Corn Belt Conference Explained

The Corn Belt Conference was a high school athletic conference in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), based in Central Illinois. The conference consisted of medium-sized and small high schools.

History

The Corn Belt Conference was originally formed in 1950 by Clinton, Normal Community, Pontiac Township, Trinity (later Central Catholic), and University High Schools. The conference was incorporated into the former Heart of Illinois Conference in 1972 but was reformed in 1978.[1] [2]

Eureka High School left the Corn Belt Conference for the Heart of Illinois Conference after the 2015–2016 school year. U-High and Mahomet-Seymour departed for the Central State Eight Conference and Apollo Conference respectively in the 2017–18 school year.[3] [4] In April 2016, school boards of the remaining five schools and the school boards of the five schools in the Okaw Valley Conference voted unanimously to merge into a new Illini Prairie Conference beginning in the 2017–18 school year.[5]

Member schools

1950–1972

SchoolCommunityTeam NameColorsIHSA classSchool typeYear joinedJoined fromYear departedDeparted forReferences
Central Catholic (Trinity) High SchoolBloomingtonSaints1A/2A/3APrivate19501972Heart of Illinois (1970s)
Clinton High SchoolClintonMaroonsPublic19501972Heart of Illinois (1970s)
Normal Community High SchoolNormalIronmenAA, 2A, 3APublic19501971Capitol
Pontiac Township High SchoolPontiacIndians4APublic19501972Heart of Illinois (1970s)
University High SchoolNormalPioneers5APublic lab school19501972Heart of Illinois (1970s)
Washington Community High SchoolWashingtonPanthersPublic1957Illini1972Heart of Illinois (1970s)
St. Teresa High SchoolDecaturBulldogsPrivate19671969

1978–2017

SchoolCommunityTeam NameColorsIHSA classSchool typeYear joinedJoined fromYear departedDeparted forReferences
Central Catholic High SchoolBloomingtonSaints1A/2A/3APrivate1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)2017Illini Prairie
Clinton High SchoolClintonMaroonsPublic1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)1990Okaw Valley
Pontiac Township High SchoolPontiacIndians4APublic1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)2017Illini Prairie
University High SchoolNormalPioneers5APublic lab school1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)2017Central State Eight
Metamora Township High SchoolMetamoraCardinalsPublic1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)1982Mid-Illini
Olympia High SchoolStanfordSpartans3APublic1978Heart of Illinois (1970s)2017Illini Prairie
Eureka High SchoolEurekaHornets4APublic1978
2004
Heart of Illinois (1970s)
Tri-County
1982
2016
Blackhawk
Heart of Illinois
St. Bede AcademyPeruBruins2APrivate19821996Private School
Mahomet-Seymour High SchoolMahometBulldogs4APublic1986Okaw Valley2017Apollo
Prairie Central High SchoolFairburyHawks4APublic1990Wauseca2017Illini Prairie
Herscher High SchoolHerscherTigersPublic2002Suburban Prairie2006Interstate 8
Rochester High SchoolRochesterRocketsA, AA, 2A, 3APublic2002Sangamo2010Central State Eight
Rantoul Township High SchoolRantoulEagles4APublic2004Big Twelve2015Okaw Valley
Illinois Valley Central High SchoolChillicotheGrey Ghosts4APublic2014Mid-State 6, North Central Illinois2017Illini Prairie[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Kindred. Randy. U High opts to join Central State Eight Conference. 1 June 2016. The Pantagraph. 27 January 2016.
  2. Web site: THE GREAT CONFERENCES. Illinois High School Glory Days. 5 January 2017. 23 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423074537/http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/id349.html. dead.
  3. News: Kindred. Randy. Eureka to leave Corn Belt for HOIC in 2016. 19 May 2015. The Pantagraph. The Pantagraph. 14 April 2015.
  4. News: Deacon. Joe. Corn Belt, remaining schools contemplate league's future. 28 January 2016. The Pantagraph. 27 January 2016.
  5. News: Corn Belt Conference merger approved, Illini Prairie Conference created. 31 May 2016. Chillicothe Times-Bulletin. 27 April 2016.
  6. News: Kindred. Randy. Corn Belt Conference votes to add IVC. 31 May 2016. The Pantagraph. 7 February 2013.