{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} The '''Corn Belt Conference''' was a high school athletic conference in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), based in Central Illinois. The conference consisted of medium-sized and small high schools.<ref name="IVC joins" />
==History== The Corn Belt Conference was originally formed in 1950 by Clinton, Normal Community, Pontiac Township, Trinity (later Central Catholic), and University High Schools. The conference was incorporated into the former Heart of Illinois Conference in 1972 but was reformed in 1978.<ref name=Kindred2016>{{cite news|last1=Kindred|first1=Randy|title=U High opts to join Central State Eight Conference|url=http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/u-high-opts-to-join-central-state-eight-conference/article_8aaf4d77-4205-5839-9a69-834a1e1121f2.html|accessdate=1 June 2016|work=The Pantagraph|date=27 January 2016}}</ref><ref name=IHSGD>{{cite web|title=THE GREAT CONFERENCES|url=http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/id349.html|publisher=Illinois High School Glory Days|accessdate=5 January 2017|archive-date=23 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423074537/http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/id349.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Eureka High School left the Corn Belt Conference for the Heart of Illinois Conference after the 2015–2016 school year. U-High and Mahomet-Seymour departed for the Central State Eight Conference and Apollo Conference respectively in the 2017–18 school year.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kindred|first1=Randy|title=Eureka to leave Corn Belt for HOIC in 2016|url=http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/eureka-to-leave-corn-belt-for-hoic-in/article_355495c2-4dd8-519e-9589-c09b8c164029.html|accessdate=19 May 2015|work=The Pantagraph|publisher=The Pantagraph|date=14 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Deacon|first1=Joe|title=Corn Belt, remaining schools contemplate league's future|url=http://www.pantagraph.com/high-school/central-catholic/corn-belt-remaining-schools-contemplate-league-s-future/article_e892404e-96e0-502d-8fb1-3336f7c615bd.html|accessdate=28 January 2016|work=The Pantagraph|date=27 January 2016}}</ref> In April 2016, school boards of the remaining five schools and the school boards of the five schools in the Okaw Valley Conference voted unanimously to merge into a new Illini Prairie Conference beginning in the 2017–18 school year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corn Belt Conference merger approved, Illini Prairie Conference created|url=http://www.chillicothetimesbulletin.com/article/20160427/SPORTS/160429564|accessdate=31 May 2016|work=Chillicothe Times-Bulletin|date=27 April 2016}}</ref>
==Member schools==
===1950–1972=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! School ! Community ! Team name ! Colors ! IHSA class ! School type ! Year joined ! Joined from ! Year departed ! Departed for ! References |- | Central Catholic (Trinity) High School | Bloomington | Saints | {{color box|#000080|border=silver}} {{color box|#C5B358|border=silver}} {{color box|white|border=silver}} | 1A/2A/3A | Private | 1950 | | 1972 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Clinton High School | Clinton | Maroons | {{color box|maroon|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | | Public | 1950 | | 1972 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Normal Community High School | Normal | Ironmen | {{color box|orange|border=silver}} {{color box|black|border=silver}} | AA, 2A, 3A | Public | 1950 | | 1971 | Capitol |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Pontiac Township High School | Pontiac | Indians | {{color box|orange|border=silver}} {{color box|blue|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 1950 | | 1972 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | University High School | Normal | Pioneers | {{color box|#4CBB17|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | 5A | Public lab school | 1950 | | 1972 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Washington Community High School | Washington | Panthers | {{color box|black|border=silver}} {{color box|orange|border=silver}} | | Public | 1957 | Illini | 1972 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | St. Teresa High School | Decatur | Bulldogs | {{color box|navy|border=silver}} {{color box|orange|border=silver}} | | Private | 1967 | | 1969 | | <ref name=IHSGD/> |}
===1978–2017=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! School ! Community ! Team name ! Colors ! IHSA class ! School type ! Year joined ! Joined from ! Year departed ! Departed for ! References |- | Central Catholic High School | Bloomington | Saints | {{color box|#000080|border=silver}} {{color box|#C5B358|border=silver}} {{color box|white|border=silver}} | 1A/2A/3A | Private | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 2017 | Illini Prairie | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Clinton High School | Clinton | Maroons | {{color box|maroon|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | | Public | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 1990 | Okaw Valley | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Pontiac Township High School | Pontiac | Indians | {{color box|orange|border=silver}} {{color box|blue|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 2017 | Illini Prairie | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | University High School | Normal | Pioneers | {{color box|#4CBB17|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | 5A | Public lab school | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 2017 | Central State Eight | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Metamora Township High School | Metamora | Cardinals | {{color box|red|border=silver}} {{color box|white|border=silver}} | | Public | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 1982 | Mid-Illini | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Olympia High School | Stanford | Spartans | {{color box|#3399CC|border=silver}} {{color box|#000066|border=silver}} {{color box|#FFFFFF|border=silver}} | 3A | Public | 1978 | Heart of Illinois (1970s) | 2017 | Illini Prairie | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Eureka High School | Eureka | Hornets | {{color box|green|border=silver}} {{color box|black|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 1978<br />2004 | Heart of Illinois (1970s)<br />Tri-County | 1982<br />2016 | Blackhawk<br />Heart of Illinois | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | St. Bede Academy | Peru | Bruins | {{color box|green|border=silver}} {{color box|white|border=silver}} | 2A | Private | 1982 | | 1996 | Private School | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Mahomet-Seymour High School | Mahomet | Bulldogs | {{color box|blue|border=silver}} {{color box|orange|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 1986 | Okaw Valley | 2017 | Apollo | <ref name=Kindred2016/><ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Prairie Central High School | Fairbury | Hawks | {{color box|black|border=silver}} {{color box|silver|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 1990 | Wauseca | 2017 | Illini Prairie |<ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Herscher High School | Herscher | Tigers | {{color box|black|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | | Public | 2002 | Suburban Prairie | 2006 | Interstate 8 | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Rochester High School | Rochester | Rockets | {{color box|navy|border=silver}} {{color box|orange|border=silver}} | A, AA, 2A, 3A | Public | 2002 | Sangamo | 2010 | Central State Eight | <ref name=IHSGD/> |- | Rantoul Township High School | Rantoul | Eagles | {{color box|purple|border=silver}} {{color box|gold|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 2004 | Big Twelve | 2015 | Okaw Valley | <ref name="IVC joins"/> |- | Illinois Valley Central High School | Chillicothe | Grey Ghosts | {{Color box|maroon|border=silver}} {{Color box|gray|border=silver}} | 4A | Public | 2014 | Mid-State 6, North Central Illinois | 2017 | Illini Prairie | <ref name="IVC joins">{{cite news|last1=Kindred|first1=Randy|title=Corn Belt Conference votes to add IVC|url=http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/corn-belt-conference-votes-to-add-ivc/article_73685840-7172-11e2-be0e-001a4bcf887a.html|accessdate=31 May 2016|work=The Pantagraph|date=7 February 2013}}</ref>
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==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Illinois High School Association}}
Category:Illinois high school sports conferences Category:Education in McLean County, Illinois