
By Greg Halbleib
The merger of the Corn Belt and Okaw Valley will be known as the Illini Prairie Conference.
Ten high schools will form the new conference, including Corn Belt entries Central Catholic, Illinois Valley Central, Olympia, Pontiac and Prairie Central, joined by current Okaw Valley members St. Thomas More of Champaign, Monticello, Rantoul, St. Joseph-Ogden and Tolono Unity.
Student bodies from all participating schools submitted names for the conference, and principals unanimously chose Illini Prairie.
The new conference begins play during the 2017-18 school year.