The USTA Northern Section: Why Northwest Wisconsin Plays with the Twin Cities
Most of Wisconsin operates as part of the USTA Wisconsin District within the USTA Midwest Section -- five local leagues (Greater Milwaukee, Madison, Great Lakes, La Crosse, and Northcentral) feed into a state-level championship structure that sends teams to USTA Midwest Section Championships. But Northwest Wisconsin is the exception. Sixteen northwestern Wisconsin counties -- Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Trempealeau, and Washburn -- are administered by the USTA Northern Section, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The split dates back to the 1960s, when USTA's predecessor (the Western Tennis Association) studied territorial reorganization across the upper Midwest. The proximity of Northwest Wisconsin to the Twin Cities and the relative scarcity of organized clubs in the northern half of the state made it more practical for area players to compete in Minnesota-based tournaments and leagues. The arrangement remains today: USTA league play, junior tournaments, and adult sanctioned events for players in Eau Claire, Hudson, Menomonie, Superior, and the surrounding 16-county region run through the USTA Northern Section -- alongside Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota -- rather than through USTA Wisconsin.
In practice, this means Eau Claire-area teams travel to Twin Cities tournaments, junior players qualify for USTA Northern Section Championships, and adult NTRP league play is administered through the Northern's Saint Paul-based local league coordinator. The annual WTN Play/Replay Open at Eau Claire (held each March; 2nd annual scheduled March 20-22, 2026) appears on the USTA Northern Adult tournament calendar. Despite the unusual geographic split, Northwest Wisconsin still competes in WIAA-sanctioned high school tennis under Wisconsin's state athletic association, providing one of the more interesting tennis-administration setups anywhere in the United States -- a state divided between two USTA sections at the county line.
Competitive Tennis in Northwest Wisconsin
The flagship USTA-affiliated venue in the region is the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center at 1260 Menomonie Street, Eau Claire. Director Matt Boughton runs adult and junior leagues year-round, and the center hosts a 140-member YMCA junior team for ages 10-18. The center is the home of the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds NCAA D-III men's and women's tennis programs and serves as the host site for WIAA boys and girls Division 2 sectional tournaments (with Regis as the host school). For tournament play, the WTN Play/Replay Open in Eau Claire each March is the highest-profile USTA Northern adult sanctioned event in Wisconsin.
High school tennis in Northwest Wisconsin is dominated by the Big Rivers Conference, one of Wisconsin's deepest D1 tennis conferences. Member schools include Eau Claire Memorial, Eau Claire North, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Hudson, New Richmond, River Falls, and Rice Lake -- with Eau Claire Memorial holding the all-time WIAA record for state team appearances (25 in dual-match format). In Division 2, the Cloverbelt Conference (large school division) and Western Cloverbelt include Altoona -- the 2025 D2 boys team state runner-up -- along with several other Northwest Wisconsin Division 2 programs. Regis (Eau Claire Catholic) competes in D2.
Collegiate tennis is anchored by the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds, UW-Stout Blue Devils (Menomonie), and UW-River Falls Falcons -- all NCAA Division III in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), one of the deepest D-III tennis conferences in the United States. UW-Superior Yellowjackets compete in NCAA D-III through the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Northwest Wisconsin's collegiate tennis depth provides graduates direct pathways into local junior coaching pipelines -- many area teaching professionals, including those at the Menard YMCA Tennis Center, played college tennis at UW-Eau Claire or UW-Stout.
High School Tennis in Northwest Wisconsin
High school tennis in Wisconsin is governed by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), which contests state tournaments in Division 1 (larger schools) and Division 2 (smaller schools). In Wisconsin, boys tennis is a spring sport and girls tennis is a fall sport; both state tournaments are held annually at Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the UW-Madison campus. Northwest Wisconsin schools dominate the Big Rivers Conference (D1) and the Cloverbelt Conference (D1/D2), with Hudson and the St. Croix Valley schools providing additional Twin Cities-suburb competition.
Big Rivers Conference (D1)
- Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes (Eau Claire) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- WIAA RECORD: most state team appearances of any WI school in dual-match format (25); 16 consecutive state team appearances through 2023; 2014 D1 state runner-up (lost 7-1 to Brookfield East); long-time coach Jim Litscher; recent stars Evan Birkholz, Bennett Kohlhepp, Roosevelt/Sorenson, Roberts/Willems.
- Hudson Raiders (Hudson) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- 2025 D1 sectional champion (Eau Claire Memorial sectional); junior Nate Anderson 2025 D1 No. 1 singles sectional champ (defeated Eau Claire North's Logan Carroll in finals); juniors Chase Berning & Andrew Colianni 2025 D1 doubles state qualifiers; coach Denise Devereux.
- Menomonie Mustangs (Menomonie) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- Strong Dunn County program; recent state qualifiers including Cole Witucki & Noah Reckin (2023 sectional finalists).
- Eau Claire North Huskies (Eau Claire) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- 2025 D1 sectional finalist No. 1 singles Logan Carroll (lost 7-5, 6-4 to Hudson's Anderson in finals).
- Chippewa Falls Cardinals (Chippewa Falls) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- Chippewa County's flagship public school program.
- New Richmond Tigers (New Richmond) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- 2025 D1 doubles state qualifiers (extra qualifier) Luke Mews & Isaac Noll (seniors, 18-9); coach Denise Devereux's program.
- River Falls Wildcats (River Falls) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- Pierce County's St. Croix Valley public school.
- Rice Lake Warriors (Rice Lake) -- WIAA D1, Big Rivers -- Barron County program.
Division 2 / Other Conferences
- Altoona Railroaders (Altoona) -- WIAA D2 -- 2025 D2 BOYS TEAM STATE RUNNER-UP in program's first state appearance; 23-2 record; defeated Kohler 4-3 in semis; lost 5-2 to USM in final; ENTIRE roster returns 2026 (no seniors); coach Greg Emerson (also coaches girls); 2015 D2 girls runner-up; girls won WIAA Sportsmanship Award 2023 + 2025.
- Regis Rams (Eau Claire) -- WIAA D2 -- Catholic high school in Eau Claire; D2 sectional host at the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center.
- Superior Spartans (Superior) -- WIAA D1 -- Lake Superior region's flagship public school; competes in the Heart O'North Conference.
- Stevens Point Area Senior High (Stevens Point) -- WIAA D1, Wisconsin Valley Conference -- Although technically in the Wausau-anchored Wisconsin Valley Conference, plays in the same Eau Claire Memorial Sectional as the Big Rivers schools.
Governing Body:
WIAA Boys Tennis -- D1 & D2 (spring) |
WIAA Girls Tennis -- D1 & D2 (fall) |
Big Rivers Conference |
WIAA State Results
Eau Claire Memorial: The Streak That Won't Quit
No Wisconsin tennis program has been more consistent over a longer span than the Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes. The WIAA all-time team participation records show Eau Claire Memorial atop the list with 25 state team appearances in the dual-match format era -- the most of any school in Wisconsin history. As of the 2023 season, the Old Abes had qualified for state team play in 16 consecutive years, with the only seasons missed being 2006 and the COVID-canceled 2020 tournament.
The program's lone state final appearance came in 2014, when the Old Abes lost 7-1 to a powerhouse Brookfield East team coached by Linda Lied at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. While Eau Claire Memorial has never won a state team title, the program's longevity has produced more state-tournament victories than nearly any other in Wisconsin -- a sustained excellence built on consistent coaching from Jim Litscher, deep summer-development pipelines through the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center, and the Big Rivers Conference's tough year-round competition.
The 2023 sectional was a vintage Memorial performance: the Old Abes won every single flight of the WIAA Division 1 Eau Claire Memorial Sectional. Evan Birkholz won at No. 1 singles, Bennett Kohlhepp at No. 2 singles, the Roosevelt/Sorenson tandem at No. 1 doubles, and the Roberts/Willems tandem at No. 2 doubles -- sending all four flights to individual state and clinching the team's 16th consecutive state team appearance. Even when the Old Abes don't win the title, they show up.
Collegiate Tennis in Northwest Wisconsin
Three NCAA Division III WIAC programs anchor Northwest Wisconsin's collegiate tennis scene -- UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, and UW-River Falls -- plus UW-Superior in the UMAC. The WIAC is widely considered one of the deepest Division III tennis conferences in the country, and the proximity of all three NW Wisconsin programs at the Menard YMCA Tennis Center, UW-Stout's Menomonie courts, and UW-River Falls's facilities provides one of the most concentrated D-III tennis clusters in the upper Midwest.
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI · D-III
WIAC
NCAA Division III, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Both men's and women's programs play home indoor matches at the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center. The Blugolds compete in the WIAC's deep tennis schedule alongside UW-Whitewater (one of the historically dominant D-III women's programs in the country), UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Stevens Point.
UW-Stout
Menomonie, WI · D-III
WIAC
NCAA Division III, WIAC. Both men's and women's tennis programs at the Blue Devils' Menomonie campus -- 30 minutes west of Eau Claire and just over an hour from the Twin Cities. UW-Stout's tennis program competes throughout the WIAC and routinely faces fellow Wisconsin D-III powers in the spring season.
UW-River Falls
River Falls, WI · D-III
WIAC
NCAA Division III, WIAC. The Falcons compete in the deep WIAC schedule from their campus in Pierce County, just east of the St. Croix River and 30 minutes east of the Twin Cities. UW-River Falls offers one of the closest D-III tennis options for Hudson, New Richmond, and St. Croix Valley high school graduates.
UW-Superior
Superior, WI · D-III
UMAC
NCAA Division III, Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Located on the shore of Lake Superior across the bay from Duluth, Minnesota, UW-Superior provides Northwest Wisconsin's northernmost college tennis option through the UMAC -- a small-college conference with members across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Note: The proximity of UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, and UW-River Falls -- all WIAC -- combined with Twin Cities D-III programs across the river (Macalester, Hamline, St. Thomas, St. Olaf, Carleton, Gustavus Adolphus, Bethel) gives Northwest Wisconsin high school seniors one of the deepest college-tennis recruiting catchments in the upper Midwest.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennis in Northwest Wisconsin
What are the best tennis facilities in Eau Claire and Northwest Wisconsin? +
The flagship facility is the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center at 1260 Menomonie Street in Eau Claire -- 8 indoor courts, 50,000 square feet, opened April 4, 2018, after a $10 million donation from Menards founder John Menard and his wife Fay (Wisconsin's wealthiest family). The center is the home court for UW-Eau Claire Blugolds men's and women's NCAA Division III tennis, hosts a 140-member YMCA junior tennis team, and serves as the regional venue for WIAA boys and girls sectional tournaments. Director Matt Boughton runs the public-access program for an area covering a 50-mile radius around Eau Claire. Other regional options include Hudson and Twin Cities-suburban facilities along the I-94 corridor, UW-Stout's tennis facilities in Menomonie, and county club programs across the Chippewa Valley and Hudson areas.
How is the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center connected to UW-Eau Claire? +
The John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center serves as the home indoor courts for the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds NCAA Division III men's and women's tennis programs, in addition to hosting public YMCA programming. The 8-court, 50,000-square-foot facility opened in April 2018 thanks to a $10 million philanthropic gift from John and Fay Menard -- John Menard founded the Eau Claire-based Menards home improvement chain, which has grown into one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. The Menard family has long supported Eau Claire community institutions, and the tennis center stands across the street from the planned future site of a new Eau Claire YMCA. The facility also serves as the WIAA Division 2 sectional host (Regis hosts the regional D2 sectional there) and provides indoor practice space for the area's high school programs through the long Wisconsin winter.
Why is Eau Claire Memorial considered Wisconsin's most consistent tennis program? +
Eau Claire Memorial High School (Old Abes, WIAA D1, Big Rivers Conference) holds the WIAA record for the most state team tournament appearances of any Wisconsin school in the dual-match era -- 25 total appearances. The Old Abes have qualified for the state team tournament 16 consecutive years through 2023 -- the only year they did not qualify since 2006 was the COVID-canceled 2020 season. While Eau Claire Memorial has not yet won a state team title (they finished as runners-up to Brookfield East 7-1 in 2014, their lone state championship match appearance), no other Wisconsin program has displayed greater year-to-year consistency. The program is led by long-time coach Jim Litscher and routinely produces sectional sweeps -- in 2023, the Old Abes won every single flight at the WIAA Division 1 Eau Claire Memorial Sectional to advance to the team state tournament.
Tell me about Altoona's 2025 state runner-up boys tennis team. +
The Altoona Railroaders made WIAA history in spring 2025 with the program's first-ever appearance at the state team boys tennis tournament -- and the third-seeded Rails finished as Division 2 state runner-up. Altoona defeated #2-seeded Kohler 4-3 in a thrilling semifinal at Nielsen Tennis Stadium and lost 5-2 to top-seeded University School of Milwaukee in the title match, finishing the season 23-2. Coach Greg Emerson (who also coaches the Altoona girls team that won the WIAA Sportsmanship Award in both 2023 and 2025) led a roster that included junior captain Conner Gower, No. 2 singles Carter Drescher, Jonah Oldenkamp, Anton Navarre, and the doubles tandem of Daylen Parks and Joseph Ricci. Notably, Altoona's 2025 state team had NO seniors -- the entire roster returns for 2026, making the Railroaders the strong favorites to advance further next season. Altoona's tennis program only began in 2007, making the 2025 state runner-up finish an impressive 18-year build from scratch.
Why do Northwest Wisconsin counties belong to the USTA Northern Section instead of USTA Wisconsin? +
Sixteen northwestern Wisconsin counties -- Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Trempealeau, and Washburn -- are administered by the USTA Northern Section (headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota) rather than the USTA Wisconsin District (USTA Midwest Section). The split dates back to the 1960s, when the proximity of these counties to the Twin Cities and the relative scarcity of organized clubs in northern Wisconsin made it more practical for area players to compete in Minnesota-based tournaments and leagues. The arrangement remains today: USTA league play, junior tournaments, and adult sanctioned events for players in Eau Claire, Hudson, Menomonie, Superior, and the surrounding 16-county region run through USTA Northern (alongside Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota), while the rest of Wisconsin's 56 counties operate under USTA Wisconsin's five local leagues.
What is the Big Rivers Conference? +
The Big Rivers Conference is one of the largest WIAA Division 1 athletic conferences in Northwest Wisconsin and the dominant high school tennis conference in the region. Member schools include Eau Claire Memorial, Eau Claire North, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Hudson, New Richmond, River Falls, and Rice Lake -- spanning the Chippewa Valley, the Twin Cities exurbs, and the St. Croix River corridor. The conference produces consistent state team and individual qualifiers, with Eau Claire Memorial (most state team appearances in WIAA history), Hudson (2025 D1 sectional champion), and Menomonie all making regular runs to Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The Big Rivers Conference shares a sectional with Stevens Point (D1 Eau Claire Memorial Sectional) for spring boys tennis competition.
Are there college tennis programs in Northwest Wisconsin? +
Yes -- Northwest Wisconsin hosts three NCAA Division III tennis programs in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). UW-Eau Claire (Blugolds) plays its home indoor matches at the John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center; UW-Stout (Blue Devils) competes from Menomonie; and UW-River Falls (Falcons) competes from River Falls. The WIAC is widely considered one of the deepest Division III tennis conferences in the country. UW-Superior (Yellowjackets) -- on Lake Superior -- competes in NCAA Division III through the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). For Northwest Wisconsin high school seniors, these in-region programs provide some of the strongest D-III tennis recruiting opportunities in the country.
What does USTA league play look like in Eau Claire? +
USTA league play in Eau Claire and the surrounding 16 northwest Wisconsin counties runs through
USTA Northern -- one of 17 regional sections of the USTA, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Northern Section covers Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the 16 NW Wisconsin counties. Adult NTRP league teams from Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley travel for matches and championships within the Northern Section schedule, often heading to Twin Cities tournaments. Local sanctioned tournaments include the WTN Annual Play/Replay Open held annually at Eau Claire each March. The John & Fay Menard YMCA Tennis Center is the principal USTA-affiliated venue, and runs adult and junior leagues year-round under tennis center director Matt Boughton. Find
doubles leagues and
match play through
Tennis Circuits®.
Are the clubs listed affiliated with Tennis Circuits®? +
