Reigning Sectional Champion Bonduel Jumps to Division 3 as WIAA Releases Division 4 Realignment

The WIAA’s newly released 2026-27 Division 4 boys basketball sectional assignments grow the bracket from 98 schools to 104, and the headline belongs to Bonduel. The Bears won last year’s Sectional 2 title with a 78–68 sectional-final victory, but Bonduel does not appear anywhere on the 2026-27 Division 4 assignment sheet — the program has moved up to Division 3.

Five teams arrive from Division 5

Checking last year’s Division 5 brackets turns up the other side of the ledger. Webster, Washburn and Thorp all played Division 5 basketball in 2025-26 and move up to Division 4 for 2026-27, landing in Sectional 1 and Sectional 2. Cashton and Boscobel make the same jump from Division 5 into the new Division 4 Sectional 3.

Sectional 1 holds steady

Sectional 1 loses only Clear Lake, which doesn’t appear anywhere on the 2026-27 Division 4 bracket or last year’s Division 5 brackets — its new home isn’t confirmed. Barron arrives from Division 3 and Webster arrives from Division 5. Everyone else — Colfax, Prairie Farm/Clayton, Grantsburg, Glenwood City, Ladysmith, Cumberland, McDonell Central Catholic, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, Boyceville, Shell Lake, Unity, Cameron, Fall Creek, Mondovi, Melrose-Mindoro, Whitehall, Augusta, Cadott, Durand-Arkansaw, Osseo-Fairchild, Spring Valley, Luther, Eleva-Strum and Regis — stays put. Bangor is the only program to leave Sectional 1 for another Division 4 sectional, moving to Sectional 3.

Sectional 2 loses its champion, gains two from Division 5

Beyond Bonduel’s jump to Division 3, Sectional 2 keeps the rest of its 2025-26 field intact — Marathon, Colby, Phillips, Spencer, Crandon, Stratford, Neillsville, Abbotsford, Auburndale, Edgar, Chequamegon, Hurley, Kewaunee, Manawa, Weyauwega-Fremont, Algoma, Southern Door, Saint Mary Catholic, Iola-Scandinavia, Coleman, Crivitz, Oconto and Shiocton all return. Stanley-Boyd arrives from Division 3, while Thorp and Washburn arrive from Division 5.

Sectional 3 absorbs Sectional 4’s rural cluster

Sectional 3 keeps Darlington, Belleville, Cuba City, Prairie du Chien, Iowa-Grant, Wisconsin Heights, Fennimore, Lomira, Nekoosa, Necedah, Poynette, Wayland Academy, Markesan, Pardeeville, Montello, Marshall, Dodgeland/Hustisford and Horicon from last year’s field, and adds Bangor from Sectional 1 along with Laconia from last year’s Sectional 4. Mineral Point, Westby, New Glarus and Lancaster all arrive together from Division 3, while Cashton and Boscobel arrive from Division 5.

Sectional 4 trades its Sectional 3 pipeline for Milwaukee and Kenosha additions

Sectional 4 loses Laconia to Sectional 3, along with Omro, Dominican and Winnebago Lutheran moving up to Division 3. It gains six programs pulled from last year’s Sectional 3 — Brodhead, Parkview, Deerfield, The Lincoln Academy, Cambridge and Waterloo — plus Milwaukee North and Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic arriving from Division 3. Mishicot and a Valley Christian program based in Oshkosh both leave Division 4 without a confirmed landing spot in last year’s Division 5 brackets. Howards Grove, Valders, Saint Mary’s Springs, Kohler, Roncalli, Manitowoc Lutheran, Milwaukee Juneau, Kenosha Christian Life, Destiny, Ozaukee, Random Lake, Living Word Lutheran, The Prairie School, Salam, Heritage Christian and Cedar Grove-Belgium all stay put.

Sectional champions: then and now

Eight teams arrive from Division 3

Five teams move up to Division 3

Five teams arrive from Division 5

Regionals for the 2026-27 season are set for March 2, 5 and 6, with sectional semifinals on March 11 and sectional finals on March 13. The state tournament follows March 18-19-20, 2027.

Author: Steven Okonek