Southwest Prairie Conference

The Southwest Prairie Conference (SPC) is an athletic and competitive activity conference consisting of twelve public high schools in Northern Illinois. These high schools are all members of the Illinois High School Association.

Southwest Prairie Conference
ConferenceIHSA
No. of teams12
RegionNorthern Illinois & Southern Chicagoland

History edit

The conference began competing during the 2006–2007 academic year, with Minooka Community High School, Morris Community High School, Oswego High School, Oswego East High School, Plainfield Central High School, Plainfield North High School, and Plainfield South High School being the founding members. All but Romeoville and Plainfield North made up the South Division of the Suburban Prairie Conference. Plainfield North was a newly established school and Romeoville came from the former South Inter-Conference Association North division. Morris left the SPC following the 2008–09 school year to join the North Central Illinois Conference. Newly established Plainfield East High School would replace them.[1]

Joliet Central and Joliet West High Schools joined the conference from the Southwest Suburban Conference at the start of the 2016–2017 school year, following a 2014 decision.[2] Both West Aurora High School, of the Upstate Eight Conference,[3] and Yorkville High School, of the former Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference,[4] were admitted to the SPC in 2018 and began conference play during the 2019–20 school year.[5][6] In 2024, West Aurora High School will depart for the Upstate Eight Conference, with Bolingbrook High School replacing them.[7]

Member schools edit

 
 
5km
3miles
 
 
Yorkville
 
West Aurora
 
Plainfield North
 
Oswego East
 
Oswego
 
Minooka Central
 
Romeoville
 
Plainfield South
 
Plainfield East
 
Plainfield Central
 
Joliet West
 
Joliet Central
Current locations of Southwest Prairie Conference Schools

East Division edit

School Name Location Team Name Colors
Joliet Central High School Joliet Steelmen & Steelwomen    
Joliet West High School Joliet Tigers    
Plainfield Central High School Plainfield Wildcats    
Plainfield East High School Plainfield Bengals    
Plainfield South High School Plainfield Cougars    
Romeoville High School Romeoville Spartans      
Reference:[8]

West Division edit

School Name Location Team Name Colors
Minooka Community High School Minooka Indians    
Oswego High School Oswego Panthers    
Oswego East High School Oswego Wolves    
Plainfield North High School Plainfield Tigers      
West Aurora High School[a] Aurora Blackhawks    
Yorkville High School Yorkville Foxes    
Reference:[9]

Future members edit

School name Location Joining Former conference Team name Colors
Bolingbrook High School Bolingbrook 2024 Southwest Suburban Conference Raiders      
Notes
  1. ^ West Aurora will depart the SPC for the Upstate Eight Conference in 2024[7]

Membership timeline edit

Bolingbrook High SchoolWest Aurora High SchoolYorkville High SchoolJoliet West High SchoolJoliet Central High SchoolPlainfield East High SchoolRomeoville High SchoolPlainfield South High SchoolPlainfield North High SchoolPlainfield Central High SchoolOswego East High SchoolOswego High SchoolMinooka High SchoolMorris Community High School

References edit

  1. ^ Lewter, Mike. "The Great Conferences". Illinois High School Glory Days. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  2. ^ Goss, Dick (December 15, 2014). "Joliet Central, West to join SPC in 2016". The Herald. Shaw Media.
  3. ^ Armstrong, Rick (September 25, 2018). "Upstate Eight principals invite Fenton to replace West Aurora but leave Kaneland on hold". The Beacon-News. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Armstrong, Rick (March 19, 2018). "Kaneland and Yorkville in conference limbo after Sycamore makes move to Interstate Eight". The Beacon-News. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Girardi, Laura (September 6, 2018). "West Aurora votes to join Southwest Prairie Conference". The Beacon-News. Chicago Tribune.
  6. ^ Armstrong, Rick (July 29, 2018). "West Aurora, Yorkville get OK from Southwest Prairie Conference to join for 2019-20 school year". The Beacon-News. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Oesterle, Rob (July 7, 2023). "Bolingbrook to join Southwest Prairie Conference in 2024". Shaw Local. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Southwest Prairie (East) — 2020-21". Illinois High School Association. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Southwest Prairie (West) — 2020-21". Illinois High School Association. Retrieved April 21, 2021.

External links edit