Wisconsin Seminary League


The Wisconsin Seminary League was a statewide interscholastic athletic organization consisting of Catholic seminaries in Wisconsin. It was operational from 1963 to 1969.

History

The Wisconsin Seminary League, also known by its official title of the Wisconsin Catholic Seminary Conference, was founded in 1963 by nine Catholic seminaries in the state of Wisconsin: Blessed Sacrament in Waupaca, Divine Word in East Troy, Mount St. Paul in Waukesha, Queen of Apostles in Madison, Sacred Heart in Oneida, Salvatorian in St. Nazianz, St. Francis de Sales in St. Francis, St. Joseph in Edgerton and St. Lawrence in Mount Calvary. The age range for players was slightly different than those in traditional high schools; instead of grades 9-12, teams consisted of boys in grades 10-13. Because of this, it was not associated with the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association, but WCIAA members were common non-conference athletic opponents. The conference was subdivided into divisions based on geography for their first season of basketball competition:
Northern DivisionSouthern Division
Blessed SacramentDivine Word
Sacred HeartMount St. Paul
SalvatorianQueen of Apostles
St. LawrenceSt. Francis de Sales
St. Joseph

In 1965, the Pallotine Fathers ended Queen of Apostles' seminary program for a more traditional co-educational high school enrollment model, and two seminaries joined the conference as replacements: Holy Name in Madison and St. Columban in Oconomowoc. Both schools joined the conference's Southern Division:
Northern DivisionSouthern Division
Blessed SacramentDivine Word
Sacred HeartHoly Name
SalvatorianMount St. Paul
St. LawrenceSt. Columban
St. Francis de Sales
St. Joseph

In 1966, three schools left the Wisconsin Seminary League and the organization consolidated down to one division with seven schools. The conference's membership roster decreased to six in 1968, as Salvatorian Seminary closed and a new Catholic high school opened on its former campus in St. Nazianz. The Wisconsin Seminary League was disbanded in 1969, by which time three of the remaining members had joined the WCIAA and remained members during that organization's transition into the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association. Former Seminary League members Divine Word and St. Joseph joined WISAA in 1970, and Blessed Sacrament closed its doors in 1971.

Conference membership history

Membership timeline


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bar:2 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1969 text:
bar:3 color:skyblue from:1963 till:1966 text:Mount St. Paul
bar:4 color:skyblue from:1963 till:1965 text:Queen of Apostles
bar:5 color:blue from:1963 till:1966 text:Sacred Heart
bar:5 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1969 text:
bar:6 color:blue from:1963 till:1966 text:Salvatorian
bar:6 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1968 text:
bar:7 color:skyblue from:1963 till:1966 text:St. Francis de Sales
bar:8 color:skyblue from:1963 till:1969 text:St. Joseph
bar:8 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1969 text:
bar:9 color:blue from:1963 till:1966 text:St. Lawrence
bar:9 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1969 text:
bar:10 color:skyblue from:1965 till:1966 text:Holy Name
bar:10 color:tan1 from:1966 till:1969 text:
bar:11 color:skyblue from:1965 till:1966 text:St. Columban

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