The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association salutes the 28 schools that fulfilled criteria to be named recipients of the Award of Excellence in 2025-26.

The award promotes and recognizes the efforts and achievements of schools in the areas of sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, leadership, character and administrative accomplishment.

The recipients of the Award of Excellence, presented to high schools that have verified they have met each of the award’s criteria are: Adams-Friendship, Arcadia, Ashland, Barron, Cuba City, Elkhorn, Ellsworth, Germantown, Hilbert, Janesville Parker, Lake Holcombe, Lakeside Lutheran, Little Chute, Loyal, Marshfield, Mauston, McFarland, Mishicot, Northwestern, Owen-Withee, Portage, St. Croix Falls, Stratford, Sun Prairie East, The Prairie School, Unity, Watertown, and Wauzeka-Steuben.

Of the 28 schools receiving the award this year, 20 have received the award multiple times and eight are first-time recipients. Those eight schools are Arcadia, Cuba City, Ellsworth, Loyal, Mauston, McFarland, Mishicot and Sun Prairie East.

Germantown and Watertown received the award for the seventh time in the 10 years since the award’s inception, which ties three other schools for the most in the membership. Hilbert and The Prairie School are recipients of the award for the sixth time.

Recipients will be presented the Award of Excellence at their respective district’s Area Meeting in September and will be recognized for the achievement on the WIAA website and social media, in State Tournament programs and video boards, in the WIAA Bulletin and at the 2027 Annual Meeting.

The following is the list of criteria for award consideration:

• Athletic director maintains and updates all information in the WIAA School Directory annually
• Athletic director does due diligence in striving to achieve staff compliance with all WIAA coaching requirements (i.e. rules video, exam, officials’ rankings)
• Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with a Captain’s Club/Team Leadership Council/etc. – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with coaches - sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director conducted at least one informational meeting with student-athletes and their parents – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Athletic director attended conference meetings – sportsmanship, ethics and/or integrity was on the agenda and discussed
• Coaches and student-athletes attended a sportsmanship summit/leadership conference/etc.
• There was school representation at one of the seven WIAA Fall Area Meetings
• There was school representation at the WIAA Annual Meeting in April
• Athletic director made the student body aware of sportsmanship initiatives through school assemblies, announcements, posters, etc.
• Three or more athletic teams gave back to their school or community through volunteerism
• Athletic director has taken the free NFHS Sportsmanship course
• Three or more head coaches have taken the free NFHS Sportsmanship Course
• Athletic program had no coach ejections at any level
• Athletic program had no coach or player assault of an official at any level
• Athletic director nominated/submitted a boy and/or a girl for WIAA Scholar Athlete recognition (either for local or state level recognition)
• Athletic director or designee submits the online season Schedule/Results Verification Form by the established deadlines for all bracketed team sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, softball, volleyball)
• Athletic director or designee completes and submits the accurate enrollment count on the Enrollment Form by the established deadline
• Athletic director or designee completes and submits the accurate data on the online Sports Participation Form by June 30
• Athletic director or designee submits the completed online Fan Ejection Form within three days following the event the ejection occurred, requiring a fan to miss the next competition

The WIAA, as defined by its Constitution, is a private, voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 514 senior high schools and 26 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. The WIAA sponsors 30 State championship events for boys and girls.