Stockbridge Athletics to Join Big Eight in 2024-25

Stockbridge athletic teams will return to conference play in the 2024-2025 school year with the announcement of the Panthers being accepted into the Big 8 Conference.

The Panthers played as an independent in 2023-2024 after the disbandment of the Greater Lansing Athletic Conference in 2023.

The Big 8 consists of teams in Branch, Jackson and Hillsdale counties.

Based on 2023 school counts, the Panthers will be the second largest school in the conference with Quincy at 384 and Stockbridge at 374. Other members of the Big 8 include Bronson (320), Union City (300), Springport (289), Reading (219), and Concord (200).

Stockbridge will be reunited with former GLAC foe Vermontville Maple Valley (235) with the Lions joining the Big 8 this year.

While school size is a good fit for the Panthers, there is some mileage distance between some of the school.

-Bronson 90 miles

-Reading 64 miles

-Union city 64 miles

-Quincy 62 miles

-Maple Valley 59 miles

-Concord 36 miles

-Springport 31 miles

In comparison, the Panthers made trips to Lakewood (69 miles), Olivet (41 miles) Perry (39 miles), Lansing Christian (35 miles), and Leslie (15 miles) while in the GLAC.

Sand Creek will play a Big 8 Conference schedule in football in the fall of 2024, but will remain in the Tri-County Conference for the Aggies other sports. Concord plays Eight-man football and will not field a team in the Big 8.

Stockbridge had made recent attempts to join the Cascades Conference in the Jackson area and the CMAC in the Lansing area, but were not accepted.

The Stockbridge School Board will make the move official with a vote at the meeting February 12.