In a Wednesday press release, the Minnesota River Conference announced that it would be dissolving.

Schools in the conference voted to dissolve the co-curricular organization Wednesday, bringing forth the end of the conference following the 2023-24 activities school year.

The conference of schools in the southwest metro has been in existence for more than 60 years, beginning in the late 1950s with members Arlington-Green Isle, Belle Plaine, Jordan, Le Center, Le Sueur, Montgomery, New Prague and Norwood Young America.

The most recent member schools included Belle Plaine, Le Sueur-Henderson, Lester Prairie, Mayer Lutheran, Norwood Young America, Sibley East and Tri-City United.

“It is a bittersweet, mostly bitter feeling,” MRC President Randy Walsh stated after the vote. “But in the individual interests of the schools, this was the right decision.”

Schools will now look to enter other conferences or work with the Minnesota State High School League to get placed into another conference.