For the Gazette

STEVENS POINT – The Board of Control approved three conference realignment plans and issued a one-year moratorium on conference realignment requests at its April meeting.

The Board moved to implement a football-only realignment consideration for southwest Wisconsin that was amended at its January meeting and given initial approval in March. The plan impacts seven conferences and 48 schools, and will be in effect beginning in 2019.  Full Details

The Board also gave its final approval of a plan that moves Alma/Pepin into the Dairyland Conference for all sports beginning in the fall of 2019, as well as a proposal that moves St. Croix Falls from the Lakeland Conference to the Heart O’North Conference for only football beginning in the fall of 2019.

In other action related to conference realignment, the Board approved an executive staff recommendation to place a one-year moratorium on conference realignment with the exception of requests that receive the complete support of all schools impacted by the plan. During the suspension of requests, the membership and executive staff will collaborate on a different and viable process to address school placement in conferences.

The Board ratified an agreement with The Appleton Baseball Club, Inc., that extends the use of Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium for the State Spring Baseball Tournament through 2028.