Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Explained

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Color:
  1. 002f87;
Font Color:
  1. FFFFFF
Founded:1913
Association:NCAA
Division:Division III
Teams:8
Sports:22
Mens:10
Womens:12
Region:Wisconsin
Formerly:Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin (1913–1926)
Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference (1926–1951)
Wisconsin State College Conference (1951–1964)
Wisconsin State University Athletic Conference (1964–1997)
Headquarters:Madison, Wisconsin
Commissioner:Danielle Harris
Since:July 2020
Website:wiacsports.com
Map:WIAC-USA-states.png
Map Size:250

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the NCAA's Division III. In women's gymnastics, it competes alongside Division I and II members, as the NCAA sponsors a single championship event open to members of all NCAA divisions. As the name implies, member teams are located in the state of Wisconsin, although there are three associate members from Minnesota and one from Illinois. All full members are part of the University of Wisconsin System.

History

In 1913, representatives from Wisconsin's eight normal schools—Superior Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Superior), River Falls State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin-River Falls), Stevens Point Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point), La Crosse State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse), Oshkosh State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh), Whitewater Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater), Milwaukee State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee) and Platteville Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Platteville)—met in Madison to organize the Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin. The Stout Institute (now the University of Wisconsin–Stout) joined in 1914, followed by Eau Claire State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire) in 1917.[1]

The conference evolved with the growing educational mission of its member schools. It changed its name to the Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference in 1926, and the Wisconsin State College Conference in 1951. Finally, in 1964, it became the Wisconsin State University Conference.

In 1971, the member schools of the WSUC joined with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Wisconsin–Parkside and Carthage College to form the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. By 1975, UW–Milwaukee, Carroll College, the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and Marquette University had also joined. With the dissolution of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1982, the member schools joined their male counterparts in either the NCAA or NAIA. By 1993, the non-NCAA Division III members had all dropped out, resulting in the WWIAC having the same membership as the WSUC. Under the circumstances, a merger was inevitable. In 1996, Gary Karner was named commissioner of both the WSUC and the WWIAC. The two conferences formally merged in 1997 to form the current WIAC.[1]

Effective with the 2001–02 academic year, Lawrence University joined the conference in the sport of wrestling. Three Minnesota schools, Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University and Winona State University, became members of the conference in the sport of women's gymnastics during the 2004–05 academic year. In 2009–10, the conference added men’s soccer as a sponsored sport with the announcement of Michigan school Finlandia University as an affiliate member. Lawrence discontinued its affiliation with the WIAC in wrestling.[1]

The conference remained unusually stable over the years; the only changes in full membership being the departures of UW–Milwaukee in 1964 and UW–Superior in 2015.

Centennial celebration

The ninth-oldest conference in the nation, the WIAC celebrated its centennial year during the 2012–13 academic year.[2] Additionally, the WIAC is the most successful NCAA Division III conference in history, boasting NCAA National Championships in 15 different sports.[3] At the beginning of the 2011–12 academic year, the conference had claimed a nation-leading 92 NCAA National Championships.[4]

To celebrate its centennial, the conference named All-Time Teams in each sport that is currently or was previously recognized as a "championship" sport within the conference.[5] Furthermore, the WIAC commissioned a commemorative work of art, created by Tim Cortes,[6] and has also created a two-year calendar in celebration of its centennial.[7]

The celebration was headlined by its Centennial Banquet held on August 4, 2012, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Among the honorees at the event were the All-Time Team members and the inaugural class to the WIAC Hall of Fame.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The WIAC currently has eight full members, all are public schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationUndergraduate
enrollment
NicknameJoinedColors
University of Wisconsin–Eau ClaireEau Claire1916Public10,043[8] Blugolds1917–18
University of Wisconsin–La CrosseLa Crosse19099,708Eagles1913–14
University of Wisconsin–OshkoshOshkosh187115,111Titans1913–14
University of Wisconsin–PlattevillePlatteville18668,134Pioneers1913–14
University of Wisconsin–River FallsRiver Falls18745,725Falcons1913–14
University of Wisconsin–Stevens PointStevens Point18948,792Pointers1913–14
University of Wisconsin–StoutMenomonie18917,555Blue Devils1914–15
University of Wisconsin–WhitewaterWhitewater186811,722Warhawks1913–14
Notes:

Affiliate members

The WIAC currently has five affiliate members, all but two are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationUndergraduate
enrollment
NicknameJoinedColorsPrimary
conference
WIAC
sport(s)
Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSt. Peter, Minnesota1862Lutheran ELCA2,600Golden Gusties2004–05Minnesota (MIAC)gymnastics
Hamline UniversitySaint Paul, Minnesota1854United Methodist2,100Pipers2004–05Minnesota (MIAC)gymnastics
Northland CollegeAshland, Wisconsin1906United Church of Christ700LumberJacks &<br>LumberJills2019–20;
2019–20
Upper Midwest (UMAC)men's ice hockey;
women's ice hockey
University of Wisconsin–SuperiorSuperior, Wisconsin1893Public2,294Yellowjackets2015–16;
2015–16
Upper Midwest (UMAC)men's ice hockey;
women's ice hockey
Winona State UniversityWinona, Minnesota1858Public8,896Warriors2004–05Northern Sun (NSIC)
(NCAA D-II)
gymnastics
Notes:

Future affiliate members

The WIAC currently has one future affiliate member,[9] a private schools:

Notes:

Former members

The WIAC had two former full members, both were public schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationUndergraduate
enrollment
NicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
University of Wisconsin–MilwaukeeMilwaukee1885Public22,767Cardinals1913–141963–64Horizon
(NCAA D-I)
University of Wisconsin–SuperiorSuperior18932,294Yellowjackets1913–142014–15Upper Midwest (UMAC)
Notes:

Former affiliate members

The WIAC had three former affiliate members, all were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationUndergraduate
enrollment
NicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
WIAC
sport
Lawrence UniversityAppleton, Wisconsin1847Nonsectarian1,555Vikings2001–022008–09Midwest (MWC)wrestling
Finlandia UniversityHancock, Michigan1896Lutheran ELCA500Lions2009–10
2018-19
2015–16
2022-23
closed in 2023men's soccer;
baseball
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, Illinois1890Nonsectarian2,977Scarlet Hawks2017–182017–18Northern (NACC)baseball
Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1913 till:2033

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(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote) id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData=

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:1913 till:end text:Wisconsin–La Crosse (1913–present) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:1 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:1 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:2 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Milwaukee (1913–1964) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:2 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:2 color:Full from:1946 till:1964 bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1964 till:1993 text:Independent bar:2 shift:(-30) color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1994 text:Mid-Con bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:end text:MCC/Horizon

bar:3 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Oshkosh (1913–present) bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:3 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:3 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:4 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Platteville (1913–present) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:4 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:4 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:5 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–River Falls (1913–present) bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:5 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:5 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:6 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Stevens Point (1913–present) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:6 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:6 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:7 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Superior (1913–2015) bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:7 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:7 color:Full from:1946 till:1993 bar:7 color:FullxF from:1993 till:2015 bar:7 shift:(-160) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:UMAC (2015–present; WIAC men's & women's ice hockey)

bar:8 color:Full from:1913 till:1918 text:Wisconsin–Whitewater (1913–present) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:8 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:8 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:9 color:FullxF from:1914 till:1915 text:Wisconsin–Stout (1914–present) bar:9 color:Full from:1915 till:1918 bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:9 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:9 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:10 color:Full from:1917 till:end text:Wisconsin–Eau Claire (1917–present) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1918 till:1919 bar:10 color:Full from:1919 till:1943 bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1943 till:1946 bar:10 color:Full from:1946 till:end

bar:11 color:AssocOS from:2001 till:2009 text:Lawrence (2001–2009; wrestling)

bar:12 shift:(-30) color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Gustavus Adolphus (2004–present; gymnastics)

bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Hamline (2004–present; gymnastics)

bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Winona State (2004–present; gymnastics)

bar:15 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2014 text:Finlandia (2009–2014; men's soccer, 2018–2023; baseball) bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:2023

bar:16 shift:(-80) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:2018 text:Illinois Tech (2017 - 2018; baseball)

bar:17 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:Northland (2019–present; ice hockey)

bar:18 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Simpson (2024–present; gymnastics)

bar:N color:blue from:1913 till:1926 text:WSNC bar:N color:powderblue from:1926 till:1951 text:WSTCC bar:N color:blue from:1951 till:1964 text:WSCC bar:N color:powderblue from:1964 till:1997 text:WSUAC bar:N color:blue from:1997 till:end text:WIAC

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1915

Sports

Member institutions field men's and women's teams in cross country, basketball, ice hockey, track and field, and swimming and diving. Men's teams are fielded for baseball, football, and wrestling. Women's teams are fielded for golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. The WIAC is the only NCAA Division III all-sports conference that does not sponsor men's soccer.

See main article: WIAC men's basketball tournament.

See main article: WIAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Men'sWomen's
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice hockey
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track and field (indoor)
Track and field (outdoor)
Volleyball
Wrestling

Men's sponsored sports by school

School Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Ice Hockey Swimming & Diving Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Wrestling Total WIAC Sports
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 9
Wisconsin–La Crosse 8
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 8
Wisconsin–Platteville 7
Wisconsin–River Falls 6
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 9
Wisconsin–Stout 7
Wisconsin–Whitewater 8
Totals 7 8 8 8 4+2 5 8 8 6 64

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the WIAC

School Golf Soccer Tennis Volleyball
Wisconsin–Eau Claire Independent Independent No
Wisconsin–La Crosse No No No
Wisconsin–Platteville No Independent No No
Wisconsin–Stevens Point Independent No Independent
Wisconsin–Stout Independent Independent No No
Wisconsin–Whitewater No Independent No

Women's sponsored sports by school

School Basketball Cross Country Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Volleyball Total WIAC Sports
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 12
Wisconsin–La Crosse 11
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 11
Wisconsin–Platteville 8
Wisconsin–River Falls 10
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 11
Wisconsin–Stout 10
Wisconsin–Whitewater 11
Totals 8 8 8 5+3 3+2 8 8 5 7 8 8 8 89

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the WIAC

School Bowling Lacrosse Wrestling
Wisconsin–Eau Claire No Independent No
Wisconsin–La Crosse No Independent No
Wisconsin–River Falls No Independent No
Wisconsin–Stevens Point No Independent Independent
Wisconsin–Stout No Independent No
Wisconsin–Whitewater Independent No No

National championship teams

NCAA Division III national championships

Listed below are the NCAA Division III team national championships won by WIAC members.

UW–Oshkosh: 1985, 1994
UW–Whitewater: 2005, 2014

UW–Whitewater: 1984, 1989, 2012, 2014
UW–Platteville: 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999
UW–Stevens Point: 2004, 2005, 2010, 2015
UW–Oshkosh: 2019

UW–Stevens Point: 1987, 2002
UW–Oshkosh: 1996

UW–Oshkosh: 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002
UW–La Crosse: 1996, 2001, 2005
UW–Eau Claire: 2015

UW–La Crosse: 1983
UW–Oshkosh: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1996
UW–Eau Claire: 2009

UW–La Crosse: 1992, 1995
UW–Whitewater: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014

UW–Eau Claire: 2001

UW–River Falls: 1988, 1994
UW–Stevens Point: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2016, 2019
UW–Superior: 2002
UW–Eau Claire: 2013

UW–Stevens Point: 1998
UW–Eau Claire: 2008

UW–La Crosse: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2023
UW–Oshkosh: 2009
UW–Eau Claire: 2015, 2016

UW–La Crosse: 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017
UW–Oshkosh: 2009

UW–Oshkosh: 1994–96, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014
UW–La Crosse: 2015, 2023

UW–La Crosse: 1983, 1984, 2015, 2023
UW–Oshkosh: 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011
UW–River Falls: 2008

UW–Whitewater: 2002, 2005
UW–Eau Claire: 2021

Non-NCAA national championships

Many members of the WIAC have also won national championships from organizations other than the NCAA, including: NAIA, AIAW, NGCA, and National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA).[10]

UW–Eau Claire

Women's Cross Country: 1984^

Men's Ice Hockey: 1984^

Women's Swimming and Diving: 1983^, 1987^, 1988^

UW–La Crosse

Women's Basketball: 1981^^

Men's Bowling: 1967^, 1968^, 1969^

Football: 1985^

Men's Gymnastics: 1975^, 1976^, 1977^

Women's Gymnastics: 1986*, 1988*, 1995*, 1997*, 1999*, 2001*, 2002*, 2003*, 2004*, 2005*, 2006*, 2008*, 2009*, 2010*, 2011*, 2015*, 2016*

Women's Outdoor Track and Field: 1982^^

UW–Oshkosh

Men's Gymnastics: 1973^, 1974^, 1978^, 1979^, 1980^ (and NCAA Div. II), 1981^ (and NCAA Div. II), 1982^ (and NCAA Div. II), 1983^

Women's Gymnastics: 1980^^, 1986^, 1989*, 2007*, 2022*, 2023*

UW–River Falls

Men's Ice Hockey: 1983^

UW–Stout

Men's Gymnastics: 1984^

UW–Whitewater

Women's Golf: 1985%

Women's Gymnastics: 2012*, 2013*, 2014*, 2017*, 2018*

UW–Superior (former member)

Men's Ice Hockey: 1976^

Marquette University (former member)

Women's Cross Country: 1982^

UW–Green Bay (former member)

Women's Swimming and Diving: 1984^

UW–Parkside (former member)

Women's Cross Country: 1980^

^ National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

^^ Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW)

* National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA)

% National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA)

Conference facilities

SchoolFootball stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacity
UW–Eau ClaireCarson Park6,500W. L. Zorn Arena2,450
UW–La CrosseVeterans Memorial Stadium10,000Mitchell Hall2,880
UW–OshkoshTitan Stadium9,800Kolf Sports Center5,800
UW–PlattevilleRalph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium10,000Williams Fieldhouse2,300
UW–River FallsRamer Field4,800Don Page Arena2,149
UW–Stevens PointGoerke Field4,000Quandt Fieldhouse3,281
UW–StoutDon and Nona Williams Stadium4,500Johnson Fieldhouse1,800
UW–WhitewaterForrest Perkins Stadium13,200Williams Center3,000

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History. wiacsports.com.
  2. Web site: WIAC Announces Plans For Celebrating Its Centennial. wiacsports.com.
  3. Web site: Quick Facts. wiacsports.com.
  4. Web site: National Championship Teams. wiacsports.com.
  5. Web site: All-Time Teams. wiacsports.com.
  6. Web site: WIAC Centennial Artwork Now Available. wiacsports.com.
  7. Web site: WIAC Centennial Calendars Now Available. wiacsports.com.
  8. Web site: The University of Wisconsin System Education Reports & Statistics, Enrollments . University of Wisconsin System . November 30, 2019.
  9. Web site: Simpson College Added As Affiliate Member In Women’s Gymnastics. wiacsports.com.
  10. Web site: National Championship Teams . 2023-06-03 . wiacsports.com . en.