North Central Hockey Conference

The North Central Hockey Conference is a former high school athletic conference in northern Wisconsin that sponsored boys hockey. Founded in 1973 and disbanded in 1997, the conference's member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

History

50km
31miles
Location of Original North Central Hockey Conference members

The North Central Hockey Conference was founded in 1973 by six programs located in north central Wisconsin: Mosinee, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Tomahawk, Wausau East and Wausau West.[1] These schools belonged to two conferences that did not sponsor hockey (the Wisconsin Valley and Lumberjack) and grouped together to ensure regular competition amongst its member schools. The conference gained a seventh member in 1974 when Northland Pines in Eagle River joined the group.[2][3] That number increased to eight in 1977 (D.C. Everest)[4] and nine in 1981 (Antigo).[5] When Pacelli in Stevens Point joined as the conference's tenth member in 1982,[6] the North Central Hockey Conference partitioned its membership into north and south divisions:

North Division South Division
Antigo D.C. Everest
Northland Pines Mosinee
Rhinelander Pacelli
Wausau East Stevens Point
Wausau West Tomahawk
50km
31miles
Location of Final North Central Hockey Conference members

This arrangement continued for two more seasons after Pacelli's 1983 exit from the conference,[7] and the nine remaining schools consolidated back down to a single division in 1985.[8] The addition of Waupaca in 1989[9] brought membership to ten schools, where it would remain for another two years. In 1991, six schools left the conference (Antigo, D.C. Everest, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wausau East and Wausau West) when the Wisconsin Valley Conference began sponsorship of boys hockey in their athletic offerings.[10] To offset the losses, the North Central Hockey Conference added Lumberjack members Lakeland Union and Medford to keep the league afloat.[11] The Lumberjack Conference also started sponsorship of hockey in 1991, and four NCHC members (Lakeland Union, Medford, Northland Pines and Tomahawk) maintained dual membership in both organizations[12] before the North Central Hockey Conference was disbanded in 1997. Mosinee and Waupaca joined the Lumberjack Conference as associate members in boys hockey after the North Central Hockey Conference's demise.[13]

Conference membership history

Final members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Joined Left Primary Conference
Lakeland Union Minocqua, WI Public Thunderbirds     1991 1997 Lumberjack
Medford Medford, WI Public Red Raiders     1991 1997 Lumberjack
Mosinee Mosinee, WI Public Indians     1973 1997 Lumberjack,Cloverbelt
Northland Pines Eagle River, WI Public Eagles       1974 1997 Lumberjack
Tomahawk Tomahawk, WI Public Hatchets     1973 1997 Lumberjack
Waupaca Waupaca, WI Public Comets     1989 1997 East Central

Former members

School Location Affiliation Mascot Colors Joined Left Primary Conference
Antigo Antigo, WI Public Red Robins     1981 1991 Wisconsin Valley
D.C. Everest Weston, WI Public Evergreens     1977 1991 Wisconsin Valley
Pacelli Stevens Point, WI Private (Catholic) Cardinals       1982 1983 Central Wisconsin Catholic
Rhinelander Rhinelander, WI Public Hodags     1973 1991 Wisconsin Valley
Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public Panthers     1973 1991 Wisconsin Valley
Wausau East Wausau, WI Public Lumberjacks     1973 1991 Wisconsin Valley
Wausau West Wausau, WI Public Warriors     1973 1991 Wisconsin Valley

Membership timeline

 North Division  South Division

List of state champions

Source:[14]

School Year
Northland Pines 1984
Northland Pines 1986
Northland Pines 1989

List of conference champions

School Quantity Years
Northland Pines 15 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
Mosinee 6 1974, 1984, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997
Stevens Point 6 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986
Wausau West 3 1985, 1988, 1991
Wausau East 1 1974
Antigo 0
D.C. Everest 0
Lakeland Union 0
Medford 0
Pacelli 0
Rhinelander 0
Waupaca 0

References

  1. ^ "East hockey team opens play Friday". Wausau Daily Herald. p. 15. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  2. ^ "East '6' beats Eagle River 4-3". Wausau Daily Herald. 21 December 1974. p. 15. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  3. ^ "East, West in hockey play". Wausau Daily Herald. 3 January 1975. p. 5. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Evergreen hockey program will get off to a good start". Wausau Daily Herald. 29 November 1977. p. 15. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  5. ^ "North Central hockey statistics". Stevens Point Journal. 19 December 1981. p. 13. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Pacelli hockey team downs Altoona 5-3". Stevens Point Journal. 6 December 1982. p. 11. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Scoreboard (see North Central Hockey Conference)". Stevens Point Journal. 2 February 1984. p. 15. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Scoreboard (see Hockey, North Central Hockey Conference)". Wausau Daily Herald. 21 January 1986. p. 10. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Mosinee downs Waupaca, 8-1". Wausau Daily Herald. 12 December 1989. p. 13. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Abes' Froehle makes all-state second team". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. 14 March 1991. pp. 1D & 5D (see Hockey Notes). Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  11. ^ Hillman, Fred (4 October 1991). "Hockey conference will split 3 ways". Wausau Daily Herald. pp. B1. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Tomahawk hockey team is strong from the goal out". Merrill Foto News. 26 November 1991. pp. 3 (Section 2). Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  13. ^ Stillman, Craig (2 December 1997). "Destined to repeat history, hopefully". Tomahawk Leader. p. 10. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Boys Hockey State Champions (1971-2025)" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
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