The Lake Michigan Conference is an interscholastic

athletic conference An athletic conference is a collection of sports teams, playing competitively against each other in a sports league. In many cases conferences are subdivided into smaller divisions, with the best teams competing at successively higher levels. Conf ...

affiliated with the Michigan High School Athletic Association. It is located in Northern Michigan and contains eight teams that encompasses six counties: Antrim County, Charlevoix County,

Crawford County Crawford County is the name of eleven counties in the United States: * Crawford County, Arkansas * Crawford County, Georgia * Crawford County, Illinois * Crawford County, Indiana * Crawford County, Iowa * Crawford County, Kansas * Crawford Count ...

, Emmet County, Grand Traverse County, and

Kalkaska County Kalkaska County ( ) is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,939. The county seat is Kalkaska. Kalkaska County is included in the Traverse City Micropolitan Statistical Area. Although it is locat ...

History

The Lake Michigan Conference traces it origins to the Great Northern Conference, which began play in 1990. The conference was split into four divisions, by geography and school size. The Lake Michigan Division consisted of Class C schools; East Jordan, Boyne City, Charlevoix, Elk Rapids, Kalkaska, Mancelona, Traverse City St. Francis and Harbor Springs. Kalkaska played in the Lake Huron Division for football only with: Lincoln-Alcona, Grayling, Whittemore-Prescott, Onaway and Rogers City. In 1993, Mancelona dropped to the smaller Ski-Valley for all sports. The Great Northern Conference dissolved in 1997, with most of the divisions retaining all their league memberships. The Lake Michigan Division, re-branded as the Lake Michigan Conference, with Kalkaska joining for football. The membership stayed the same until 2003, when Grayling, a former Lake Huron Division Rival of Kalkaska, left the Northeast Michigan Conference. This gave the conference the 8 teams that it has today. In 2010, conference athletic directors voted to eliminate St. Francis from participating in football effective in 2012. Elk Rapids and Grayling agreed to continue their series, while St. Francis will play two other LMC teams on a three-year rotation. The LMC also extended an invitation to St. Ignace High School to join. On January 14, 2011, it was announced that St. Ignace would join the Ski-Valley Conference. Following the 2013 season the LMC and the neighboring

Northwest Conference The Northwest Conference (NWC) is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in the states of Oregon and Washington. It was known as the Pacific Northwest Conference from 1926 to 1984. History ...

merged for football only, creating the Northern Michigan Football League. The league was split into two divisions based on enrollment and competitiveness. The Leader division consisted of the larger and more accomplished programs including, St. Francis, Maple City-Glen Lake, Elk Rapids, Boyne City, Kingsley, Benzie Central and Grayling. The Legacy Division consisted of Frankfort, Charlevoix, Kalkaska, East Jordan, Suttons Bay and Harbor Springs. Mesick, an original member of the Northwest Conference, opted against joining the NMFL and instead joined the five schools of the Mid-State North Conference, creating the Northwestern Six Football League. In 2023, amidst discussion of removing St. Francis from the conference for competitive balancing purposes, or Kalkaska possibly leaving the conference. East Jordan announced it would be joining the Ski-Valley Conference, citing its low enrollment being better suited amongst the smaller schools of the Ski-Valley.

Members

Full member institutions include: Departing Members are highlighted in pink.

Former members

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:750 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1990 till:2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:yellow from:1990 till:end text: Lake Michigan Division bar:1 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: Boyne City Ramblers (1997-present) bar:2 color:yellow from:1990 till:end text: Lake Michigan Division bar:2 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: Charlevoix Red Rayders (1997-present) bar:3 color:yellow from:1990 till:1997 text: Lake Michigan Division bar:3 color:powderblue from:1997 till:2024 text: East Jordan Red Devils (1997-present) bar:4 color:yellow from:1990 till:end text: Lake Michigan Division bar:4 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: Elk Rapids Elks (1997-present) bar:5 color:yellow from:1990 till:end text: Lake Michigan Division bar:5 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: Harbor Springs Rams (1997-present) bar:6 color:red from:1990 till:end text: Non-Football bar:6 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: Kalkaska Blue Blazers (1997-present) bar:7 color:yellow from:1990 till:1997 text: Lake Michigan Division bar:7 color:powderblue from:1997 till:end text: TC St. Francis Gladiators (1997-present) bar:7 color:red from:2012 till:2014 text: Non-Football bar:8 color:powderblue from:2003 till:end text: Grayling Vikings (2003-present) bar:9 color:yellow from:1990 till:1993 text: Mancelona ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1990 TextData = fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(175,30) # tabs:(0-center) text:"LMC League Membership History" Lake Michigan stopped sponsoring football in 2014.

Football

Conference Champions *State Champion

Teams in the Final Regular Season Rankings

Conference Records

State Championship Results

Results by team

All-Time Playoff Appearances

Traverse City St. Francis:(35) 1983,85-87,1990-2011,13-22 Boyne City:(21) 1993-94,96,2001-09,12-17,20-22 Grayling:(16) 1990,92,2003-05,07,09-13,15-17,20-21 Charlevoix:(12) 1992,2000,05-06,08-09,14,16,19-22 Elk Rapids:(10) 2006-10,13-14,17-18,20,22 Harbor Springs: (8) 1986,1999-2000,15-16,18-20 East Jordan:(8) 1993-94,1999-2000,03,20-22 Kalkaska:(5) 2002,12-13,16,20

Girls Volleyball

Conference Champions

State Championship Appearances

Boys Cross Country

Conference Champions

State Final Finishes

Individual State Champions

Girls Cross Country

Conference Champions

State Final Finishes

Individual State Champion

Boys Soccer

Conference Champions * St. Francis has a Co-Op program with Traverse City Christian, who is the host program, and Grand Traverse Academy.

State Championship Appearances

Girls Golf

Conference Champions

State Final Finishes

Individual State Champion

Boys Tennis

Conference Champions

Individual State Champion

Girls Tennis

Conference Champions

Individual State Champions

Boys Basketball

Conference Champions Conference Records Through 2022-23

State Championship Appearances

Girls Basketball

Conference Champions Conference Records 1997-98 to 2022-23

State Championship Appearances

Wrestling

Conference Champions

Individual State Champions

Boys Skiing

Conference Champions *St. Francis and Elk Rapids were a co-op for their 2014,2016 & 2017 championships. Great North Alpine was a co-op between St. Francis, Elk Rapids, Central Lake and Grand Traverse Academy.

Girls Skiing

Conference Champions

Baseball

Conference Champions

State Championship Appearances

Softball

Conference Champions

State Championship Appearances

Boys Track

Conference Champions Individual State Champions

Girls Track

Conference Champions Individual State Champions Bold= MHSAA Girls Track & Field Final Meet Records

Boys Golf

Conference Champions State Final Finishes 1997- none 1998- none 1999- none 2000- Charlevoix 3rd D3, St. Francis 8th D4, Harbor Springs 9th D4 2001- Elk Rapids 12th D3, Harbor Springs 2nd D4, St. Francis 3rd D4 2002- Charlexoix 15th D3, Harbor Springs 3rd D4, St. Francis 4th D4 2003- Grayling 3rd D3, Charlevoix 15th D3, St. Francis 3rd* D4, Harbor Springs 12th D4 2004- Grayling 2nd D3, St. Francis 1st D4 2005- St. Francis 2nd D4 2006- Elk Rapids 15th D3, St. Francis 2nd D4, Harbor Springs 4th D4 2007- none 2008- St. Francis 1st D4, Harbor Springs 10th D4 2009- Charlevoix 12th D3, St. Francis 3rd D4, Habor Springs 6th D4 2010- Charlevoix 8th D3 2011- Charlevoix 7th D3, St. Francis 11th D4 2012- none 2013- Charlevoix 13th D3, Harbor Springs 12th D4 2014- Kalkaska 3rd D3, Charlevoix 2nd D4, St. Francis 6th D4 2015- St. Francis 11th D4 2016- Harbor Springs 8th D4 2017- Charlevoix 8th D3, Harbor Springs 9th D4 2018- Charlevoix 10th D3, Elk Rapids 13th D3 2019- Elk Rapids 6th D3 2021- Elk Rapids 9th D3, Boyne City 10th D3, Charlevoix 4th D4, Harbor Springs 15th D4 2022- St. Francis 4th D3, Boyne City 12th D3, Charlevoix 5th D4 * St. Francis was in a three way tie for 1st place. Due to tiebreakers they finished 3rd. Individual Champion

Girls Soccer

Conference Champions * St. Francis hosts a Co-Op program with Traverse City Christian and Grand Traverse Academy. State Championship Appearances

State Champions By School

Boyne City: Boys Track and Field, 1957,1958; Girl Skiing, 2007 (3) Charlevoix: Boys Cross Country 1982,1983,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991 (7) East Jordan: Boys Tennis 1955; Boys Cross Country, 1998,2000 (3) Elk Rapids: Boys Soccer, 1997–98; Girls Skiing, 2016; Boys Skiing, 2019 (4) Grayling: Boys Basketball, 1917 (1) Harbor Springs: Boys Basketball, 1929; Boys Cross Country, 2002,2003,2004; Girls Cross Country, 2008,2009; Boys Skiing, 1996,2003,2005–06,2010; Girls Skiing, 1987,1988,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2012; Girls Track 2015; Girls Golf 2017,2018 (22) Kalkaska: Boys Basketball, 1916 (1) Traverse City St. Francis: Baseball, 1990; Boys Bowling, 2004; Girls Cross Country, 2003,2015,2016,2022; Football, 1992,1999,2003,2005,2008,2009; Boys Golf, 2004,2008; Girls Skiing, 2005, 2016; Boys Skiing, 2019; Girls Track and Field 2013, Boys Tennis 2021 (19)

Athletes Who Participated In NCAA Division I Athletics

, - , Boyne City , , Jason Richards , , Baseball , ,

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

, , , - , Boyne City , , Kristen Gaither , , Basketball , ,

University of Detroit Mercy The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...

, , , - , Boyne City , , Malik Smith , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , Boyne City , , Corey Redman , , Basketball , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Eric Buday , , Track and Field , , Michigan State University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Bill Taylor , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Matt Peterson , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , John Tunison , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Jeff Drenth , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Doug Drenth , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Douglas Bergmann , , Cross Country , ,

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William I ...

, , , - , Charlevoix , , Scott Miller , , Cross Country , ,

, , , - , Charlevoix , , Scott Friske , , Basketball , , Brown University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Bill Ivan , , Football , ,

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...

, , , - , Charlevoix , , Ben Myers , , Soccer , , Michigan State University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Amber Way , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Molly Jeakle , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Charlevoix , , Megan Scholten , , Soccer , ,

University of Memphis } The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students. The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering, the Center for Ea ...

, , , - , Charlevoix , , Blaise Snabes , , Soccer , ,

Western Illinois University Western Illinois University (WIU) is a public university in Macomb, Illinois. It was founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. As the normal school grew, it became Western Illinois State Teachers College. History Western Illin ...

, , , - , Charlevoix , , Elise Stuck , , Basketball , ,

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, , , - , East Jordan , , Tarn Leach , , Cross Country , ,

, , , - , East Jordan , , Shaina Peters , , Softball , ,

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

, , , - , East Jordan , , Kayla Keane , , Cross Country , ,

, , , - , Elk Rapids , , Amanda Hammer , , Cross Country , ,

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the ...

, , , - , Elk Rapids , ,

Adam Trautman Adam Trautman (born February 5, 1997) is an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Dayton and was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. ...

, , Football , ,

University of Dayton The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...

, , , - , Elk Rapids , , Alec Trautman , , Football , ,

, , , - , Elk Rapids , , Audriana Hammond , , Gymnastics , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Elk Rapids , , Garrison Waugh , , Rowing , ,

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

, , , - , Grayling , , Zac Baker , , Football , ,

, , , - , Grayling , , Jason Drudge , , Track and Field , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Grayling , , Nick Hunter , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Stephanie Adelaine , , Basketball , ,

Wofford College Wofford College is a private liberal arts college in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was founded in 1854. The campus is a national arboretum and one of the few four-year institutions in the southeastern United States founded before the America ...

, , , - , Harbor Springs , , Christi Shibata , , Basketball , ,

Kent State University Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in ...

, , , - , Harbor Springs , , Brandon Darnton , , Basketball , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Spencer Beatty , , Track and Field , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Tecumseh Adams , , Cross Country , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Sarah Adelaine , , Track and Field , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Jacques Henning , , Track and Field , , Central Michigan University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Jacob Kloss , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Jeremy Kloss , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Josh Hofbauer , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Harbor Springs , , Alyssa Hunt , , Rowing , ,

Drake University Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, law, and pharmacy. Drake's law school is among the 25 oldest in the United States. His ...

, , , - , Harbor Springs , , Kalie Grambeau , , Soccer , ,

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and mone ...

, , , - , Kalkaska , , Adam Norman , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Kalkaska , , Paul Greive , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , Kalkaska , , Josh Brown , , Track and Field , ,

, , , - , Kalkaska , , Leigh Ann Dalton , , Basketball , ,

Bowling Green University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...

, , , - , Kalkaska , , Sara Vergote , , Cross Country , ,

University of Toledo The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Patrick Rigan , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Matt Zakrzewski , , Football , ,

, , , - , St. Francis , ,

Holden Greiner Holden Greiner (born March 25, 1991) is a retired basketball player. Greiner usually plays as forward. He played four seasons for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's basketball team. College career As a junior at Lehigh, Greiner posted 9.4 points p ...

, , Basketball , ,

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Elizabeth Carney , , Basketball , ,

DePaul University DePaul University is a private, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1998, it became the largest Ca ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Katy Olsen , , Track and Field , , Central Michigan University , , , - , St. Francis , , Abby Clear , , Volleyball , , St. Francis College , , , - , St. Francis , ,

Joe Kerridge Joseph (Joe) Kerridge (born September 17, 1992) is a retired American football fullback. Kerridge attended high school at Traverse City St. Francis where he was a three-sport athlete: Basketball, Football, Lacrosse. He played college football a ...

, , Football , ,

, , , - , St. Francis , , Max Bullough , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Riley Bullough , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Kyle Lints , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Sean Sheldon , , Basketball , ,

, , , - , St. Francis , , Matt Seybert , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Erin McDonnell , , Cross Country , ,

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Byron Bullough , , Football , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Holly Bullough , , Cross Country , , Michigan State University , , , - , St. Francis , , Brady Buell , , Football , , Central Michigan University , , , - , St. Francis , , Molly Mirabelli , , Volleyball , ,

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Natalie Graf , , Soccer , ,

Valparaiso University Valparaiso University (Valpo) is a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is a Lutheran university with about 3,000 students from over 50 countries on a campus of . Originally named Valparaiso Male and Female College, Valparaiso Universit ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Chris Kolarevic , , Football , ,

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

, , , - , St. Francis , , Michael Hegewald , , Football , , Central Michigan University , , , - , St. Francis , , Tyler Prichard , , Baseball , ,

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

, ,

Other Notable Athletes

Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi, St. Francis — professional football player with the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...

Angus MacLellan Hugh Angus MacLellan II (born August 24, 1992) is an American rugby union player whose usual playing position is prop. He plays for the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby (MLR) and has played for the United States national rugby union team. You ...

, St. Francis — professional rugby player with the

United States national rugby union team The United States men's national rugby union team represents the United States in men's international rugby union. Nicknamed the Eagles, it is controlled by USA Rugby, the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United Sta ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Boyne City Public SchoolsCharlevoix Public SchoolsEast Jordan Public SchoolsElk Rapids Public SchoolsGrayling Public SchoolsHarbor Springs Public SchoolsKalkaska Public SchoolsGrand Traverse Catholic Schools
Michigan high school sports conferences High school sports conferences and leagues in the United States Northern Michigan