Wisconsin Soccer Central

There were 525 prep soccer teams in Wisconsin during the 2015-16 school year, most likely the top total in state history.

Statistics compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations showed that 19,392 student-athletes played high school soccer in the state, the largest total since the 2009-10 school year. The top total in Wisconsin history is 19,969 in 2007-08.

That included 10,322 boys players on 272 teams – both records for Wisconsin during the 14 years for which the NFHS provides participation statistics. It was the third consecutive year the state had 253 girls soccer teams, matching the top mark.

Soccer was the fourth-most popular sport for girls and fifth for boys nationwide during the 2015-16 school year, according to the NFHS survey. A total of 381,529 players participated on 11,676 girls teams, while 440,322 boys players were part of the 12,054 teams. Based on the number of teams, girls soccer ranked sixth among all sports and boys soccer ranked seventh.

NFHS Participation Survey Database

• Milwaukee Marquette (12-1-1) slipped one spot to No. 5 in this week's Top Drawer Soccer Fab 50 and fell 10 places to No. 12 in the USA TODAY-National Soccer Coaches Association of America Super 25. The Hilltoppers suffered their first loss of the season on Friday, falling 2-1 to Pennsylvania's Kiski School at the Gateway Classic in Collinsville, Ill., then bounced back to beat Connecticut's South Kent School 3-2 in overtime a day later in Edwardsville, Ill. South Kent is ranked first in the TDS national prep school rankings, while Kiski School is eighth. Middleton (13-0-1) moved up nine spots to No. 41 in the TDS Fab 50 and was among other teams receiving votes in the USA Today-NSCAA Top 25 poll.
• Marquette is second in the TDS Great Lakes Region rankings, which also include Middleton at No. 9 and Brookfield Central (8-0-3) at No. 15. The Hilltoppers also are No. 2 in the NSCAA Region VI rankings, with Middleton fifth and Green Bay Preble (15-1-1) checking in at No. 8.
• Beloit Memorial, the only other state team in the Gateway Classic, beat Dunlap (Ill.) 3-1 and Webster Groves (Mo.) 1-0, but the Purple Knights (13-3-1) dropped a 9-1 decision to Kentucky's Louiville Collegiate in the Bracket E final.
• Six state side received NSCAA Team Ethics and Sportsmanship awards for last spring's prep girls season, which are based on the number of yellow and red cards accrued by teams. Kenosha Christian Life was one of five teams nationwide to receive the Platinum Award – the Eagles didn't receive a yellow or red card during the season. Green Bay Notre Dame and Waukesha Catholic Memorial were among the 11 sides earning the Gold Award, while Kenosha Tremper, Menomonee Falls and Oregon were among the 19 teams to claim the Silver Award.
• Fourteen Wisconsin teams, nine girls sides and five boys teams, earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2015-16 school year. Cedarburg, Kenosha Christian Life, Madison Memorial and Menomonee Falls were among the 48 schools across the nation that had girls and boys teams both claim the award. A total of 389 teams (251 girls, 138 boys) nationwide compiled grade-point averages of 3.25 or better for the entire academic year to earn the honor. The Catholic Memorial girls team had the top GPA among state teams and joined Kenosha Tremper girls as both programs continued their streaks of winning the award every year since its inception in 1999 – the Crusaders and Trojans are among three teams in the country to be honored all 18 years. Here are the state recipients: