# Madison West High School

Madison West High School is a comprehensive four-year high school in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, founded in 1930. Its athletics teams compete in the WIAA Big Eight Conference.
Madison West serves students from three municipalities: Madison, Shorewood Hills and Fitchburg.

## Academics
### Ranking

Madison West High School ranks #997 nationally and #24 in Wisconsin by U.S. News & World Report's 2024 rankings for Best High Schools.

### AP courses

Madison West's advanced placement classes include French Language and Culture, Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish Literature and Culture, German Language and Culture, U.S. Government & Politics, U.S. History, World History, Statistics, Precalculus, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science Principles, Computer Science A, Physics 2, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, and Music Theory.

## Extracurricular activities

West offers multiple clubs and extracurriculars. Notable examples include: Forensics, Debate Club, Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, and DECA.

### Rocket club

Madison West Rocket Club was started in 2003. In 2009, 2012, and 2019 it placed first in the American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) national finals. In 2020, the club submitted a proposal to the Ken Sousa Memorial Grant Contest to study the effects of space flight on organisms by sending slime molds into suborbital flight. The club completed Project Ariadne, putting slime mold through the stress of going on a suborbital flight and studying its ability to solve mazes and develop pathways competing in the 2020 NASA Student Launch Challenge. The club is currently working on the American Rocketry Challenge and Rockets For Schools, where they have regularly placed at finals.

### Science Olympiad

The Madison West Science Olympiad team began in 1985. The West team placed in the top 10 in the national tournament in three consecutive years from 1989 to 1991, placing 2nd in 1989. The team also finished first in the state tournament in 2012 and 2013. From 1989 to 2019 the Madison West team won state 19 times, placed second 15 times, and were invited to the national tournament 24 times.

### Math team

The Madison West Math Team took first place in the 2015 state math meet. In 2016, they took first in the state math meet, the Wisconsin Math League, and the International Online "Purple Comet! Math Meet" for Wisconsin (20th in the U.S.).

## Athletics

Madison West's athletic teams are known as the Regents, and compete in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association's Big Eight Conference. The Regents have won a WIAA-record 92 state championships.
State championships :
| Sport | Year(s) |
| Baseball | 1952 |
| Basketball (boys) | 1945, 1992 |
| Basketball (girls) | 1976, 1982 |
| Cross country (boys) | 1947, 1951, 1955, 1963, 2004, 2012, 2014, 2016 |
| Football | 1977 |
| Golf (boys) | 1934–1936, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1960–1962, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1987, 1988, 1995 |
| Golf (girls) | 1972–1976 |
| Gymnastics (girls) | 1987 |
| Hockey (boys) | 1983 |
| Rugby (boys; Division 3) | 2018 |
| Soccer (boys) | 1984, 1987, 1988 |
| Soccer (girls) | 1988, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2012 |
| Softball | 1976 |
| Swimming and diving (boys) | 1977–1979, 1982–1985, 1987–1991, 1993, 2018, 2019 |
| Swimming and diving (girls) | 1973, 1977, 1980–1983, 1986, 1989, 1990–1992, 1999 |
| Track and field (boys) | 1942, 1944, 1948, 1951–1953, 1956, 1964 |
| Track and field (girls) | 1974, 1975, 1980–1982, 1985 |
| Volleyball (boys) | 1947 |
| Wrestling | 1965 |

## Historical Archives

Madison West High School, in partnership with Advantage Archives, digitized its 2,414 pages of the West High Times (1930-1962) and 14,105 pages of yearbooks (1933-2020).

## Notable incidents

In October 2019, a security assistant was fired after using the n-word by telling a student not to use it. This led to a walkout, and following the walkout the firing was rescinded and he was back at the school.
In April 2021, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) sent a letter to Madison West High School administrators about a potential violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This followed the school's virtual discussions on race, where students were divided into groups for "white students" and "students of color," according to school emails.
In February 2020, WILL sued MMSD on behalf of parents challenging a 2018 policy that allowed students to change their gender identity at school without parental consent or notification. In September 2020, Judge Frank Remington issued an injunction of this MMSD policy. In January 2022, Wis. heard this case, but it was dismissed after the plaintiffs withdrew their child from the district, losing jurisdiction.
On January 29, 2025, The Trump administration issued Executive Order 14190: “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” declares federal funding cannot be used to support teaching gender ideology. Alongside the executive order, the Trump administration shared a fact sheet that criticizes the Madison Metropolitan School District for promoting indoctrination.
On February 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education, Launches “End DEI” Portal, to "report illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning . . . submissions to identify potential areas for investigation".

## Notable alumni

* Jim Bakken – former NFL place kicker, St. Louis Cardinals
* Tammy Baldwin – U.S. representative and U.S. senator
* Carol A. Buettner – Wisconsin state senator
* Alex Compton – former Philippine Basketball Association player and head coach
* Jeff Conrad – drummer for the band Phantom Planet
* Jim Doyle, class of 1963 – 44th governor of Wisconsin
* Reece Gaines – former NBA guard, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks
* Alexander Gee Jr – founder of Nehemiah Ministries, Justified Anger, and the Center for Black Excellence and Culture
* Alexander R. Grant – Wisconsin state representative
* Beth Heiden – Olympic bronze medalist speed skater in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games; professional cyclist
* Eric Heiden – Olympic gold medalist speed skater at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games; professional cyclist
* Phil Hellmuth – professional poker player
* Dan Immerfall – Olympic speed skater 1976 Winter Olympic Games, 1980 Winter Olympic Games
* Daniel Kane – mathematician; Morgan Prize (2007), Putnam Fellow (2003–2006)
* Peter Koechley – co-founder of Upworthy
* Fred Lerdahl – composer and music theorist
* Awonder Liang – chess player, third youngest American to qualify for the title of Grandmaster
* Barbara Lorman – Wisconsin state senator
* Denny Love – actor
* David Maraniss – journalist and author
* K. T. McFarland – deputy national security advisor
* Dalia Mogahed – Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
* Ward Moorehouse – anti-corporate activist, publisher
* Jay Mortenson – Olympic gold medalist in swimming in 1988
* Cyrus Nowrasteh – filmmaker
* Sarayu Rao – actress
* John Reynolds – actor and writer
* Sarah T. Roberts – researcher
* David L. Rose – business executive
* Leo Sidran – musician
* Charles P. Smith – Wisconsin state treasurer
* John Stamstad – bike racer and trail runner, member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
* Scott Stantis – editorial cartoonist for The Chicago Tribune and creator of the comic strips The Buckets and Prickly City
* Tim Stracka – former NFL tight end, Cleveland Browns
* Mike Sui – actor
* Chris Tallman – actor
* Donnel Thompson – former NFL linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts
* Tim Van Galder – former NFL quarterback, St. Louis Cardinals
* Stu Voigt – former NFL tight end, Minnesota Vikings
* J.D. Walsh – actor
* Marc Webb – film director
* Bob Whitsitt – general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA; the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL
* Ben Wikler – chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin