Conference realignment in recent years has vastly changed the makeup of major college conferences like the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC.
The same is happening at the high school level in Iowa, with the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) among the most impacted. Cresco-Crestwood, New Hampton and Waukon will depart the NEIC after the 2024-25 school year to join the Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) starting July 1, 2025. Thus, the NEIC will dissolve officially on June 30, 2025.
Charles City Activities Director Dana Sullivan says that brings mixed emotions.
The Comets are set to move to North Central Conference (NCC), in which they will be a non-voting member for the ‘25-26 and ‘26-27 school years. At least they know they have a conference to be part of, unlike current NEIC member Decorah.
The Vikings had appealed to the Board of Education to be placed in the UIC, but were denied. During their School Board meeting earlier this week, Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin said the decision means the Vikings will compete as an independent for the 2025-2026 school year, much like Waverly-Shell Rock is doing this year after being forced out of the NEIC last year.
Cronin also noted that while the State says “every district which desires a conference is guaranteed a conference, this did not happen for Decorah.”
Sullivan acknowledges that going independent makes scheduling a challenge.
With Charles City set to join the NCC starting with the 2025-26 school year, the NCC will expand to nine teams.
However, they’d like to even that number out, with the NCC recently extending invitations to Forest City, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (GHV), and Eagle Grove to join the league starting in ‘26-27.
Last week, the Forest City School Board voted to join the NCC, though Board vice president Beth Clouse expressed concerns over added transportation costs with their teams traveling further to reach their new league members.
Indians Activities Director Chad Moore noted that those concerns can be addressed once they have a seat at the “NCC table.”
Eagle Grove has also voted to join the NCC, with the GHV School Board expected to reconsider the expansion plan later this month. The NCC has requested that all three schools respond with their decision by December 1st.
All three are currently members of the Top of Iowa Conference (TIC) and must notify the league of any departure at least a year in advance.
If the NCC expands to 12 teams, plans also call for the formation of two divisions, with the six largest schools in the Tradition division, including Webster City, Charles City, Clear Lake, Algona, Humboldt, and Hampton-Dumont-CAL. The Pride division would consist of Iowa Falls-Alden, Eagle Grove, Forest City, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, GHV, St. Edmond’s.
The NCC hopes to have the expansion ready to start with the ‘26-27 school year.
