The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is a NCAA Division III hockey conference that began playing men’s hockey unofficially in the 1981-82 season and both and women’s hockey officially in the 2013-14 season.  The WIAC is an all-sport NCAA Division III conference that was first established in 1913.

Current Membership

Men’s (6 schools)

Women’s (5 schools)

History

Men’s

The WIAC began (under other names) over a century ago, featuring many schools of the University of Wisconsin system.  Despite many of these schools having men’s hockey dating back to the early 1900’s, many programs played as independents for years, as the league never sponsored hockey. After some time, they began to join other hockey-only conferences.

In 1981-82, the WIAC began to award conference champions based on the games between the UW school system members, although these teams were still members of other hockey leagues, or independent programs.  As time went on, all the WIAC hockey-playing members joined the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA).  In 2013-14, one of the largest moves in Division III hockey history happened, with the WIAC schools breaking away, as the WIAC finally sponsored men’s hockey.

Since then, the WIAC has struggled to gain additional schools to come join them, but has developed an extremely competitive league with a number of schools who can not only win the conference, but go very far in the national tournament as well.  In 2022, the WIAC finally earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, as the championships committee lowered the number of teams that qualify a conference for qualification.

Timeline

  • 1981-82: (5) UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior
    • Although the league didn’t officially sponsor the sport, the WIAC (WSUC at the time) named conference champions, based on the standings across the UW schools.
  • 1984-85: (5) UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
    • Wisconsin-Stout cancelled their program, leaving the WSUC with just four hockey-playing schools.
  • 1994-95 – 1995-96: No season
    • With inconsistent scheduling, the WSUC didn’t award a conference champion for these two seasons.
  • 1996-97: (5) UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior
    • The WSUC revives their conference champions with the return of Stout’s men’s program, as all five programs also play within the NCHA.
  • 2013-14: (5) UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior
    • In a landscape-shifting move, the University of Wisconsin system schools leave the NCHA, as the WIAC finally begins to sponsor men’s hockey.
    • Eau Claire, River Falls, Stevens Point, and Stout are full-time members, while Superior joins as an affiliate member for hockey.
  • 2019-20: (6) Northland, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior
    • Northland College of Ashland, Wisconsin joins the WIAC as an affiliate hockey member, also coming over from the NCHA.
  • 2025-26: (6) Beloit, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior
    • Sadly, Northland College permanently closes at the end of the prior school year, after noted financial struggles.
    • On the bright side, the Beloit College announces it will start a men’s hockey program, jumpstarted by members of the Northland program, joining the WIAC immediately as an affiliate member.

Women’s

Despite having one less charter member, the women’s side of the league also had all of their schools located in the NCHA before the big breakaway.  However, the WIAC never recognized a champion until said breakaway, unlike the men.  When that finally happened in 2013-14, the third western conference was born, with one power program leading the way.

Since then, the WIAC has great depth programs that have risen and fallen behind the premier program.  The conference is still looking for more stability though, and without an automatic bid, the league is still searching for more schools to help with this matter.  Nevertheless, there are still championship contenders in this conference, but getting to the NCAA Tournament to prove themselves, has been a bit of an issue.

Timeline

  • 2013-14: (4) UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
    • Just like the men’s side, the UW schools left the NCHA as the WIAC sponsors women’s hockey, creating a third western conference.
    • Eau Claire, River Falls and Stevens Point are full-time members, as Superior joins as an affiliate member.  Stout doesn’t field a women’s varsity program.
  • 2019-20: (5) Northland, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
    • As stated in the men’s section, Northland College leave the NCHA, joining the WIAC as an affiliate hockey member.
  • 2025-26: (5) Beloit, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
    • As mentioned before, sadly, Northland College closes at the end of the prior school year.
    • Beloit College launches a women’s hockey program, jumpstarted by members of the Northland program, joining the WIAC immediately.

Season by Season Results

Men’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) - unofficial
1981-82UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior (NAIA)
1982-83UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Superior (NAIA)
1983-84UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-River Falls (D-III) UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior (NAIA)
1984-85UW-River FallsNo TournamentNone
1985-86UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentNone
1986-87UW-River FallsNo TournamentNone
1987-88UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point
1988-89UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point
1989-90UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Stevens Point
1990-91UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Stevens Point
1991-92UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
1992-93UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
1993-94UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Superior
1994-95

Discontinued
1995-96

Discontinued
1996-97UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Superior
1997-98UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point
1998-99UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Superior
1999-00UW-Stevens PointNo TournamentUW-Superior
2000-01UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-River Falls, UW-Superior
2001-02UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-Superior
2002-03UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-River Falls
2003-04UW-River Falls, UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-River Falls
2004-05UW-River FallsNo TournamentNone
2005-06UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-Superior
2006-07UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-River Falls
2007-08UW-River FallsNo TournamentUW-Stout
2008-09UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-Superior, UW-Stout
2009-10UW-River FallsNo TournamentNone
2010-11UW-Stout, UW-SuperiorNo TournamentUW-Superior
2011-12UW-River FallsNo TournamentNone
2012-13UW-Eau ClaireNo TournamentUW-Eau Claire

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) - run independently
2013-14UW-River FallsUW-Eau ClaireUW-Stevens Point
2014-15UW-Stevens PointUW-River FallsUW-Stevens Point
2015-16UW-Eau Claire, UW-River FallsUW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens Point
2016-17UW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens Point
2017-18UW-Stevens PointUW-Eau ClaireUW-Stevens Point
2018-19UW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens Point
2019-20UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens PointUW-Eau ClaireUW-Eau Claire
2020-21UW-Eau ClaireUW-SuperiorNo Tournament
2021-22UW-Stevens PointUW-Eau ClaireNone
2022-23UW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens Point
2023-24UW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens PointUW-Stevens Point
2024-25UW-SuperiorUW-Eau ClaireUW-Eau Claire
2025-26UW-StoutUW-StoutUW-Stout

Women’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
2013-14UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point
2014-15UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2015-16UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2016-17UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2017-18UW-River FallsUW-Eau ClaireUW-Eau Claire
2018-19UW-River FallsUW-Eau ClaireUW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls
2019-20UW-Eau ClaireUW-River FallsUW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls
2020-21UW-River FallsUW-River FallsNo Tournament
2021-22UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls
2022-23UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2023-24UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2024-25UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls
2025-26UW-River FallsUW-River FallsUW-River Falls

Championships by School

Men’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
UW-River Falls18 (4 shared)1
UW-Stevens Point17 (3 shared)5
UW-Superior8 (2 shared)1
UW-Eau Claire4 (2 shared)5
UW-Stout2 (1 shared)1

Women’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
UW-River Falls1211
UW-Eau Claire12

See Also