The Suburban Classic Hockey Conference is a former high school hockey conference with its membership footprint in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Formed in 1995 and competing for five seasons, most of the conference's member schools were affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.
History
During the 1990s, hockey experienced sustained growth as an interscholastic sport in southeastern Wisconsin. The Suburban Classic Conference was formed in 1995 by nine schools in the Milwaukee area to facilitate scheduling and build continued interest in the sport. Six of the original members were located in Waukesha County (Arrowhead, Brookfield, Kettle Moraine, Oconomowoc, St. John's Northwestern and Waukesha), and three programs in Milwaukee (Wauwatosa and Whitefish Bay) and Sheboygan (Sheboygan) Counties rounded out the initial roster. After the first two seasons of competition, the newly created hockey program at Homestead High School in Mequon became members in 1997, and the Suburban Classic was split into two five-team divisions: Eastern DivisionWestern DivisionBrookfieldArrowheadHomesteadKettle MoraineSheboyganOconomowocWauwatosaSt. John's NorthwesternWhitefish BayWaukesha
This alignment would remain in place for two years before the conference expanded again in 1999. The Suburban Classic accepted three private schools into the conference (Catholic Memorial, Marquette University and Pius XI) after the collapse of the Independent High School Hockey League after the 1998-99 school year. Divisions were also scrapped for what would turn out to be the conference's final season. In 2000, two all-sport conferences in southeastern Wisconsin added boys hockey to their list of athletic offerings: the Classic 8 and Greater Metro. Eleven programs were affected by this development, with six going to the Classic 8 (Arrowhead, Catholic Memorial, Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago, Oconomowoc, Pius XI and Waukesha) and five joining the Greater Metro (Brookfield, Homestead, Marquette University, Wauwatosa and Whitefish Bay). Sheboygan joined the Badgerland Hockey Conference after the breakup of the Suburban Classic, while St. John's Northwestern became an independent before joining a co-operative with Oconomowoc and Pewaukee a few years later.
Conference membership history School/ProgramLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftPrimary ConferenceArrowheadHartland, WIPublicWarhawks 19952000Classic 8BrookfieldBrookfield, WIPublicStars 19952000Greater MetroCatholic MemorialWaukesha, WIPrivate (Catholic)Crusaders 19992000Classic 8HomesteadMequon, WIPublicHighlanders 19972000North ShoreKettle MoraineWales, WIPublicLasers 19952000Classic 8Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic)Hilltoppers 19992000Greater MetroOconomowocOconomowoc, WIPublicRaccoons 19952000Wisconsin Little TenPius XIMilwaukee, WIPrivate (Catholic)Popes 19992000Classic 8SheboyganSheboygan, WIPublicRed Raiders 19952000Fox River ValleySt. John's NorthwesternDelafield, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian), MilitaryLancers 19952000Midwest ClassicWaukeshaWaukesha, WIPublicWings 19952000Classic 8WauwatosaWauwatosa, WIPublicNone 19952000Woodland,Greater MetroWhitefish BayWhitefish Bay, WIPublicBlue Dukes 19952000North Shore
Notes
Membership timeline
List of conference champions
SchoolQuantityYearsBrookfield41996, 1997, 1998, 1999Sheboygan12000Arrowhead0Catholic Memorial0Homestead0Kettle Moraine0Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago0Marquette University0Oconomowoc0Pius XI0St. John's Northwestern0Waukesha0Wauwatosa0Whitefish Bay0Whitefish Bay/Nicolet/Shorewood0Whitefish Bay/Shorewood0
References