Wisconsin high school athletic conference
The Capitol Conference is a high school athletic conference in south central Wisconsin . It was founded in 1969, and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) .
30km 19miles
Location of Original Capitol Conference Members
The Capitol Conference was formed in 1969 after the breakup of the larger Madison Suburban Conference into three separate organizations. Six of its original members came from the conference's Western section (Lodi , McFarland , Poynette , Verona , Waunakee and Wisconsin Heights ) and two came from the Central section (DeForest and Waterloo ).[ 1] In 1977, Poynette left to rejoin the Dual County Conference (having previously been a member from 1926 to 1954)[ 2] and Waterloo became a member of the Eastern Suburban Conference .[ 3] Two schools moved over from the Central Suburban Conference (Columbus and Lake Mills ) to take their place and keep the conference at eight member schools.[ 4] Mount Horeb joined the Capitol Conference after leaving the Southern Eight Conference in 1983,[ 5] replacing Lake Mills, who briefly joined the Eastern Suburban Conference.[ 6] In 1987, DeForest and Waunakee left to become the newest members of the Badger Conference [ 7] with Lake Mills and Poynette rejoining the Capitol Conference as their replacements.[ 8] [ 9]
By 1994, the Verona Area School District was the fastest-growing district in the Madison area, and they were invited to enter the Badger Conference with an eye towards continued future growth.[ 10] Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills took their place in 1995 after leaving the Eastern Suburban Conference, renewing their crosstown rivalry with Lake Mills.[ 11] Cambridge, Marshall and Waterloo followed Lakeside Lutheran out of the Eastern Suburban in 2001, offsetting the loss of Lodi and Poynette to the South Central Conference and McFarland and Mount Horeb to the Badger Conference.[ 12] For Waterloo, this was their second stint in the conference after having been a member from 1969 to 1977. The Capitol Conference would remain a seven-member league for the next five years before major changes would occur.
In 2006, the Capitol Conference reached its high of twelve member schools when Lodi and Poynette rejoined from the South Central Conference, Belleville and New Glarus came over from the Six Rivers Conference and Luther Prep in Watertown was added after being displaced from the Parkland Conference when it ceased operations. With the addition of the new schools came realignment into the Capitol North and Capitol South divisions:[ 13]
Capitol North
Capitol South
Columbus
Belleville
Lake Mills
Cambridge
Lakeside Lutheran
Marshall
Lodi
New Glarus
Luther Prep
Waterloo
Poynette
Wisconsin Heights
This alignment stayed intact for sixteen years before Luther Prep exited the conference to rejoin the Midwest Classic Conference in 2023.[ 14] In 2025, Waupun joined from the disbanded East Central Conference, taking Luther Prep's place in the Capitol North.[ 15]
In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association , the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle.[ 16] Eight schools were designated as football members for the Capitol Conference: Big Foot , Columbus, Horicon /Hustisford , Lake Mills, Lakeside Lutheran, Lodi, Luther Prep and Turner .[ 17] The Capitol Conference also operates a small-school division consisting of Cambridge, Clinton , Dodgeland , Markesan , Marshall, Palmyra-Eagle , Pardeeville and Waterloo. This conference competes under the Eastern Suburban Conference banner, which was the name of an all-sport conference that last played in 2001.[ 18] Several schools entering the Capitol Conference for football had primary affiliations with the Rock Valley and Trailways Conferences. In 2022, Horicon/Hustisford moved over to the Eastern Suburban Conference and Luther Prep left to join the Midwest Classic Conference. The six remaining schools in the Capitol Conference welcomed Edgewood from the Rock Valley Cofnerence and New Glarus/Monticello from the Southwest Wisconsin Conference to bring the roster to eight schools.[ 19] Three schools left the Capitol Conference football alignment in 2024: Edgewood and Lakeside Lutheran left the Capitol Conference as football members in 2024 to join the Badger Conference, and New Glarus returned to the Southwest Wisconsin Conference after a two-year absence. The two outgoing schools were replaced by Clinton and Horicon/Hustisford, with the latter making their return from the Eastern Suburban Conference.[ 20] Horicon/Hustisford will be returning to the Eastern Suburban Conference for the 2026-2027 realignment cycle, and their position will be taken by East Troy , moving over from the Rock Valley Conference.[ 21]
List of conference members [ edit ]
School
Location
Affiliation
Enrollment
Mascot
Colors
Joined
Division
Belleville
Belleville, WI
Public
279
Wildcats
2006[ 13]
South
Cambridge
Cambridge, WI
Public
266
Bluejays
2001[ 12]
South
Columbus
Columbus, WI
Public
390
Cardinals
1977[ 4]
North
Lake Mills
Lake Mills, WI
Public
491
L-Cats
1977,[ 4] 1987[ 8]
North
Lakeside Lutheran
Lake Mills, WI
Private (Lutheran , WELS )
506
Warriors
1995[ 11]
North
Lodi
Lodi, WI
Public
451
Blue Devils
1969,[ 1] 2006[ 13]
North
Marshall
Marshall, WI
Public
292
Cardinals
2001[ 12]
South
New Glarus
New Glarus, WI
Public
323
Glarner Knights
2006[ 13]
South
Poynette
Poynette, WI
Public
310
Pumas
1969,[ 1] 1987,[ 9] 2006[ 13]
North
Waterloo
Waterloo, WI
Public
259
Pirates
1969,[ 1] 2001[ 12]
South
Waupun
Waupun, WI
Public
573
Warriors
2025[ 15]
North
Wisconsin Heights
Mazomanie, WI
Publid
228
Vanguards
1969[ 1]
South
School
Location
Affiliation
Enrollment
Mascot
Colors
Joined
Left
Conference Joined
Current Conference
DeForest
DeForest, WI
Public
1,093
Norskies
1969[ 1]
1987[ 7]
Badger
McFarland
McFarland, WI
Public
774
Spartans
1969[ 1]
2001[ 12]
Badger
Verona
Verona, WI
Public
1,801
Wildcats
1969[ 1]
1994[ 10]
Badger
Big Eight
Waunakee
Waunakee, WI
Public
1,309
Warriors
1969[ 1]
1987[ 7]
Badger
Mount Horeb
Mount Horeb, WI
Public
792
Vikings
1983[ 5]
2001[ 12]
Badger
Luther Prep
Watertown, WI
Public (Lutheran , WELS )
407
Phoenix
2006[ 13]
2023[ 14]
Midwest Classic
Membership timeline [ edit ]
Capitol North Capitol South
Capitol Conference
30km 19miles
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Location of Capitol Conference full members:
List of state champions [ edit ]
Boys Cross Country
School
Year
Division
Wisconsin Heights
1973
Small Schools
Verona
1974
Class B
Verona
1982
Class B
Verona
1991
Division 2
McFarland
1996
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
1999
Division 2 (WISAA)
Lakeside Lutheran
2023
Division 2
Girls Cross Country
School
Year
Division
Verona
1980
Class B
Verona
1981
Class B
Mount Horeb
1983
Class B
Verona
1984
Class B
Mount Horeb
1990
Division 2
Mount Horeb
1994
Division 2
Mount Horeb
1995
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2007
Division 2
Football
School
Year
Division
DeForest
1982
Division 4
Columbus
1990
Division 4
Columbus
1996
Division 4
Lodi
2017
Division 4
Columbus
2022
Division 4
Lodi
2023
Division 4
Boys Soccer
School
Year
Division
Columbus
2008
Division 3
Sugar River co-op
(Belleville/New Glarus)
2023
Division 3
Girls Volleyball
School
Year
Division
Waunakee
1985
Class B
Waunakee
1986
Class B
Wisconsin Heights
2008
Division 3
Waterloo
2014
Division 3
Waterloo
2015
Division 3
Lakeside Lutheran
2017
Division 2
Boys Basketball
School
Year
Division
McFarland
1973
Class B
McFarland
1974
Class C
Marshall
2002
Division 3
New Glarus
2019
Division 4
Girls Basketball
School
Year
Division
McFarland
1983
Class B
McFarland
1999
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2001
Division 3
Columbus
2002
Division 2
Columbus
2003
Division 2
Marshall
2018
Division 3
Marshall
2019
Division 3
Lake Mills
2021
Division 2
Gymnastics
School
Year
Division
Lake Mills
1979
Class B
Lake Mills
1980
Class B
Mount Horeb
1984
Class B
Mount Horeb
1993
Division 2
Boys Wrestling
School
Year
Division
Lodi
1998
Division 2
Lodi
2008
Division 2
Baseball
School
Year
Division
Wisconsin Heights
1989
Class C
Lodi
2013
Division 2
Wisconsin Heights
2014
Division 3
Boys Golf
School
Year
Division
Mount Horeb
1988
Class B
Lodi
1990
Class B
Lodi
1996
Division 2
Lake Mills
1997
Division 3
Lodi
1998
Division 2
Lodi
2015
Division 2
Cambridge
2023
Division 3
Softball
School
Year
Division
Waunakee
1987
Class B
Poynette
1998
Division 2
Poynette
2011
Division 3
Poynette
2018
Division 3
Poynette
2019
Division 3
Poynette
2022
Division 2
Boys Track & Field
School
Year
Division
McFarland
1977
Class C
Verona
1992
Division 2
Sugar River co-op
(Belleville/New Glarus)
2012
Division 2
Cambridge
2018
Division 3
Lodi
2021
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2023
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2024
Division 2
Girls Track & Field
School
Year
Division
Lake Mills
1974
Class B
Lake Mills
1980
Class B
Verona
1984
Class B
Verona
1985
Class B
Lake Mills
1986
Class B
Verona
1991
Division 2
Mount Horeb/Barneveld
1996
Division 2
McFarland
2001
Division 2
Columbus
2004
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2005
Division 2
Lakeside Lutheran
2006
Division 2
List of conference champions [ edit ]
School
Quantity
Years
Columbus
12
1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2022, 2023
Marshall
12
2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021
McFarland
11
1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Lakeside Lutheran
10
2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023
Lake Mills
7
1980, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
Lodi
5
2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022
New Glarus
5
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024
Wisconsin Heights
5
1975, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2010
Waterloo
4
1971, 1972, 1973, 1976
Waunakee
4
1977, 1984, 1986, 1987
Belleville
3
2022, 2023, 2024
Poynette
3
1970, 2014, 2015
Cambridge
2
2011, 2025
DeForest
2
1983, 1985
Luther Prep
2
2007, 2010
Mount Horeb
2
1995, 2001
Verona
2
1989, 1991
Waupun
0
School
Quantity
Years
Columbus
17
1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
McFarland
10
1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Marshall
8
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Lakeside Lutheran
7
2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Lake Mills
6
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Belleville
5
2008, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2025
New Glarus
5
2007, 2008, 2022, 2023, 2024
Wisconsin Heights
5
1975, 1976, 1977, 1988, 2017
Cambridge
4
2008, 2009, 2012, 2022
Mount Horeb
4
1989, 1993, 1994, 1997
Lodi
3
1984, 2013, 2019
Waunakee
3
1985, 1986, 1987
Poynette
2
2017, 2025
Verona
2
1991, 1993
DeForest
0
Luther Prep
0
Waterloo
0
Waupun
0
School
Quantity
Years
Columbus
14
1977, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024
Marshall
10
2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
Waunakee
10
1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985
Lodi
9
1971, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2023
DeForest
7
1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986
Lakeside Lutheran
7
2001, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018
Cambridge
6
2004, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
McFarland
5
1973, 1976, 1995, 1997, 2000
Lake Mills
4
1987, 1988, 2019, 2021
New Glarus/ Monticello
4
2009, 2013, 2016, 2017
Poynette
3
1989, 1999, 2010
Waterloo
3
2001, 2009, 2015
Verona
2
1970, 1971
Belleville
1
2017
Mount Horeb
1
1984
Wisconsin Heights
1
1998
Belleville/ Albany
0
Big Foot
0
Clinton
0
Edgewood
0
Horicon/ Hustisford
0
Luther Prep
0
Turner
0
^ a b c d e f g h i Dommershausen, Joe (8 June 1969). "New Area Conferences Finish Organization" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ Hillstrom, Eric (1 September 1977). "Most interesting prep season ahead" . The Capital Times . p. 18. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ "Husty Aims for Winning Repeat" . Beaver Dam Daily Citizen . 1 September 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b c Dommershausen, Joe (31 August 1977). "Waunakee is coaches' choice" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 26. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b "Mount Horeb prepares for a new group of foes" . Wisconsin State Journal . 28 August 1983. pp. 49 (Football '83 insert). Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ "Changes made in conferences" . Waukesha County Freeman . 24 August 1983. pp. 12-C. Retrieved 20 May 2025 .
^ a b c McMillin Jr., Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football" . The Capital Times . p. 23. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b McMillin, Miles (27 August 1987). "Conference changes greet start of prep football" . The Capital Times . p. 23. Retrieved 20 May 2025 .
^ a b Hibner, Perry (15 October 1987). "Poynette adjusts to Capitol Conference" . Portage Daily Register . p. 6. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b Semrau, Dennis (19 September 1992). "Middleton, Verona to move" . The Capital Times . p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b Semrau, Dennis (24 August 1994). "Capitol to add Lakeside Lutheran" . The Capital Times . p. 15. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b c d e f Hernandez, Rob (27 January 2000). "Realignment set for 2001" . Wisconsin State Journal . p. 22. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b c d e f Semrau, Dennis (13 April 2006). "Conference realignment issue won't disappear" . The Capital Times . p. 47. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b Masson, Jon (15 January 2022). "Realignment plan takes step forward" . Wisconsin State Journal . pp. B6. Retrieved 23 January 2025 .
^ a b "Conference Realignment Archive (see Approved Plans, 2023-24)" . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . Retrieved 25 August 2025 .
^ "Revised Football-Only Conference Plan Released" . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . 9 February 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2025 .
^ a b c d "WFCA/WIAA Football-Only Realignment Proposal" (PDF) . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . 6 February 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2025 .
^ Schwab, Frank (25 January 2001). "Valley Christian ready to join new Trailways league" . Oshkosh Northwestern . pp. E4. Retrieved 19 May 2025 .
^ a b "Proposed Football Only Conference Alignment - 11-Player" (PDF) . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . 11 February 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2025 .
^ a b c d "2024-25 Conference Realignment Plan – 11-Player Football" (PDF) . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2025 .
^ a b "2026 - 27 Conference Realignment – 11-Player Football" (PDF) . Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . 10 December 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2025 .
Capitol North Capitol South Football-only members Former members
Organizations Current Former Football-only