2001[12] South
Columbus Columbus, WI Public 383[24] Cardinals     1977[4] North
Lake Mills[a] Lake Mills, WI Public 448[25] L-Cats     1977,[4] 1987[8] North
Lakeside Lutheran Lake Mills, WI Private (Lutheran, WELS) 546[26] Warriors       1995[11] North
Lodi[b] Lodi, WI Public 445[27] Blue Devils     1969,[1] 2006[13] North
Marshall Marshall, WI Public 275[28] Cardinals     2001[12] South
New Glarus New Glarus, WI Public 323[29] Glarner Knights     2006[13] South
Poynette[c][b] Poynette, WI Public 303[30] Pumas     1969,[1] 1987,[9] 2006[13] North
Waterloo[d] Waterloo, WI Public 233[31] Pirates     1969,[1] 2001[12] South
Waupun Waupun, WI Public 566[32] Warriors     2025[15] North
Wisconsin Heights Mazomanie, WI Public 240[33] Vanguards     1969[1] South

Notes

  1. ↑ Left the Capitol Conference in 1983, returned in 1987
  2. 1 2 Left the Capitol Conference in 2001, returned in 2006
  3. ↑ Left the Capitol Conference in 1977, returned in 1987
  4. ↑ Left the Capitol Conference in 1977, returned in 2001


Current associate members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Primary Conference Sport(s)
Big Foot Walworth, WI Public Chiefs     Rock Valley Football
Clinton Clinton, WI Public Cougars     Rock Valley Football
Deerfield Deerfield, WI Public Demons     Trailways Boys Cross Country[a], Girls Cross Country[a]Boys Soccer,

Girls Soccer

Luther Prep Watertown, WI Private (WELS) Phoenix     Midwest Classic Girls Tennis
Mayville Mayville, WI Public Cardinals     Wisconsin Flyway Girls Tennis
Monticello Monticello, WI Public Ponies     Six Rivers Boys Golf[b]
Turner Beloit, WI Public Trojans     Rock Valley Football
Wayland Academy Beaver Dam, WI Private (Nonsectarian) Big Red     Trailways Girls Tennis

Notes

  1. 1 2 Co-operative with Cambridge
  2. ↑ Co-operative with Belleville

Current co-operative members

Team Colors Host School Co-operative Members Sport(s)
Sugar River Raiders     New Glarus Belleville, Monticello (wrestling only) Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Boys Wrestling, Girls Wrestling

Future associate members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Joining Primary Conference Sport(s)
East Troy East Troy, WI Public Trojans     2026[21] Rock Valley Football

Former full members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
DeForest DeForest, WI Public Norskies     1969[1] 1987[7] Badger
Luther Prep Watertown, WI Public (Lutheran, WELS) Phoenix     2006[13] 2023[14] Midwest Classic
McFarland McFarland, WI Public Spartans       1969[1] 2001[12] Badger
Mount Horeb Mount Horeb, WI Public Vikings     1983[5] 2001[12] Badger
Verona Verona, WI Public Wildcats       1969[1] 1994[10] Badger Big Eight
Waunakee Waunakee, WI Public Warriors     1969[1] 1987[7] Badger

Former football-only members

School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Seasons Primary Conference
Clinton Clinton, WI Public 359 Cougars     2024[20] Capitol
Edgewood Madison, WI Private (Catholic) 569 Crusaders     2022-2023[19] Badger

Membership timeline

 Capitol North  Capitol South

Football membership (since 2020)

Membership map

Capitol Conference
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
30km
19miles
12
12 Wisconsin Heights
12 Wisconsin Heights
11
11 Waupun
11 Waupun
10
10 Waterloo
10 Waterloo
9
9 Poynette
9 Poynette
8
8 New Glarus
8 New Glarus
7
7 Marshall
7 Marshall
6
6 Lodi
6 Lodi
5
5 Lakeside Lutheran
5 Lakeside Lutheran
4
4 Lake Mills
4 Lake Mills
3
3 Columbus
3 Columbus
2
2 Cambridge
2 Cambridge
1
1 Belleville
1 Belleville
Location of Capitol Conference full members:
1
Belleville
2
Cambridge
3
Columbus
4
Lake Mills
5
Lakeside Lutheran
6
Lodi
7
Marshall
8
New Glarus
9
Poynette
10
Waterloo
11
Waupun
12
Wisconsin Heights

Sanctioned sports

Baseball
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Cross Country
Girls Cross Country
Football
Boys Golf
Boys Soccer
Girls Soccer
Softball
Girls Tennis
Boys Track & Field
Girls Track & Field
Girls Volleyball
Boys Wrestling
Girls Wrestling
Belleville X X X X X X X X X
Cambridge X X X X X X[a] X[a] X X X X X X
Columbus X X X X X X [b] X X X X X X X X X
Lake Mills X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Lakeside Lutheran X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Lodi X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Marshall X X X X X X X X X X X
New Glarus X X X X[c] X[c] X X[d] X[d] X X X X[d] X[d]
Poynette X X X X X X X X X X X
Waterloo X X X X X X X X X X X
Waupun X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Wisconsin Heights X X X X[e] X[e] X X[e] X[e] X X[e] X[e] X

Notes

  1. 1 2 Co-operative with Deerfield and Waterloo
  2. ↑ Co-operative with Fall River
  3. 1 2 Co-operative with Monticello
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sugar River Raiders co-operative
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Co-operative with Barneveld

List of state champions

Fall sports

Boys Cross Country
School Year Division
Wisconsin Heights 1973 Small Schools
Verona 1974 Class B
Verona 1982 Class B
Verona 1991 Division 2
McFarland 1996 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 1999 Division 2 (WISAA)
Lakeside Lutheran 2023 Division 2
Girls Cross Country
School Year Division
Verona 1980 Class B
Verona 1981 Class B
Mount Horeb 1983 Class B
Verona 1984 Class B
Mount Horeb 1990 Division 2
Mount Horeb 1994 Division 2
Mount Horeb 1995 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2007 Division 2
Football
School Year Division
DeForest 1982 Division 4
Columbus 1990 Division 4
Columbus 1996 Division 4
Lodi 2017 Division 4
Columbus 2022 Division 4
Lodi 2023 Division 4
Boys Soccer
School Year Division
Columbus 2008 Division 3
Sugar River Raiders 2023 Division 3
Girls Volleyball
School Year Division
Waunakee 1985 Class B
Waunakee 1986 Class B
Wisconsin Heights 2008 Division 3
Waterloo 2014 Division 3
Waterloo 2015 Division 3
Lakeside Lutheran 2017 Division 2

Winter sports

Boys Basketball
School Year Division
McFarland 1973 Class B
McFarland 1974 Class C
Marshall 2002 Division 3
New Glarus 2019 Division 4
Girls Basketball
School Year Division
McFarland 1983 Class B
McFarland 1999 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2001 Division 3
Columbus 2002 Division 2
Columbus 2003 Division 2
Marshall 2018 Division 3
Marshall 2019 Division 3
Lake Mills 2021 Division 2
Gymnastics
School Year Division
Lake Mills 1979 Class B
Lake Mills 1980 Class B
Mount Horeb 1984 Class B
Mount Horeb 1993 Division 2
Boys Swimming & Diving
School Year Division
Verona 1993 Division 2
Boys Wrestling
School Year Division
Lodi 1998 Division 2
Lodi 2008 Division 2

Spring sports

Baseball
School Year Division
Wisconsin Heights 1989 Class C
Lodi 2013 Division 2
Wisconsin Heights 2014 Division 3
Boys Golf
School Year Division
Mount Horeb 1988 Class B
Lodi 1990 Class B
Lodi 1996 Division 2
Lake Mills 1997 Division 3
Lodi 1998 Division 2
Lodi 2015 Division 2
Cambridge 2023 Division 3
Softball
School Year Division
Waunakee 1987 Class B
Poynette 1998 Division 2
Poynette 2011 Division 3
Poynette 2018 Division 3
Poynette 2019 Division 3
Poynette 2022 Division 2
Boys Track & Field
School Year Division
McFarland 1977 Class C
Verona 1992 Division 2
Sugar River Raiders 2012 Division 2
Cambridge 2018 Division 3
Lodi 2021 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2023 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2024 Division 2
Girls Track & Field
School Year Division
Lake Mills 1974 Class B
Lake Mills 1980 Class B
Verona 1984 Class B
Verona 1985 Class B
Lake Mills 1986 Class B
Verona 1991 Division 2
Mount Horeb/
Barneveld		 1996 Division 2
McFarland 2001 Division 2
Columbus 2004 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2005 Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran 2006 Division 2

List of conference champions

Boys Basketball

School Quantity Years
Columbus 12 1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2022, 2023
Marshall 12 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021
McFarland 11 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Lakeside Lutheran 10 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023
Lake Mills 7 1980, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
Lodi 5 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022
New Glarus 5 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024
Wisconsin Heights 5 1975, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2010
Waterloo 4 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976
Waunakee 4 1977, 1984, 1986, 1987
Belleville 3 2022, 2023, 2024
Poynette 3 1970, 2014, 2015
Cambridge 2 2011, 2025
DeForest 2 1983, 1985
Luther Prep 2 2007, 2010
Mount Horeb 2 1995, 2001
Verona 2 1989, 1991
Waupun 0

Girls Basketball

School Quantity Years
Columbus 17 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
McFarland 10 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Marshall 8 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Lakeside Lutheran 7 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Lake Mills 6 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Belleville 5 2008, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2025
New Glarus 5 2007, 2008, 2022, 2023, 2024
Wisconsin Heights 5 1975, 1976, 1977, 1988, 2017
Cambridge 4 2008, 2009, 2012, 2022
Mount Horeb 4 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997
Lodi 3 1984, 2013, 2019
Waunakee 3 1985, 1986, 1987
Poynette 2 2017, 2025
Verona 2 1991, 1993
DeForest 0
Luther Prep 0
Waterloo 0
Waupun 0

Football

School Quantity Years
Columbus 14 1977, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024
Marshall 10 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
Waunakee 10 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985
Lodi 9 1971, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2023
DeForest 7 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986
Lakeside Lutheran 7 2001, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018
Cambridge 6 2004, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
McFarland 5 1973, 1976, 1995, 1997, 2000
Lake Mills 4 1987, 1988, 2019, 2021
New Glarus/
Monticello		 4 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017
Poynette 3 1989, 1999, 2010
Waterloo 3 2001, 2009, 2015
Verona 2 1970, 1971
Belleville 1 2017
Mount Horeb 1 1984
Wisconsin Heights 1 1998
Belleville/
Albany		 0
Big Foot 0
Clinton 0
Edgewood 0
Horicon/
Hustisford		 0
Luther Prep 0
Turner 0


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dommershausen, Joe (8 June 1969). "New Area Conferences Finish Organization". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  2. ↑ Hillstrom, Eric (1 September 1977). "Most interesting prep season ahead". The Capital Times. p. 18. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Husty Aims for Winning Repeat". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. 1 September 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Dommershausen, Joe (31 August 1977). "Waunakee is coaches' choice". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Mount Horeb prepares for a new group of foes". Wisconsin State Journal. 28 August 1983. pp. 49 (Football '83 insert). Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Changes made in conferences". Waukesha County Freeman. 24 August 1983. pp. 12-C. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 McMillin Jr., Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football". The Capital Times. p. 23. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  8. 1 2 McMillin, Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football". The Capital Times. p. 23. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  9. 1 2 Hibner, Perry (15 October 1987). "Poynette adjusts to Capitol Conference". Portage Daily Register. p. 6. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  10. 1 2 Semrau, Dennis (19 September 1992). "Middleton, Verona to move". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 Semrau, Dennis (24 August 1994). "Capitol to add Lakeside Lutheran". The Capital Times. p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hernandez, Rob (27 January 2000). "Realignment set for 2001". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 22. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Semrau, Dennis (13 April 2006). "Conference realignment issue won't disappear". The Capital Times. p. 47. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  14. 1 2 Masson, Jon (15 January 2022). "Realignment plan takes step forward". Wisconsin State Journal. pp. B6. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Conference Realignment Archive (see Approved Plans, 2023-24)". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  18. ↑ Schwab, Frank (25 January 2001). "Valley Christian ready to join new Trailways league". Oshkosh Northwestern. pp. E4. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  20. 1 2 "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 14 December 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  21. 1 2 "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  22. ↑ "Belleville". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  23. ↑ "Cambridge". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  24. ↑ "Columbus". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  25. ↑ "Lake Mills". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  26. ↑ "Lakeside Lutheran". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  27. ↑ "Lodi". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  28. ↑ "Marshall". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  29. ↑ "New Glarus". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  30. ↑ "Poynette". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  31. ↑ "Waterloo". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  32. ↑ "Waupun". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  33. ↑ "Wisconsin Heights". WIAA School Database. Retrieved 20 January 2026.