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The Milwaukee Catholic Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin. Consisting entirely of Catholic high schools within the Milwaukee archdiocese, the conference existed from 1930 to 1974 and all of its member schools were part of the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association and its successor, the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association.

History

Formation and Growth (1930-1960)

The Milwaukee Catholic Conference was formed in 1930 by six parochial high schools in the Greater Milwaukee area. Three members were located in Milwaukee (Marquette University, Messmer, St. John's Cathedral) along with Pio Nono in St. Francis, St. Bonaventure in Sturtevant and St. Catherine's in Racine. St. Mary's High School in Burlington joined the conference in 1932, but their stay would be brief as they left two years later to compete as an independent. Membership in the Milwaukee Catholic Conference was brought back up to seven schools in 1935 when St. Stanislaus (later Notre Dame) joined the loop. St. Bonaventure left the conference in 1937 before rejoining in 1940. Along with newcomers St. Benedict the Moor, membership in the Milwaukee Catholic Conference increased to eight schools. In 1941, Pio Nono High School became St. Francis Minor Seminary and inherited their place in the conference. The recently opened Pius XI High School joined the Milwaukee Catholic Conference in 1942, taking the place of St. Bonaventure, who left the conference for a second time due to wartime-related transportation issues. They returned to the conference after the completion of World War II, along with Don Bosco High School, who joined for football in 1946 and all sports the year after. St. Benedict and St. Francis Minor Seminary left the conference in 1948, leaving eight schools in the circuit. Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha opened in 1952 and joined the Milwaukee Catholic Conference that same year. Membership increased to eleven when two newly opened schools, Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay and St. Joseph High School in Kenosha joined in 1958, and twelve in 1959 when St. Benedict the Moor rejoined.

Divisional Split and Demise (1960-1974)

In 1960, the Milwaukee Catholic Conference split into two divisions of six schools each, the White Division for larger schools and the Gold Division for smaller schools:

This alignment would stay in place for two years, when the conference went back to a single division. This was due in part to the addition of a thirteenth member (the newly opened Francis Jordan High School) and the growth of Catholic Memorial and Dominican beyond the small school enrollment threshold. This number turned out to be a high water mark as Catholic high schools in the Milwaukee archdiocese began to close or consolidate in the mid-1960s. The first casualty was St. Benedict the Moor High School, which closed in 1964 to make room for the construction of Interstate Highway 43 through the north side of downtown Milwaukee. Pio Nono was reopened as a high school in 1965 and made its return to the conference in 1968, offsetting the loss of Francis Jordan High School, which closed in 1969 due to lack of adequate facilities. In 1972, Don Bosco and Pio Nono would merge to form St. Thomas More High School on the south side of Milwaukee. Membership would decrease to its final figure of nine schools when Notre Dame and St. Bonaventure, the two smallest schools in the conference, left to become charter members of the Classic Conference in 1973. The end of the Milwaukee Catholic Conference would come in 1974, when Milwaukee Lutheran High School left the Midwest Prep Conference and became the first non-Catholic high school admitted into the group. The league's name was changed to the Metro Conference and continued competition until the dissolution of the WISAA in 1997.

Conference Membership History

Membership Timeline

List of State Champions

Fall Sports

Winter Sports

Spring Sports

References

1. ^ "St. Bonaventure Beats Messmer". Racine Journal Times. December 18, 1930. p. 16. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
2. ^ "Draft Catholic Prep Conference Cage Slate". Racine Journal Times. November 15, 1932. p. 12. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
3. ^ "St. Mary's Cagers to Open Season Friday". Racine Journal-Times. November 22, 1934. p. 12. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
4. ^ Baldwin, Marshall (December 5, 1935). "Catholic Cage Opener Friday". Racine Journal Times. p. 16. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
5. ^ Hoffman, Laverne (November 18, 1937). "Basketball, Boxing on Saints' Schedule". Racine Journal Times. p. 26. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
6. ^ "Angels Begin Cage Practice With Few Vets". Racine Journal Times. November 23, 1940. p. 8. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
7. ^ "Catholic Loop Begins Slate". Racine Journal Times. September 30, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
8. ^ "Angels Open Catholic Grid Conference Slate Saturday". Racine Journal Times. October 2, 1942. p. 18. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
9. ^ "Angels Play Pius Tonight". Racine Journal Times. November 27, 1942. p. 16. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
10. ^ "Victory Starved St. Catherine's Meet St. Bonaventure Sunday". Racine Journal Times. December 11, 1946. p. 20. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
11. ^ "Conference Adds Two Prep Schools". Racine Journal Times. October 15, 1946. p. 10. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
12. ^ Brehm, Keith (November 30, 1948). "Angels, St. Bonaventure Rated Title Contenders". Racine Journal Times. p. 13. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
13. ^ "Catholic Memorial Takes BIG Step in Fall..." Waukesha County Freeman. February 28, 1952. p. 11. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
14. ^ "Archdiocese Now Has 24 High Schools". Kenosha News. September 21, 1957. p. 10. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
15. ^ Kornkven, Jim (January 15, 1959). "Lancers Face Non-Conference Foe". Kenosha News. p. 21. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
16. AP (October 23, 1959). "Milwaukee Catholic Conference to Split". La Crosse Tribune. p. 6. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
17. ^ "Catholic Schools in Single Loop". Racine Journal Times. February 6, 1961. p. 13. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
18. ^ Lutz, Greg; Showalter, Jarrod (May 16, 2019). "St. Benedict the Moor" (PDF). Gathering Places: Religion & Community in Milwaukee. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
19. ^ "Rev. Olley will leave St.Joseph". Kenosha News. February 10, 1965. p. 21. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
20. ^ "Houston Named Pio Nono Coach". The Capital Times. May 27, 1967. p. 17. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
21. ^ AP (July 25, 1968). "School Closing at Milwaukee". Stevens Point Journal. p. 12. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
22. AP (February 4, 1969). "Schedule 11 Catholic Schools to Close in Milwaukee Area". Racine Journal Times. p. 1. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
23. ^ UPI (March 1, 1972). "Pio Nono, Don Bosco Become Thomas More". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
24. ^ AP (October 13, 1972). "Seven Schools form Classic Conference". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
25. ^ Anderson, John (December 19, 1973). "Catholic Conference Changes Name, Adds Milwaukee Lutheran". Racine Journal Times. p. 1. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
26. ^ "New School, Name for Catholic League". Waukesha Daily Freeman. December 19, 1973. p. 11. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
27. AP (March 6, 1997). "Last hurrah at hand for Metro Conference". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 10. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
28. "Racine School Wins WISAA Cross Country". La Crosse Tribune. October 28, 1968. p. 18. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
29. AP (November 3, 1969). "St. Catherine wins CC meet". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. p. 9. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
30. AP (November 2, 1970). "Ledgers 6th in Class B". Fond du Lac Reporter. p. 29. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
31. "Racine St. Catherine Harriers Win, Aquinas Second in WISAA". La Crosse Tribune. October 31, 1971. p. 19. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
32. UPI (October 30, 1972). "WISAA Cross Country". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. p. 5. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
33. "Jets Capture State Title; Ships, Panthers in Pack". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. October 29, 1973. p. 15. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
34. "Pius wins WISAA title". Appleton Post-Crescent. November 12, 1972. p. 20. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
35. "Ledgers". Fond du Lac Reporter. November 25, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
36. Greene, Bob (March 3, 1959). "St. Catherine Wins WISAA Cage Title". The Capital Times. p. 14. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
37. AP (March 9, 1970). "Last Second Bucket Give Pius WISAA Cage Title". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 16. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
38. "St. Catherine WISAA Champ". Stevens Point Journal. March 8, 1971. p. 10. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
39. AP (March 6, 1972). "Marquette High Wins Title". Waukesha Daily Freeman. p. 12. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
40. AP (March 5, 1973). "Marquette Rules State Again". Stevens Point Journal. p. 12. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
41. Zima, Jim (March 11, 1974). "Dominican Played 'Best Game'". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 15. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
42. "Angels Boast 2 Champions". Racine Journal Times. February 16, 1969. p. 26. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
43. "St. Catherine's Takes State Wrestling Title". Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin. February 22, 1970. p. 29. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
44. AP (February 22, 1971). "Pius Captures State Meet". Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. p. 18. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
45. "Kroner Wins State Crown in Wrestling". La Crosse Tribune. February 20, 1972. p. 34. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
46. UPI (February 25, 1974). "WISAA Wrestling". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. p. 5. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
47. AP (May 26, 1970). "St. Joseph High Wins Playoffs". Sheboygan Press. p. 39. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
48. Papara, Carm (May 24, 1971). "Angels Take WISAA Baseball Championship". Racine Journal Times. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
49. Papara, Carm (May 22, 1972). "Angels Rout Lutheran 8-1, Keep Title". Racine Journal Times. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
50. Papara, Carm (May 21, 1973). "Angels Take Third Straight WISAA Crown". Racine Journal Times. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
51. UPI (May 19, 1972). "Kenosha St. Joseph wins WISAA golf". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. p. 9. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
52. "Pius Wins WISAA Track Title". La Crosse Tribune. May 24, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
53. UPI (May 24, 1971). "Pius Wins WISAA Class A Track Title". Sheboygan Press. p. 24. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
54. AP (May 22, 1972). "Pius, Beloit Win Track Titles". Stevens Point Journal. p. 12. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
55. "Marquette Track Champ". Racine Journal Times. May 27, 1973. p. 36. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
56. AP (May 26, 1974). "Pius wins WISAA track title". Appleton Post-Crescent. p. 41. Retrieved January 9, 2025.

• Wisconsin high school sports conferences
• Sports organizations established in 1930
• 1930 establishments in Wisconsin
• 1974 disestablishments in Wisconsin