The North Central Athletic Conference in Indiana

The North Central Conference is an IHSAA-sanctioned athletic conference consisting of ten large high schools in Cass, Delaware, Grant, Howard, Madison, Marion, Tippecanoe, and Wayne Counties across Central and North Central Indiana. Most of these schools are in 35,000+ population towns like Anderson, Marion, Kokomo, Lafayette, Muncie, and Richmond. Several of the nation's largest gymnasiums belong to members of this conference.^[1][2]

History

The Conference was formed on March 23, 1926 by 10 schools in the Central third of Indiana. Charter members were Anderson, Arsenal Tech of Indianapolis, Frankfort, Kokomo, Lebanon, Logansport, Muncie Central, New Castle, Richmond, and Rochester. With a couple of minor changes in the first decade (Lafayette Jeff replacing Rochester in 1930, and Marion replacing Lebanon in 1933), the conference membership remained unchanged, while the conference added more sports to its umbrella.

This changed in 1960, as Arsenal Tech was forced to join the IPS Conference, and Frankfort left to co-found the Sagamore Conference in 1967. The conference would continue on with the same eight members for the next 36 years while changes were happening in the communities outside the schools. Anderson, Kokomo, and Muncie would open up second and third city high schools, while consolidations in the rural areas outside of Lafayette would give Jeff two similar-sized local rivals. However, the economic crisis and industrial decline in the late 1970s and early 1980s hit many of these cities hard, as populations dwindled without anything replacing the lost manufacturing jobs. Anderson, Kokomo, and Muncie are now down to one high school each.

In the face of these population shifts, Lafayette Jeff joined the Hoosier Crossroads Conference in 2003, joining local rivals Harrison and McCutcheon, as well as the growing suburban schools outside of Indianapolis. Huntington North was brought in from the Olympic Conference as a replacement, where it had previously had conference rivals located in Muncie and Anderson.

New Castle elected to leave the NCC at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. They joined the Hoosier Heritage Conference in 2014.^[3] Huntington North left the NCC at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season to become a member of the Northeast Hoosier Conference. Lafayette Jeff rejoined the conference in 2014, bringing along fellow county schools Harrison and McCutcheon. Indianapolis Arsenal Tech rejoined the NCC as of April 1, 2015, but due to travel concerns, it will exit the conference at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

Marking another round of realignment, in early 2023 the conference announced restructuring and voted out West Lafayette Harrison and Lafayette McCutcheon following the 2023-24 school year.^[4] In addition, Logansport announced in May 2023 the Berries would leave the North Central Conference and join the Hoosier Athletic Conference and replace Lewis Cass following the 2023-2024 school year.^[5]

Membership

1. Arsenal played in the IPS Conference 1960-2015.
2. Lafayette Jeff played in the HCC 2003-14.
3. Known as Muncie until 1963.
4. Known as Morton until 1948.

Membership timeline

Full members Other conference

Divisions

Starting with the 2014 season, the NCC began divisional competition. This only applies in boys and girls soccer, boys and girls tennis, boys baseball, and girls softball.

Conference championships

State championships

Largest gymnasiums in nation in NCC

• 1. Anderson High School Wigwam (8,996) NOT IN USE.
• 4. Richmond Tiernan Center (8,100)
• 6. Marion High School (7,560)

Neighboring conferences

• Mid-Indiana Conference (MIC)
• Central Indiana Athletic Conference
• Three Rivers Conference

See also

• Hoosier Hysteria
• Largest high school gyms in the United States

External links

Resources

• IHSAA Conferences
• IHSAA Directory