The Great Northern Conference is a high school athletic conference in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. It comprises seven teams from Marathon, Taylor, Lincoln, Oneida, Langlade and Vilas counties in Northern Wisconsin. The Conference was formed in 2008 with former Lumberjack members Lakeland, Medford, Northland Pines and Tomahawk, Cloverbelt member Mosinee, and Wisconsin Valley's Antigo and Merrill. In 2010, Merrill returned to the Wisconsin Valley conference and Rhinelander took its place. In December 2023 Merrill had filed a request within the WIAA Conference Realignment process to move the school back to the Great Northern Conference. Merrill has cited declining enrollment as its top reason. This change was approved by the WIAA Conference Realignment Committee in December 2023 with it being effective for the 2025-2026 school year.
Charter Members
class=notpageimage| Great Northern Conference Member School Locations in Wisconsin
| School | Mascot & Colors | Former Conference | Enrollment | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigo High School | Red Robins | Wisconsin Valley | 642 | Antigo, WI |
| Lakeland Union High School | Thunderbirds | Lumberjack | 704 | Minocqua, WI |
| Medford Area Senior High School | Raiders | Lumberjack | 715 | Medford, WI |
| Mosinee High School | Indians | Cloverbelt | 625 | Mosinee, WI |
| Northland Pines High School | Eagles | Lumberjack | 443 | Eagle River, WI |
| Rhinelander High School | Hodags | Wisconsin Valley | 748 | Rhinelander, WI |
| Tomahawk High School | Hatchets | Lumberjack | 353 | Tomahawk, WI |
Other Affiliated Members
| School | Mascot & Colors | Sports | Conference | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland High School | Oredockers | Gymnastics, Boys Tennis | Heart O' North | 635 |
| Colby High School | Hornets | Girls Swimming | Cloverbelt | 309 |
| Columbus Catholic High School | Dons | Girls Tennis | Marawood | 146 |
| Ladysmith High School | Lumberjacks Lumberjills | Girls Swimming | Heart O' North | 246 |
| Marshfield High School | Tigers | Gymnastics | Wisconsin Valley | 1,250 |
| Merrill High School | Bluejays | Football | Wisconsin Valley | 801 |
| Newman Catholic High School | Fighting Cardinals | Girls Tennis | Marawood | 128 |
| Pacelli High School | Cardinals | Girls and Boys Tennis | Central Wisconsin | 180 |
| Phillips High School | Loggers | Girls Tennis | Marawood | 217 |
| Shawano Community High School | Hawks | Boys Swimming | Bay | 797 |
| Stevens Point Area Senior High School | Panthers | Gymnastics | Wisconsin Valley | 2,105 |
| Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School | Red Raiders | Gymnastics | Wisconsin Valley | 1,467 |
| Waupaca High School | Comets | Boys Hockey | Northeastern | 589 |
| Wausau East High School | Lumberjacks | Football | Wisconsin Valley | 941 |
- Colby coops with Abbotsford, and Ladysmith, Bruce and Flambeau co-op for Girls Swimming.
- Mosinee, Wausau West, DC Everest, and Wausau East form the Central Wisconsin Storm in Girls Hockey.
- Rhinelander, Antigo Northland Pines co-op for Girls Hockey.
- Beginning in 2015 Wittenberg-Birnamwood will compete in the Bay Conference for Girls Swimming.
State Champions
Since its inception in 2008 The following teams have won a State Championship
Girls Swimming and Diving 2020 Rhinelander 2023 Rhinelander
Boys Swimming and Diving 2023 Rhinelander
Girls Cross Country 2018 Medford
Baseball 2019 Antigo
Softball 2014 Mosinee
Conference Champions
Football
- 2008 Lakeland & Antigo
- 2009 Merrill
- 2010 Antigo
- 2011 Mosinee
- 2012 Medford & Mosinee
- 2013 Medford
- 2014 Merrill
- 2015 Antigo & Medford
- 2016 Antigo, Medford & Merrill
- 2017 Antigo
- 2018 Ashland
- 2019 Medford
Volleyball
- 2008 Merrill
- 2009 Merrill
- 2010 Mosinee & Tomahawk
- 2011 Tomahawk
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Tomahawk
- 2014 Tomahawk
- 2015 Medford
- 2016 Medford
- 2017 Mosinee
- 2018 Mosinee
- 2019 Mosinee
Girls Swimming
- 2008 Colby/Abbotsford
- 2009 Ladysmith/Bruce/Flambeau
- 2010 Ladysmith/Bruce/Flambeau
- 2011 Medford
- 2012 Lakeland
- 2013 Ladysmith/Bruce/Flambeau
- 2014 Tomahawk
- 2015 Tomahawk
- 2016 Tomahawk
- 2017 Tomahawk
- 2018 Tomahawk
- 2019 Rhinelander
Boys Soccer
- 2008 Northland Pines
- 2009 Northland Pines
- 2010 Rhinelander
- 2011 Northland Pines
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Northland Pines
- 2014 Lakeland & Rhinelander
- 2015 Rhinelander
- 2016 Rhinelander
- 2017 Rhinelander
- 2018 Northland Pines
- 2019 Northland Pines
Boys Cross Country
- 2008 Tomahawk
- 2009 Lakeland
- 2010 Lakeland
- 2011 Lakeland
- 2012 Lakeland
- 2013 Lakeland
- 2014 Lakeland
- 2015 Lakeland
- 2016 Lakeland
- 2017 Lakeland
- 2018 Medford
- 2019 Tomahawk
Girls Cross Country
- 2008 Tomahawk
- 2009 Tomahawk
- 2010 Tomahawk
- 2011 Tomahawk
- 2012 Tomahawk
- 2013 Lakeland
- 2014 Tomahawk
- 2015 Lakeland
- 2016 Lakeland
- 2017 Medford
- 2018 Medford
- 2019 Medford
Girls Tennis
- 2009 Columbus Catholic & Lakeland
- 2010 Rhinelander
- 2011 Rhinelander & Columbus Catholic
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Rhinelander
- 2014 Rhinelander
- 2015 Rhinelander
- 2016 Rhinelander
- 2017 Antigo
- 2018 Rhinelander
- 2019 Rhinelander
Girls Basketball
- 2008-2009 Antigo & Merrill
- 2009-2010 Medford
- 2010-2011 Lakeland
- 2011-2012 Medford
- 2012-2013 Northland Pines & Medford
- 2013-2014 Mosinee
- 2014-2015 Lakeland
- 2015-2016 Mosinee
- 2016-2017 Lakeland
- 2017-2018 Lakeland
- 2018-2019 Rhinelander
- 2019-2020 Rhinelander
Boys Basketball
- 2008-2009 Antigo
- 2009-2010 Antigo
- 2010-2011 Antigo
- 2011-2012 Antigo
- 2012-2013 Rhinelander
- 2013-2014 Rhinelander
- 2014-2015 Rhinelander
- 2015-2016 Mosinee & Rhinelander
- 2016-2017 Medford
- 2017-2018 Rhinelander
- 2019-2019 Mosinee
- 2019-2020 Medford
Wrestling
- 2008-2009 Mosinee
- 2009-2010 Merrill
- 2010-2011 Medford
- 2011-2012 Tomahawk
- 2012-2013 Tomahawk
- 2013-2014 Rhinelander
- 2014-2015 Rhinelander
- 2015-2016 Rhinelander & Tomahawk
- 2016-2017 Medford
- 2017-2018 Rhinelander
- 2018-2019 Medford
- 2019-2020 Medford
Girls Hockey
- 2008-2009
- 2010-2009 Central Wisconsin Co-Op
- 2010-2011 Central Wisconsin Co-Op
- 2011-2012 Stevens Point/Rapids Co-Op
- 2012-2013 Marshfield & Northland Pines
- 2013-2014 Northland Pines
- 2014-2015 Waupaca
- 2015-2016 Northland Pines
- 2016-2017 Northland Pines
- 2017-2018 Lakeland/Tomahawk Co-op
- 2018-2019 Northland Pines
Boys Hockey
- 2008-2009 Lakeland
- 2009-2010 Waupaca
- 2010-2011 Waupaca
- 2011-2012 Northland Pines
- 2012-2013 Northland Pines
- 2013-2014 Antigo
- 2014-2015 Antigo
- 2015-2016 Antigo
- 2016-2017 Antigo
- 2017-2018 Northland Pines
- 2018-2019 Northland Pines
Gymnastics
- 2008-2009
- 2009-2010
- 2010-2011 Antigo
- 2011-2012 Stevens Point & Rhinelander
- 2012-2013 Stevens Point & Rhinelander
- 2013-2014 Stevens Point
- 2014-2015 Stevens Point & Chequamegon
- 2015-2016 Rhinelander & Stevens Point
- 2016-2017 Ashland, Mosinee, & Stevens Point
- 2017-2018 Stevens Point & Rhinelander
- 2018-2019 Medford, Marshfield & Stevens Point
Boys Swimming
- 2011-2012 Rhinelander
- 2012-2013 Lakeland
- 2013-2014 Lakeland
- 2014-2015 Shawano
- 2015-2016 Rhinelander
- 2016-2017 Lakeland
- 2017-2018 Lakeland
- 2018-2019 Rhindelander
Baseball
- 2009 Merrill
- 2010 Merrill
- 2011 Rhinelander
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Antigo
- 2014 Antigo
- 2015 Antigo & Mosinee
- 2016 Antigo
- 2017 Antigo
- 2018 Antigo
- 2019 Medford
Softball
- 2009 Mosinee & Merrill
- 2010 Mosinee & Medford
- 2011 Mosinee
- 2012 Mosinee & Rhinelander
- 2013 Mosinee
- 2014 Mosinee
- 2015 Mosinee
- 2016 Mosinee
- 2017 Mosinee
- 2018 Mosinee
- 2019 Mosinee
Girls Track
- 2009 Tomahawk
- 2010 Mosinee
- 2011 Lakeland
- 2012 Lakeland
- 2013 Lakeland
- 2014 Tomahawk
- 2015 Lakeland
- 2016 Lakeland
- 2017 Lakeland
- 2018 Medford
- 2019 Medford
Boys Track
- 2009 Merrill
- 2010 Lakeland
- 2011 Lakeland
- 2012 Lakeland
- 2013 Lakeland
- 2014 Lakeland
- 2015 Lakeland
- 2016 Lakeland
- 2017 Lakeland
- 2018 Lakeland
- 2019 Rhinelander
Girls Soccer
- 2009 Northland Pines
- 2010 Northland Pines
- 2011 Lakeland
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Rhinelander
- 2014 Rhinelander
- 2015 Rhinelander
- 2016 Rhinelander
- 2017 Rhinelander
- 2018 Ashland
- 2019 Ashland
Boys Golf
- 2009 Mosinee
- 2010 Antigo
- 2011 Rhinelander
- 2012 Antigo
- 2013 Antigo
- 2014 Lakeland
- 2015 Antigo
- 2016 Medford
- 2017 Medford
- 2018 Lakeland
- 2019 Lakeland
Boys Tennis
- 2010 Antigo
- 2011 Rhinelander
- 2012 Rhinelander
- 2013 Antigo
- 2014 Rhinelander
- 2015 Rhinelander
- 2016 Rhinelander
- 2017 Rhinelander
- 2018 Rhinelander
- 2019 Rhinelander