Illini Prairie Conference
The Illini Prairie Conference is a high school athletic conference in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), based in Central Illinois. The conference consists of ten medium-sized and small high schools resulting from the merging of the Corn Belt Conference and the Okaw Valley Conference. Conference athletics began in the 2017-18 school year.[1]
Illini Prairie Conference | |
---|---|
Association | IHSA |
Members | 10 |
Region | Central Illinois |
History
Member schools of the Corn Belt Conference and the Okaw Valley Conference began discussing a merger after the announced departures of Eureka High School and Mahomet-Seymour High School from the Corn Belt Conference in 2014 and 2015.[2] Principals of the ten schools voted unanimously in February 2016 to begin plans to merge the conferences.[3] School boards of the ten schools approved the new conference in March and April 2016.[4] Student bodies of each school submitted favorite names for the conference to the principals. Illini Prairie was selected unanimously by the principals.[5][6]
Member schools
School | Location (Population) |
Mascot | Colors | School type | 2017-18 Enrollment | IHSA class | Year joined | Joined from | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Catholic High School | Bloomington, Illinois (76,610) |
Saints | Private | 319 / 526.35 (multiplied) | 1A/2A/3A | 2017 | Corn Belt | [7] | |
Illinois Valley Central High School | Chillicothe, Illinois (6,097) |
Grey Ghosts | Public | 639 | 4A | 2017 | Corn Belt | [7][8] | |
Monticello High School | Monticello, Illinois (5,548) |
Sages | Public | 495 | 3A | 2017 | Okaw Valley | ||
Olympia High School | Stanford, Illinois (596) |
Spartans | Public | 530 | 3A | 2017 | Corn Belt | [7] | |
Pontiac Township High School | Pontiac, Illinois (11,931) |
Indians | Public | 675 | 4A | 2017 | Corn Belt | [7] | |
Prairie Central High School | Fairbury, Illinois (3,757) |
Hawks | Public | 569 | 4A | 2017 | Corn Belt | [7] | |
Rantoul Township High School | Rantoul, Illinois (12,941) |
Eagles | Public | 788 | 4A | 2017 | Okaw Valley | [8] | |
St. Joseph-Ogden High School | St. Joseph, Illinois (3,967) |
Spartans | Public | 468 | 3A | 2017 | Okaw Valley | ||
St. Thomas More High School | Champaign, Illinois (81,055) |
Sabers | Private | 295 / 486.75 (multiplied) | 2A | 2017 | Okaw Valley | ||
Unity High School | Tolono, Illinois (3,447) |
Rockets | Public | 555 | 4A | 2017 | Okaw Valley |
References
- "Corn Belt Conference merger approved, Illini Prairie Conference created". Chillicothe Times-Bulletin. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- Deacon, Joe (28 January 2016). "U High, CCHS hope to continue relationship, rivalry". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- Loveless, Matt (16 February 2016). "Okaw Valley, Corn Belt Conferences Approve Plans for Future Merger". WAND. Frankly Media. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- Zilis, Anthony (4 April 2016). "Okaw Valley, Corn Belt conferences will merge". The News-Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- "Pontiac, PC now part of Illini Prairie". Pontiac Daily Leader. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- Zilis, Anthony (20 April 2016). ""Illini Prairie" selected as name for Okaw Valley-Corn Belt merger | News-Gazette.com". The News Gazette. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
- "Corn Belt - 2014-2015". ihsa.org. Illinois High School Association. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- Kindred, Randy (7 February 2013). "Corn Belt Conference votes to add IVC". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 31 May 2016.