Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

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.

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.

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.

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. Additionally, the WIAC is the most successful NCAA Division III conference in history, boasting NCAA National Championships in 14 different sports. At the beginning of the 2011–12 academic year, the conference had claimed a nation-leading 92 NCAA National Championships.

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. Furthermore, the WIAC commissioned a commemorative work of art, created by Tim Cortes, and has also created a two-year calendar in celebration of its centennial.

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

• 1913 – The WIAC was founded as the Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin (INACW). Charter members included La Crosse State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse), Milwaukee State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee), Oshkosh State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh), Platteville Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Platteville), River Falls State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–River Falls), Stevens Point Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point), Superior Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Superior) and Whitewater Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater), beginning the 1913–14 academic year.
• 1914 – Stout Institute (now the University of Wisconsin–Stout) joined the INACW in the 1914–15 academic year.
• 1917 – Eau Claire State Normal School (now the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire) joined the INACW in the 1917–18 academic year.
• 1926 – The INACW was rebranded as the Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference (WSTCC), beginning the 1926–27 academic year.
• 1951 – The WSTCC was rebranded as the Wisconsin State College Conference (WSCC), beginning the 1951–52 academic year.
• 1964:
  • Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW Milwaukee) left the WSTCC to become an NCAA College Division Independent after the 1963–64 academic year.
  • The WSCC was rebranded as the Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC), beginning the 1964–65 academic year.
  • The WSCC was also affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), beginning the 1964–65 academic year.
• 1993 – The WSUC left the NAIA and became affiliated as a member of the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), beginning the 1993–94 academic year.
• 1997 – The WSUC was merged with the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC, a women's athletic conference) and was rebranded as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), beginning the 1997–98 academic year.
• 2001 – Lawrence University joined the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's wrestling in the 2001–02 academic year; although it began competition a season later.
• 2004 – Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University and Winona State University joined the WIAC as affiliate members for women's gymnastics in the 2004–05 academic year.
• 2009:
  • Lawrence left the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's wrestling after the 2008–09 academic year.
  • Finlandia University joined the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer in the 2009 fall season (2009–10 academic year).
• 2015:
  • Finlandia left the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer after the 2014 fall season (2014–15 academic year).
  • Wisconsin–Superior (UW Superior) left the WIAC to join the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) after the 2014–15 academic year; while remaining in the conference as an affiliate member for men's & women's ice hockey, beginning the 2015–16 school year.
• 2017 – The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech or IIT) joined the WIAC as an affiliate member for baseball in the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year).
• 2018:
  • Illinois Tech (IIT) left the WIAC as an affiliate member for baseball after the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year).
  • Finlandia rejoined the WIAC as an affiliate member (this time for baseball) in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
• 2019 – Northland College joined the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's ice hockey in the 2019–20 academic year.
• 2023:
  • Finlandia left the WIAC as an affiliate member for baseball after the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year); as the school ceased operations.
  • Three institutions joined the WIAC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year):
    • Colorado College and Southwestern University of Texas for women's lacrosse
    • and Rutgers University–Camden, Ramapo College, the State University of New York at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) for men's tennis
• 2024:
  • Ramapo left the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's tennis after the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year).
  • Augsburg University and College of Saint Benedict (with Hamline alongside) joined the WIAC affiliate members for women's lacrosse in the 2025 spring season (2024–25 academic year).
• 2025:
  • Northland (Wisc.) left the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's ice hockey after the 2024–25 academic year; as the school announced its closure.
  • Beloit College joined the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's ice hockey in the 2025–26 academic year.
• 2026:
  • SUNY Oneonta will leave the WIAC as an affiliate member for men's tennis to join the Empire 8 at the end of the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year).
  • Greenville University will join the WIAC as an affiliate member for women's gymnastics, beginning the 2026–27 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

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

;Notes:

Affiliate members

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

;Notes:

Future affiliate members

The WIAC has one future affiliate member, which is a private school:

;Notes:

Former members

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

;Notes:

Former affiliate members

The WIAC had five former affiliate members, all but one were private schools:

;Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1913 till:2045 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5

Colors = id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

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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:1973 text:Ind. bar:2 color:OtherC2 from:1973 till:1980 text:D-I bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1985 text:D-III bar:2 color:OtherC2 from:1985 till:1987 text: bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1990 text: bar:2 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1993 text: bar:2 shift:(-30) color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1994 text:Mid-Con bar:2 color:OtherC2 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 color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:UMAC (2015–present, WIAC m.&w.i.h.)

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; m.wr.)

bar:12 color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Gustavus Adolphus (2004–present, gym.)

bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Hamline (2004–present, gym.; 2024–present, w.lax.)

bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2004 till:end text:Winona State (2004–present, gym.)

bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2015 text:Finlandia (2009–2015, m.soc.; 2018–2023; bsb.) bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:2023 text:

bar:16 color:AssocOS from:2017 till:2018 text:Illinois Tech (2017–2018, bsb.)

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2025 text:Northland (2019–2025, m.&w.i.h.)

bar:18 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Colorado College (2023–present, w.lax.)

bar:19 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:Ramapo (2023–2024, m.ten.)

bar:20 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Rutgers–Camden (2023–present, m.ten.)

bar:21 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Southwestern (Tex.) (2023–present, w.lax.)

bar:22 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2026 text:SUNY Oneonta (2023–2026, m.ten.)

bar:23 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:TCNJ (2023–present, m.ten.)

bar:24 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Augsburg (2024–present, w.lax.)

bar:25 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Saint Benedict (2024–present, w.lax.)

bar:26 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Simpson (2024–present, gym.)

bar:27 shift:(-30) color:AssocOS from:2025 till:end text:Beloit (2025–present, m.&w.i.h.)

bar:28 shift:(-30) color:AssocOS from:2025 till:end text:Greenville (2026–future, gym.)

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

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TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(0,20) tabs:(400-center) text:^"Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference membership history"

1. If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

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, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Main article: WIAC men's basketball tournament

Main article: WIAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament

Men's sponsored sports by school

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the WIAC

Women's sponsored sports by school

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the WIAC

National championship teams

NCAA Division III national championships

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

• Baseball UW–Oshkosh: 1985, 1994

UW–Whitewater: 2005, 2014, 2025

• Men's basketball UW–Whitewater: 1984, 1989, 2012, 2014

UW–Platteville: 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999

UW–Stevens Point: 2004, 2005, 2010, 2015

UW–Oshkosh: 2019

• Women's Basketball UW–Stevens Point: 1987, 2002

UW–Oshkosh: 1996

• Men's Cross Country UW–Oshkosh: 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002

UW–La Crosse: 1996, 2001, 2005

UW–Eau Claire: 2015

• Women's Cross Country UW–La Crosse: 1983

UW–Oshkosh: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1996

UW–Eau Claire: 2009

• Football UW–La Crosse: 1992, 1995

UW–River Falls: 2025

UW–Whitewater: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014

• Men's Golf UW–Eau Claire: 2001

• Men's Ice Hockey UW–River Falls: 1988, 1994

UW–Stevens Point: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2016, 2019

UW–Superior: 2002

UW–Eau Claire: 2013

• Softball UW–Stevens Point: 1998

UW–Eau Claire: 2008

• Women's Ice Hockey UW-River Falls: 2024, 2025

• Men's Indoor Track & Field UW–La Crosse: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025

UW–Oshkosh: 2009

UW–Eau Claire: 2015, 2016, 2022

• Men's Outdoor Track & Field UW–La Crosse: 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024, 2025

UW–Oshkosh: 2009

UW–Eau Claire: 2019, 2022

• Women's Indoor Track & Field UW–Oshkosh: 1994–96, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014

UW–La Crosse: 2015, 2023

• Women's Outdoor Track & Field UW–La Crosse: 1983, 1984, 2015, 2023

UW–Oshkosh: 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011

UW–River Falls: 2008

• Women's Volleyball UW–Whitewater: 2002, 2005

UW–Eau Claire: 2021

UW-Oshkosh : 2025

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).

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*, 2025*

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

References

References

1. "History".
2. "WIAC Announces Plans For Celebrating Its Centennial". WIAC.
3. "Quick Facts".
4. "National Championship Teams".
5. "All-Time Teams".
6. "WIAC Centennial Artwork Now Available". WIAC.
7. "WIAC Centennial Calendars Now Available".
8. "The University of Wisconsin System Education Reports & Statistics, Enrollments". University of Wisconsin System.
9. "Oneonta Men's Tennis to Join Empire 8 as Affiliate Member".
10. "UW-Superior To Depart The WIAC".
11. "National Championship Teams".
12. (2024-10-29). "Top single-game attendance".