Western Indiana Conference

The Western Indiana Conference is the name of two IHSAA-sanctioned conferences based in West Central Indiana. The first formed as an eight-team league that formed as a basketball league in 1944 as the West Central Conference.[1] The league started expanding in 1945 and changed its name to the Western Indiana Conference. With consolidation forcing many membership changes in the 1970s (including all the Terre Haute public schools), the conference folded at four members in 1983.

Western Indiana Conference
LeagueIHSAA
Founded1999 (second incarnation)
Sports fielded
  • 22 offered
    • men's: 10
    • women's: 10, and 1 unified
No. of teams11
Region9 Counties: Brown, Clay, Hendricks, Johnson, Monroe, Owen Putnam, Sullivan, Vigo
Official websitehttps://www.wicathletics.com
Locations
Location of teams in Western Indiana Conference
A look at all member schools in the Western Indiana Conference, 2019-2024

The second incarnation started in 1999, including four previous members (or their current incarnations) from the old conference, and three other schools from South Central Indiana. Its only change in membership in its first 16 years was in football, where South Vermilion played independently for the 2007 and 2008 seasons before rejoining the conference. March 2014 marked a sea change for the conference, as what originally was an invite for Greencastle turned into inviting the remaining five teams of the West Central Conference to join.[2] All seven WIC schools and all five WCC schools voted to expand the conference into 2015, making a 12 team, two division league.[3] All 12 schools are within 30 miles of Interstate 70 or Interstate 69.

Prior the invitation to Greencastle and other WCC schools went out, Indian Creek was rumored to be considered as an expansion candidate but their invitation was rescinded by the conference in early 2014 due to expanding to 12 teams.[4] Eventually, South Vermillion departed to rejoin the Wabash River Conference in 2016 leaving the conference at 11 teams. Indian Creek was extended an invitation as the replacement for SV in 2017 and accepted bringing the conference back to 12 teams retaining the divisions model.[5]

Since expansion to 12 teams, the conference membership has been less than stable due to long travel times and geographical issues spanning half of the state. After the 2018–2019 school year, Cascade departed from the Western Indiana Conference to join longtime rival and former West Central Conference member Monrovia in the Indiana Crossroads Conference. Cascade filled a vacancy that Park Tudor left. The move leaves the Western Indiana Conference will 11 schools, dissolving the east–west divisions for team sports, except football, going to round robin play.

In 2024-2025, Cascade will rejoin the Western Indiana Conference when Covenant Christian joins the Indiana Crossroads Conference. Similarly, at this time, the four Putnam County schools were in discussions with Crawfordsville, North Montgomery, and Southmont to form a new athletic conference.[6] After discussion and five schools voting to leave the Sagamore Conference, North Putnam announced on May 19, 2023 they will leave the Western Indiana Conference and join with five schools that separated from the Sagamore Conference, Crawfordsville, Frankfort, North Montgomery, Southmont, and Western Boone, to form a new athletic conference that will take shape no later than the 2026-2027 academic year.[7][8][9] These moves collectively leave the Western Indiana Conference with 11 members.

Members

School Location Mascot Colors Enrollment IHSAA
Class
FB
County Year joined Previous conference
Brown
County
Nashville Eagles     503 3A
2A
7
Brown
1999 Mid-Hoosier
Cloverdale Cloverdale Clovers     313 2A
1A
67
Putnam
2015 West Central
Edgewood Ellettsville Mustangs       802 3A
4A
53
Monroe
1999 West Central
Greencastle Greencastle Tiger Cubs     475 2A
2A
67
Putnam
2015 West Central
Indian Creek Trafalgar Braves       591 3A
3A
41
Johnson
2016 Mid-Hoosier
North
Putnam
Roachdale Cougars     444 2A
2A
67
Putnam
2015 West Central
Northview Brazil Knights       955 3A
4A
11
Clay
1999 independent
Owen
Valley
Spencer Patriots       650 3A
3A
60
Owen
1999 West Central
South
Putnam
Greencastle Eagles     359 2A
1A
67
Putnam
2015 West Central
Sullivan Sullivan Golden Arrows     472 2A
2A
77
Sullivan
1999 Tri-River
West
Vigo
West Terre Haute Vikings       525 2A
2A
84
Vigo
1999 independent

Future Member

School Location Mascot Colors Enrollment IHSAA Class

FB Class

County Year To Join Previous conference
Cascade Clayton Cadets       495 3A

2A

32
Hendricks
2024 Indiana Crossroads

Former members

School Location Mascot Colors County Year joined Previous conference Year Departed Conference joined
South Vermillion Clinton Wildcats       83
Vermillion
1999 Wabash River 2016 Wabash River
Cascade Clayton Cadets       32
Hendricks
2015 West Central 2019 Indiana Crossroads

Future Former Member

School Location Mascot Colors County Year joined Previous conference Year To Depart Conference joined
North Putnam Roachdale Cougars     67
Putnam
2015 West Central 2024 or 2025 new conference

(name TBA)

Team Sports Divisions (2015–2019)

2015-16 2016-19
EastWestEastWest
Brown CountyGreencastleBrown CountyGreencastle
CascadeNorthviewCascadeNorth Putnam
CloverdaleSouth PutnamCloverdaleNorthview
EdgewoodSouth VermilionEdgewoodSouth Putnam
North PutnamSullivanIndian CreekSullivan
Owen ValleyWest VigoOwen ValleyWest Vigo

With Cascade's departure from the Conference, the current Cross-Over system will be eliminated and all conference schools will play each other in the regular season of boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, softball, football, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ soccer, and boys’ and girls’ tennis. Boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving, track and field, cross country, wrestling, and golf will still hold one-day conference tournaments.

Football divisions (2019–2024)

2019-
GoldGreen
EdgewoodBrown County
Indian CreekCloverdale
NorthviewGreencastle
Owen ValleyNorth Putnam
SullivanSouth Putnam
West Vigo

Old Conference Membership

School Location Mascot Colors County Year joined Previous conference Year left Conference joined
Brazil Brazil Red Devils     11
Clay
1944 Clay County 1982 Independents (consolidated into
Northview 1984)
James A. Garfield Terre Haute Purple Eagles     84
Vigo
1944 Vigo County 1971 none (consolidated into
Terre Haute North)
Gerstmeyer Tech Terre Haute Black Cats       84
Vigo
1944 Vigo County 1971 none (consolidated into
Terre Haute North)
Linton-Stockton1 Linton Miners       28
Greene
1944 Southern Indiana 1974 SW Indiana
State Lab2 Terre Haute Little Sycamores     84
Vigo
1944 Vigo County 1978 none (school closed)
South Vermillion3 Clinton Wildcats       83
Vermillion
1944 Vermillion County 1982 Wabash River
Sullivan4 Sullivan Golden Arrows     77
Sullivan
1944 Southern Indiana 1982 Independents (TRC 1986)
William H. Wiley Terre Haute Red Streaks     84
Vigo
1944 Vigo County 1971 none (consolidated into
Terre Haute South)
Honey Creek Allendale Honey Bees     84
Vigo
1945 Vigo County 1971 none (consolidated into
Terre Haute South)
Greencastle Greencastle Tiger Cubs     67
Putnam
1949 South Central 1977 West Central
Jasonville Jasonville Yellow Jackets       28
Greene
1949 1963 none (consolidated
into Shakamak)
Dugger Dugger Bulldogs       77
Sullivan
1950 Sullivan County 1958 Sullivan County
Lebanon Lebanon Tigers     06
Boone
<1951 1967 Sagamore
Bishop Schulte5 Terre Haute Golden Bears     84
Vigo
1953 none (new school) 1977 none (school closed)
West
Vigo
West Terre Haute Vikings       84
Vigo
1960 none (new school) 1982 Independent (WIC 1999)
Shakamak Jasonville Lakers     28
Greene
1963 none (new school) 1964 Tri-River
North
Knox
Bicknell Warriors       42
Knox
1977 Blue Chip 1981 Independents
(BCC 1986)
  1. Linton-Stockton played concurrently in the WIC and the SIAC from 1944 to 1951.
  2. State played concurrently in the WIC and the Tri-River Conference from 1964 to 1978.
  3. South Vermillion was known as Clinton until 1977. The smaller schools in southern Vermillion County had consolidated into Clinton by 1963, but the school did not change its name right away (and kept Clinton's school colors and nickname), so this is considered a name change rather than an actual consolidation of schools.
  4. Sullivan played concurrently in the WIC and the SIAC from 1944 to 1962.
  5. Schulte played concurrently in the WIC and the Tri-River from 1964 to 1977.

Football Champions

This list includes champions for both the old[10] and new[11] versions of the conference. Spit championships are denoted by an asterisk, East and West Division champions are annotated by an E and W, respectively, while the conference championship game winner is denoted by a C. With the green and gold divisions, Gold Division Champion is denoted by GO and the Green Division Champion is denoted by GR.

#TeamSeasons
14Northview2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 (W, C), 2018 (W, C), 2020 (GO), 2021 (GO), 2022 (GO)
8Brazil1949, 1950, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981
8Wiley1947, 1948, 1953*, 1955*, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965
6Sullivan1953*, 1955*, 2003*, 2012*, 2016 (W, C), 2017 (W, C)
4Indian Creek2016 (E), 2017 (E), 2018 (E), 2019 (E, C)
4Bishop Schulte1964, 1970, 1971, 1976
4Owen Valley1999, 2000, 2001, 2015 (E)
4South Vermillion/Clinton1952, 1974, 1979, 1980
3Garfield1946, 1954, 1957
3Gerstmeyer Tech1963, 1967, 1968
3South Putnam2020 (GR), 2021 (GR), 2022 (GR)
3West Vigo2002, 2003*, 2012*
2Greencastle1966, 1973
1Edgewood2008
1Linton-Stockton1951
0Cascade
0Cloverdale
0Dugger
0Honey Creek
0Jasonville
0Lebanon
0North Knox
0North Putnam
0Shakamak
0State Lab
  • Conference began football competition in 1946, and did not compete from 1982 to 1999. Champions for 1956 and 1958-9 are unknown.

Conference Championship Games

  • 2015 Northview 28, Owen Valley 14
  • 2016 Sullivan 63, Indian Creek 42
  • 2017 Sullivan 48, Indian Creek 38
  • 2018 Northview 32, Indian Creek 22
  • 2019 Indian Creek 32, Northview 28

References

  1. "8 Schools Join Wabash League". Hammond Times, Hammond, IN. 1944-11-19. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  2. "Future May Include Expansion Of Western Indiana Conference Field". Hoosier Topics. 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  3. "Western Indiana Conference to Expand to 12 Schools". Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, IN. 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  4. Reschke, Michael. "Conference rescinds invitation to Indian Creek". Reporter-Times. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  5. Page, Steve. "Braves pack up, eye new conference". Reporter-Times. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  6. "CCSC superintendent discusses proposed state funding changes". Journal Review. 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  7. Scott, Trent (19 May 2023). "North Putnam votes to join new athletic conference, leave Western Indiana Conference". Banner Graphic. Greencastle, Indiana. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  8. "Western Boone to leave Sagamore Conference, will form new six-team league". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  9. "County schools to separate from Sagamore Conference". Journal Review. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  10. http://www.almanacsports.com/football/conference.php?conf_id=westernindiana-original
  11. http://www.almanacsports.com/football/conference.php?conf_id=westernindiana&season=2017

http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/2071979.html

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