| North Iowa Cedar League | |
| Founded: | 1936 |
| Conference: | IHSAA / IGHSAU |
| Teams: | 15 |
| Sports: | 21 |
| Region: | North Central, Northeast Iowa |
The North Iowa Cedar League (NICL) is a high school athletic conference made up of 15 high schools in north central and northeast Iowa. Most of the schools compete as 2A schools, (the second-smallest classification). The conference's most recent expansions included: Columbus Catholic (2013), Sumner-Fredericksburg (2014), and Oelwein (2021). With the addition of Oelwein in the 2021 academic year, the conference will split into three divisions: East, Central, and West.
The formation of the North Iowa Cedar League dates back to 1936, when the Iowa Cedar Conference (consisting of Belle Plaine, Brooklyn, Eldora, Grundy Center, Montezuma, Reinbeck, Tama, Teachers' High, Traer, & Toledo) split into the North Iowa Cedar League and South Iowa Cedar League. Founding members of the newly formed NICL include Ackley, Eldora, Grundy Center, Reinbeck, Teachers' High (NU High), and Traer.
In 1992, the Big Marsh Conference disbanded, with most of its schools joining the NICL, creating a 16 team conference. With the new members, the NICL split into two divisions, east and west. The east division included Aplington–Parkersburg, Denver, Dike–New Hartford, Gladbrook–Reinbeck, Hudson, North Tama, NU High, and Union. The west division included Ackley–Geneva, BCLUW, East Marshall, Eldora–New Providence, GMG, Grundy Center, Hubbard–Radcliffe, and Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock. In 1998, Wapsie Valley High School and Jesup High School joined the conference, bringing the membership up to 18.
In 2000, Ackley–Geneva and Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock merged districts to become AGWSR. The next membership change came in 2002 when Green Mountain–Garwin (GMG) departed for the Iowa Star Conference. The next year, North Tama left for the Iowa Star Conference. In 2007, Eldora–New Providence and Hubbard–Radcliffe joined districts to become South Hardin High School. For the 2008 year, West Marshall was added to the conference, making it a 15-team league. In 2011, South Tama joined after leaving the Little Hawkeye Conference and started in the West Division. It became the 16th member of the conference. Northern University High School (Cedar Falls) played its final season in 2011–12, due to the University of Northern Iowa closing Malcolm Price Lab, which houses Northern University High.[1] Waterloo Columbus joined in 2013 to replace the recently defunct NU High.
With the departure of South Tama, Sumner-Fredericksburg joined in 2014 which brought the total number of schools to 16 once again. In 2020, West Marshall left the conference for the Heart of Iowa Conference. Oelwein joined soon after to replace West Marshall and a new three-division structure ensued. Starting in the 2021–22 school year, the east division will comprise Jesup, Oelwein, Sumner-Fredericksburg, Union, and Wapsie Valley, the central division will include Aplington–Parkersburg, Columbus Catholic, Denver, Dike–New Hartford, and Hudson, and the west will remain the same with AGWSR, BCLUW, East Marshall, Gladbrook–Reinbeck, Grundy Center, and South Hardin.
In 2022, BCLUW left for the Iowa Star Conference, bringing total membership to 15.[2] [3]
| Institution | Location | Mascot | Colors | Affiliation | Enrollment[4] | Class | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesup | Jesup | J-Hawks | Public | 210 | 2A | 1998 | |
| Oelwein | Oelwein | Huskies | Public | 256 | 2A | 2021 | |
| Sumner-Fredericksburg | Sumner | Cougars | Public | 186 | 2A | 2014 | |
| Union | La Porte City | Knights | Public | 232 | 2A | 1988 | |
| Wapsie Valley | Fairbank | Warriors | Public | 148 | 1A | 1998 | |
| Institution | Location | Mascot | Colors | Affiliation | Enrollment[5] | Class | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aplington–Parkersburg | Parkersburg | Falcons | Public | 198 | 2A | 1992 | |
| Columbus Catholic | Waterloo | Sailors | Private | 168 | 2A | 2013 | |
| Denver | Denver | Cyclones | Public | 208 | 2A | 1988 | |
| Dike–New Hartford | Dike | Wolverines | Public | 217 | 2A | 1992 | |
| Hudson | Hudson | Pirates | Public | 185 | 2A | 1977 | |
| Institution | Location | Mascot | Colors | Affiliation | Enrollment[6] | Class | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGWSR | Ackley | Cougars | Public | 148 | 1A | 1999 | |
| Le Grand | Mustangs | Public | 181 | 2A | 1992 | ||
| Gladbrook–Reinbeck | Reinbeck | Rebels | Public | 111 | 1A | 1929 | |
| Grundy Center | Grundy Center | Spartans | Public | 192 | 2A | 1929 | |
| Eldora | Tigers | Public | 186 | 2A | 1936 | ||
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width: 1400 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1936 till:2024
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right: 20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors =
id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.25,0.88,0.50) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.75,0.75,0.75) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Full from:1936 till:1961 text:Ackley (1936–1961) bar:1 color:Full from:1961 till:1999 text:Ackley–Geneva (1961–1999)
bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1955 till:1960 text:Pine Lake (1955-1960) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1964 text:Iowa River Valley (1960-1964) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964-1977) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1992 text:Big Iowa (1977-1992) bar:2 color:Full from:1992 till:1999 text: Wellsburg–Steamboat Rock (1992–1999)
bar:3 color:Full from:1999 till:end text:AGWSR (1999-present)
bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1988 text:Mid-Iowa (1987–1988) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1992 text: Big Iowa (1998–1992) bar:4 color:Full from:1992 till:2007 text: Hubbard–Radcliffe (1992–2007)
bar:5 color:Full from:1936 till:1980 text:Eldora (1936–1980) bar:5 color:Full from:1980 till:2007 text:Eldora–New Providence (1980–2007)
bar:6 color:Full from:2007 till:end text: South Hardin (2007-present)
bar:7 color:Full from:1936 till:end text:Grundy Center (1936–present)
bar:8 color:Full from:1936 till:2012 text:NU High (1936–2012)
bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1964 text:Iowa River Valley (1960-1964) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964-1977) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1987 text:Big Iowa (1977-1987), Gladbrook
bar:10 color:Full from:1936 till:1964 text:Reinbeck (1936–1964) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964-1977) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Big Iowa (1977-1987)
bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1992 text:Big Iowa (1987-1992) bar:11 color:Full from:1992 till:end text:Gladbrook–Reinbeck (1992–present)
bar:12 color:Full from:1936 till:1961 text:Traer (1936–1961) bar:12 color:Full from:1956 till:1964 text:Traer-Clutier (1961–1964) bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964–1977) bar:12 color:Full from:1977 till:2003 text:North Tama (1977–2003) bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:end text:Iowa Star (2003–present)
bar:13 color:Full from:1951 till:1970 text:Jesup (1951–1970) bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1970 till:1987 text:Cedar-Wapsie (1970–1987) bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1998 text:Tri-Rivers (1987–1998) bar:13 color:Full from:1998 till:end text:Jesup (1998–present)
bar:14 color:Full from:1951 till:1988 text:LaPorte City (1951–1988) bar:14 color:Full from:1988 till:end text:Union, LaPorte City (1988–present)
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1937 till:1964 text:Cedar Consolidated (1937–1964) bar:15 color:Full from:1964 till:1972 text:Orange Township (1964–1972) bar:15 color:Full from:1972 till:1973 text:Waterloo Central (1972–1973) bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1973 till:1988 text: Big Eight (1973–1988)
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1937 till:1960 text:Cedar Consolidated (1937–1960) bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:1977 text:Central Valley (1960–1964) bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1966 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964–1977) bar:16 color:Full from:1977 till:1992 text:Dike (1977–1992) bar:16 color:Full from:1992 till:end text:Dike–New Hartford (1992–present)
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1937 till:1960 text:Cedar Consolidated (1937–1960) bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:1977 text:Central Valley (1960–1964) bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1966 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964–1977) bar:17 color:Full from:1977 till:end text:Hudson (1977–present)
bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1955 till:1960 text:Pine Lake (1955-1960) bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1988 text:Iowa River Valley (1960-1988) as Union-Whitten
bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1964 text:Iowa River Valley (1960-1964) bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Mid-Iowa (1964-1977) bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1988 text:Big Iowa (1977–1988) as B-C-L
bar:20 color:Full from:1988 till:2022 text: BCLUW (1988–2022) bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text: Iowa Star (2022-present)
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1959 till:1988 text:Cedar-Wapsie (1958–1988) bar:21 color:Full from:1988 till:end text:Denver (1988–present)
bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1936 till:1960 text:Butler County (1934-1960) bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1964 text:Central Valley (1960-1964) bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Big Marsh (1964-1977) bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1992 text:Big Iowa (1977-1992) as Aplington
bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1936 till:1960 text:Butler County (1934-1960) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1964 text:Central Valley (1960-1964) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1977 text:Big Marsh (1964-1977) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1992 text:Big Iowa (1977-1992) as Parkersburg
bar:24 color:Full from:1992 till:end text:Aplington–Parkersburg (1992–present)
bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1960 till:1988 text:Ta-Ma-Ja (1960-1988) bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1989 text:Big Iowa (1988–1989) as L-D-F
bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1987 text:Ta-Ma-Ja (1963-1987) bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1989 text:Mid-Iowa (1987-1989) as SEMCO
bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:1992 text:Big Iowa (1989-1992) bar:27 color:Full from:1992 till:end text: East Marshall (1992–present)
bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Ta-Ma-Ja (1976-1987) as Green Mountain
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:1987 text:Ta-Ma-Ja (1953-1987) as Garwin
bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1988 text:Mid-Iowa (1987–1988) bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1992 text: Big Iowa (1998–1992) bar:30 color:Full from:1992 till:2002 text: GMG (1992–2002) bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:2002 till:end text:Iowa Star (2002-present) bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1959 till:1987 text:Cedar-Wapsie Conference (1959–1987) bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1998 text:Upper Iowa Conference (1987–1998) bar:31 color:Full from:1998 till:end text:Wapsie Valley (1998–present)
bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1962 till:1978 text:Hawkeye Central Nine (1962–1966) bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2008 text:Heart of Iowa (1966–2008) bar:32 color:Full from:2008 till:2020 text:West Marshall (2008–2020) bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:Heart of Iowa (2020–present)
bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1967 till:1968 text:East Central (1967–1968) bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1968 till:1991 text: Central Iowa (1968–1991) bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:2006 text:WaMaC (1991–2006) bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1999 till:2011 text:Little Hawkeye (2006–2011) bar:33 color:Full from:2011 till:2014 text:South Tama County (2011–2014) bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text: WaMaC (2014–present)
bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2013 text:WaMaC (1992–2013) bar:34 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:Columbus Catholic (2013–present)
bar:35 color:OtherC1 from:1938 till:2004 text:Sumner (1938-2004)
bar:36 color:OtherC1 from:1940 till:1959 text:Turkey Valley (1940-1959) bar:36 color:OtherC1 from:1959 till:1976 text:Cedar-Wapsie (1959-1976) bar:36 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1978 text:Big Marsh (1976-1978) bar:36 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2004 text:Iowa Star (1983-2004) as Fredericksburg
bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:2004 till:2014 text:Upper Iowa Conference (2004–2014) bar:37 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Sumner-Fredericksburg (2014–present)
bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:1936 till:2021 text:Northeast Iowa Conference (1936–2021) bar:38 color:Full from:2021 till:end text:Oelwein (2021–present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:4 start:1936