# Big Eight Conference (Wisconsin)

The Big Eight Conference is a high school athletic conference with its membership concentrated in south central Wisconsin. All member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

## History
### Formation and early years (1925–1964)

The Big Eight Conference was originally formed in 1925 as the Big Six Conference and its original members were Beloit Memorial, Janesville, Kenosha, Madison Central, Madison East and Racine. It consisted of the largest high schools in southern Wisconsin that were located outside of the greater Milwaukee area and was alternatively known by its official name (the Southern Wisconsin Conference) during its early years. The conference added a seventh high school in 1929, a year after Racine High School split into William Horlick High School on the north side and Washington Park High School on the south side of the city. Park took Racine's place in the conference when it was split in 1928, and Horlick joined the conference a year later. However, it wouldn't be known as the "Big Seven" for long as Madison added a third high school on the west side of the city in 1930, and they immediately became members upon opening. The original Big Eight lineup lasted for over thirty years before rapid growth created a rift that changed its membership in the modern era.

### Growing pains and split (1964–1970)

As the metropolitan areas of the Big Eight grew, so too did the need for more space for high school students to relieve overcrowding. Madison opened a fourth high school on the city's far east side in 1963 named after Wisconsin politician Robert M. LaFollette. They joined the Big Eight in 1964 along with the new George Nelson Tremper High School on the south side of Kenosha. The existing high school in Kenosha was also renamed after local educator Mary D. Bradford. More changes were on the horizon, and three more recently opened high schools joined the conference. Jerome I. Case High School opened on Racine's west side in 1966, and two others joined in 1967: James Madison Memorial High School (renamed after Wisconsin politician Vel Phillips in 2021) on Madison's far west side and George S. Parker High School on Janesville's west side. Janesville's current high school was also named after local politician Joseph A. Craig in the process.
By this time, the Big Eight had ballooned to thirteen members (twelve after Madison Central High School closed in 1969), and along with that growth came greater problems with scheduling and travel. In 1967, the five Madison high schools announced their exit from the Big Eight Conference and gave the three high schools in Rock County the option of joining them in a new conference, which they accepted. The five high schools in Racine and Kenosha formed the South Shore Conference after their forced removal from the Big Eight, which had a tumultuous ten-year history before it was finally disbanded in 1980.

### Present day (1970–present)

With the Madison-area schools having successfully split from those in southeastern Wisconsin, the new-look Big Eight Conference began play in 1970 with seven schools (Beloit Memorial, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Madison East, Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial and Madison West). Membership increased back to eight with the addition of Sun Prairie High School from the Badger Conference in 1977, and in later years the Big Eight added two other large metropolitan Madison high schools: Middleton in 1994 and Verona in 2008 (both formerly of the Badger Conference). Membership stayed at ten schools until 2022, when Sun Prairie High School completed its split into two schools. Sun Prairie High School became Sun Prairie East and Sun Prairie West High School was completed on the west side of the district. The following year, Beloit Memorial left the Big Eight after nearly a century of membership to join the Southern Lakes Conference.

## List of member schools
### Current members

| School | Location | Affiliation | Enrollment | Mascot | Joined |
| Janesville Craig | Janesville, WI | Public | 1,684 | Cougars | 1967 |
| Janesville Parker | Janesville, WI | Public | 1,429 | Vikings | 1967 |
| Madison East | Madison, WI | Public | 1,662 | Purgolders | 1925 |
| Madison La Follette | Madison, WI | Public | 1,577 | Lancers | 1964 |
| Madison Memorial | Madison, WI | Public | 2,122 | Spartans | 1967 |
| Madison West | Madison, WI | Public | 2,226 | Regents | 1930 |
| Middleton | Middleton, WI | Public | 2,357 | Cardinals | 1994 |
| Sun Prairie East | Sun Prairie, WI | Public | 1,329 | Cardinals | 1963 |
| Sun Prairie West | Sun Prairie, WI | Public | 1,347 | Wolves | 2022 |
| Verona | Verona, WI | Public | 1,801 | Wildcats | 2008 |

### Former members

| School | Location | Affiliation | Enrollment | Mascot | Joined | Left | Conference Joined | Current Conference |
| Beloit Memorial | Beloit, WI | Public | 1,578 | Purple Knights | 1925 | 2023 | Southern Lakes | Southern Lakes |
| Janesville | Janesville, WI | Public | N/A | Bluebirds | 1925 | 1967 | Split into Craig and Parker High Schools | Split into Craig and Parker High Schools |
| Kenosha Bradford | Kenosha, WI | Public | 1,765 | Red Devils | 1925 | 1970 | South Shore | Southeast |
| Kenosha Tremper | Kenosha, WI | Public | 1,835 | Trojans | 1964 | 1970 | South Shore | Southeast |
| Madison Central | Madison, WI | Public | N/A | Tigers | 1925 | 1969 | Closed in 1969 | Closed in 1969 |
| Racine | Racine, WI | Public | N/A | Black and Gold | 1925 | 1928 | Split into Horlick and Park High Schools | Split into Horlick and Park High Schools |
| Racine Case | Racine, WI | Public | 1,892 | Eagles | 1966 | 1970 | South Shore | Southeast |
| Racine Horlick | Racine, WI | Public | 1,360 | Rebels | 1929 | 1970 | South Shore | Southeast |
| Racine Park | Racine, WI | Public | 1,059 | Panthers | 1928 | 1970 | South Shore | Southeast |

### Associate members

| School | Sport |
| Fort Atkinson/Cambridge | Boys' Volleyball |
| Edgewood Catholic | Boys' Volleyball |
| Beloit Memorial | Boys' Ice Hockey |
| Sun Prairie East/Sun Prairie West | Boys' Ice Hockey |

## List of state champions
### Fall sports

Boys Cross Country :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1947 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1948 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1949 | Large Schools |
| Janesville | 1950 | Large Schools |
| Madison West | 1951 | Large Schools |
| Madison West | 1955 | Large Schools |
| Janesville | 1961 | Large Schools |
| Janesville | 1962 | Large Schools |
| Madison West | 1963 | Large Schools |
| Racine Horlick | 1966 | Large Schools |
| Madison Memorial | 1967 | Large Schools |
| Madison Memorial | 1969 | Large Schools |
| Madison Memorial | 1991 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2004 | Division 1 |
| Madison La Follette | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Madison La Follette | 2007 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2012 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2014 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2016 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2017 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2019 | Division 1 |
Girls Cross Country :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1980 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1984 | Class A |
| Janesville Craig | 1991 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1995 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1996 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1997 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2016 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2017 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2020-21 | Alternate Season |
| Middleton | 2021 | Division 1 |
Football :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1977 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 1995 | Division 1 |
Girls Golf :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1972 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1973 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1974 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1975 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1976 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1977 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1979 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1980 | Single Division |
| Middleton | 2009 | Division 1 |
| Verona | 2014 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2015 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2019 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2020-21 | Alternate Season |
Boys Soccer :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1984 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1988 | Single Division |
| Middleton | 2004 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Verona | 2019 | Division 1 |
| Verona | 2022 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2023 | Division 1 |
Girls Swimming & Diving :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1970 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1971 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1972 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1973 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1974 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1975 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1976 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1977 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1978 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1979 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1980 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1981 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1982 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1983 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1986 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1988 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1989 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1990 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1991 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1992 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 1993 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 1994 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 1995 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 1996 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 1997 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 1998 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 1999 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2000 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2001 | Division 1 |
| Madison East | 2007 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2016 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2017 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2018 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2023 | Division 1 |
Girls Tennis :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1988 | Single Division |
| Middleton | 2013 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2020-21 | Alternate Season |
Boys Volleyball :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1947 | Single Division |
| Madison Central | 1949 | Single Division |
| Madison Central | 1950 | Single Division |
| Middleton | 2023 | Single Division |

### Winter sports

Boys Basketball :
| School | Year | Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1932 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1933 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1934 | Class A |
| Beloit Memorial | 1937 | Class A |
| Racine Park | 1943 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1945 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1947 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1958 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1969 | Single Division |
| Janesville Parker | 1971 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1973 | Class A |
| Madison La Follette | 1977 | Class A |
| Madison La Follette | 1982 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1992 | Division 1 |
| Madison La Follette | 2002 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2005 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2009 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2011 | Division 1 |
Girls Basketball :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1976 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1982 | Class A |
| Janesville Parker | 1993 | Division 1 |
| Janesville Parker | 2000 | Division 1 |
| Janesville Parker | 2001 | Division 1 |
| Verona | 2016 | Division 1 |
Gymnastics :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison La Follette | 1983 | Class A |
| Madison East | 1987 | Class A |
| Verona/Edgewood | 2023 | Division 1 |
Boys Ice Hockey :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison East | 1973 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1975 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1976 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1977 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1978 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1979 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1980 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1983 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1985 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1988 | Single Division |
| Sun Prairie | 1997 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1998 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1999 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 2000 | Single Division |
| Verona | 2014 | Single Division |
| Verona | 2020 | Division 1 |
Skating :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Central | 1926 | Single Division |
| Madison Central | 1928 | Single Division |
Boys Swimming & Diving :
| School | Year | Division |
| Kenosha | 1929 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1930 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1931 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1934 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1952 | Single Division |
| Janesville | 1955 | Single Division |
| Janesville | 1961 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1975 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1976 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1977 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1978 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1979 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1980 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1981 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1982 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1983 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1984 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1985 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1986 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1988 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1989 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1990 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1991 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1992 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1993 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 1994 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 1996 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2005 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2007 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2009 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2011 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2012 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2013 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2014 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2015 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2016 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2018 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2019 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2020 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2021 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2023 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2024 | Division 1 |
Boys Wrestling :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison East | 1955 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1956 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1965 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1967 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1969 | Single Division |

### Spring sports

Baseball :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Central | 1949 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1952 | Single Division |
| Kenosha | 1963 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1965 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1967 | Single Division |
| Kenosha Tremper | 1969 | Single Division |
| Janesville Parker | 1977 | Single Division |
| Janesville Craig | 1983 | Class A |
| Janesville Craig | 1984 | Class A |
| Janesville Craig | 1988 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1990 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1992 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 1994 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 1997 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2003 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2005 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2012 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2013 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2014 | Division 1 |
| Janesville Craig | 2015 | Division 1 |
| Sun Prairie | 2021 | Division 1 |
Boys Golf :
| School | Year | Division |
| Kenosha | 1929 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1931 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1932 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1934 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1935 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1936 | Single Division |
| Beloit Memorial | 1945 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1947 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1948 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1949 | Single Division |
| Racine Horlick | 1950 | Single Division |
| Janesville | 1951 | Single Division |
| Racine Horlick | 1952 | Single Division |
| Janesville | 1953 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1956 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1957 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1958 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1960 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1961 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1962 | Single Division |
| Janesville | 1963 | Single Division |
| Madison East | 1965 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1966 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1967 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1968 | Single Division |
| Racine Park | 1970 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1972 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1976 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1984 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1988 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1990 | Class A |
| Sun Prairie | 1991 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 1995 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1997 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1998 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1999 | Division 1 |
| Madison La Follette | 2003 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2011 | Division 1 |
Boys Lacrosse :
| School | Year | Division |
| Middleton | 2024 | Single Division |
Girls Soccer :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1986 | Single Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1987 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1988 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1991 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1999 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2000 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 2006 | Division 1 |
| Verona | 2010 | Division 1 |
| Madison West | 2012 | Division 1 |
Softball :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison West | 1976 | Single Division |
| Sun Prairie | 2018 | Division 1 |
Boys Tennis :
| School | Year | Division |
| Racine Park | 1931 | Single Division |
| Madison West | 1948 | Single Division |
Boys Track & Field :
| School | Year | Division |
| Kenosha | 1927 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1942 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1944 | Class A |
| Kenosha | 1947 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1948 | Class A |
| Beloit Memorial | 1949 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1951 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1952 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1953 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1956 | Class A |
| Kenosha | 1957 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1964 | Class A |
| Kenosha Bradford | 1965 | Class A |
| Racine Horlick | 1968 | Class A |
| Madison La Follette | 1969 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1970 | Class A |
| Racine Case | 1970 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1973 | Class A |
| Beloit Memorial | 1977 | Class A |
| Beloit Memorial | 1991 | Division 1 |
| Madison La Follette | 2002 | Division 1 |
Girls Track & Field :
| School | Year | Division |
| Madison Memorial | 1972 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1973 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1974 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1975 | Class A |
| Madison East | 1977 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1977 | Class A |
| Madison Memorial | 1979 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1980 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1981 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1982 | Class A |
| Madison West | 1985 | Class A |
| Middleton | 1997 | Division 1 |
| Middleton | 1998 | Division 1 |
| Madison Memorial | 2003 | Division 1 |