STEVENS POINT — The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control approved five conference realignment fast-track recommendations, realignment process changes and spring cooperative teams at its most recent meeting.
Two of the fast-track recommendations approved by the Board flips the divisions of two Milwaukee City Conference programs beginning this fall. Milwaukee Bay View moves from the Richardson Division to the Blackbourn, and the Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen Southeast co-op transitions from the Blackbourn to the Richardson Division.
The Board also supported the Conference Realignment Task Force recommendation to place Wayland Academy in the 8-player football Southeastern Conference in 2025 after having competed as an independent program. Other independent programs moving into conferences for the 2025-26 seasons include St. Mary Catholic to the Bay Conference in girls golf and Stevens Point Area Senior High to the Bay Valley Lakes Conference in boys lacrosse.
There were three Conference Realignment Task Force recommendations approved by the Board beginning in 2025-26. The names of the schools appealing the Task Force plans in January and February, as well as the schools appealing the Task Force’s recommendations to the Board in March, will now be available on the Conference Realignment page of the WIAA website. The Board also voted in favor of adding competitive history and playoff qualification in football and preference to those seeking relief through the application process to all other existing criteria to determine realignment plans as denoted on the form. The Board also supported the recommendation for the Task Force to publish two possible solutions for requests that directly impact more than two schools to elicit specific feedback from member schools.
Another notable action item by the Board included approving the spring co-op teams for 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Among the topics reported to the Board by the executive staff were preparations for the upcoming spring tournaments; the activities associated with Student-Athlete Leadership Team; an update on the establishment of the WIAA Foundation; ongoing efforts to recruit and retain licensed officials, including a report on a recently conducted officials’ survey presented by Brian Nichol of the Donovan Group; and technology updates on the status of the transition to Arbiter for assigning officials.
The Board also received a report by Jake Beschta, co-chair of the Calendar & Contact Committee. The review also included updates to the Coaching Contact Flow Chart, recognizing the changes necessitated by the membership vote at the Annual Meeting was also shared, as was the corresponding Sports Medical Advisory Committee recommendations for the new Summer Coaching Contact rules.
Jim Bouché of Wausau attended his first meeting serving on the Board representing the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, replacing Mike Humke. The Board received liaison reports from Dan Rossmiller of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Brittany Spencer Grant of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association.
