The Wisconsin Independent Football Association is a former high school football conference made up of private high schools in the state of Wisconsin. Founded in 1995 and ended after the 1998 football season, the conference's member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association.
History The Wisconsin Independent Football Association was founded in 1995 by the twenty-six football-playing members of three conferences: the Fox Valley Christian Conference, Metro Conference and Midwest Classic Conference. When the original announcement of the conference's formation was made in 1994, the schools were aligned into four divisions largely based on their previous affiliations, with the move of St. Catherine's and St. Joseph out of the Metro Conference to join the WIFA Midwest Division with three former Midwest Classic schools (Luther Prep, Martin Luther and Winnebago Lutheran) and longtime independent Edgewood: Fox Valley ChristianMetroWIFA ClassicWIFA MidwestFox Valley LutheranCatholic MemorialBurlington Catholic CentralEdgewoodLourdesDominicanHoly Name SeminaryLuther PrepManitowoc LutheranMarquette UniversityNorthwestern M&NAMartin LutherRoncalliMilwaukee LutheranRacine LutheranSt. Catherine'sSt. Mary's SpringsPius XISt. John's Military AcademySt. JosephXavierThomas MoreSt. Mary CatholicWinnebago LutheranUniversity SchoolWayland Academy Two of the schools announced as inaugural members didn't make it to see the conference come to fruition: Holy Name Seminary was closed by the Madison diocese and Northwestern Military and Naval Academy in Lake Geneva was merged with St. John's Military Academy in Delafield. This alignment was maintained for two seasons, until the Fox Valley Christian Conference dropped sponsorship of football and the Metro Conference ceased operations altogether following the 1996 season. The seven remaining members (Burlington Catholic Central, Lourdes Academy, Racine Lutheran, St. John's Northwestern, St. Mary Catholic, University School of Milwaukee and Wayland Academy) carried on under the WIFA Classic banner until its disbanding after the 1998 football season.
Conference membership history SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary ConferenceCatholic CentralBurlington, WIPrivate (Catholic)Hilltoppers 1995–1998Midwest ClassicCatholic MemorialWaukesha, WIPrivate (Catholic)Crusaders 1995–1996MetroDominicanWhitefish Bay, WIPrivate (Catholic, Sinsinawa Dominicans)Knights 1995–1996MetroEdgewoodMadison, WIPrivate (Catholic)Crusaders 1995–1996IndependentFox Valley LutheranAppleton, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)Foxes 1995–1996Fox Valley ChristianLourdes AcademyOshkosh, WIPrivate (Catholic)Knights 1996–1998Fox Valley ChristianLuther PrepWatertown, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)Phoenix 1995–1996Midwest ClassicManitowoc LutheranManitowoc, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)Lancers 1995–1996Fox Valley ChristianMarquette UniversityMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic, Jesuit)Hilltoppers 1995–1996MetroMartin LutherGreendale, WIPrivate (Lutheran, LCMS)Spartans 1995–1996Midwest ClassicMilwaukee LutheranMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Lutheran, LCMS)Red Knights 1995–1996MetroPius XIMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic)Popes 1995–1996MetroRacine LutheranRacine, WIPrivate (Lutheran, LCMS)Crusaders 1995–1998Midwest ClassicRoncalliManitowoc, WIPrivate (Catholic)Jets 1995–1996Fox Valley ChristianSt. Catherine'sRacine, WIPrivate (Catholic, Dominican)Angels 1995–1996MetroSt. John's NorthwesternDelafield, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian), MilitaryLancers 1995–1998Midwest ClassicSt. JosephKenosha, WIPrivate (Catholic)Lancers 1995–1996MetroSt. Mary CatholicNeenah, WIPrivate (Catholic)Zephyrs 1995–1998Fox Valley ChristianSt. Mary's SpringsFond du Lac, WIPrivate (Catholic)Ledgers 1995–1996Fox Valley ChristianThomas MoreMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic)Cavaliers 1995–1996MetroUniversity School River Hills, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Wildcats 1995–1998Midwest ClassicWayland AcademyBeaver Dam, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian, historically Baptist)Big Red 1995–1998Midwest ClassicWinnebago LutheranFond du Lac, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)Vikings 1995–1996Midwest ClassicXavierAppleton, WIPrivate (Catholic)Hawks 1995–1996Fox Valley Christian
Membership timeline
List of state champions SchoolYearOrganizationDivisionSt. Mary's Springs1995WISAADivision 1Catholic Memorial1996WISAADivision 1Roncalli1996WISAADivision 2
List of conference champions
Fox Valley Christian Conference SchoolQuantityYearsSt. Mary's Springs21995, 1996Fox Valley Lutheran0Lourdes Academy0Manitowoc Lutheran0Roncalli0Xavier0
Metro Conference SchoolQuantityYearsMarquette University21995, 1996Catholic Memorial11996Dominican0Milwaukee Lutheran0Pius XI0Thomas More0
WIFA Classic Division SchoolQuantityYears Catholic Central21995, 1997Racine Lutheran21995, 1996University School11998Lourdes Academy0St. John's Northwestern0St. Mary Catholic0Wayland Academy0
WIFA Midwest Division SchoolQuantityYearsLuther Prep21995, 1996Edgewood11995St. Joseph11995Martin Luther0St. Catherine's0Winnebago Lutheran0 References