Triton Central announces departure from Indiana Crossroads Conference in 2026

triton-central-announces-departure-from-indiana-crossroads-conference-in-2026

The future of the Indiana Crossroads Conference is in doubt after Beech Grove, Monrovia, Speedway and Triton Central struck an agreement to leave the 20-year old Indianapolis-based conference.

Those four public schools will join with fellow public schools Indian Creek and Tri-West in 2026 to form an as-yet-to-be-named conference. The new conference will be amenable to adding two more schools, according to Triton Central athletic director Bryan Graham.

“We weren’t looking to move,” confirmed Graham Tuesday afternoon. “This was brought to us.”

Conference realignment has been active in recent years but the Indiana Crossroads Conference (ICC) has been stable with both public and private schools in its mix. Cascade already had announced its departure following this school year to join a newly-created Monon Athletic Conference with Crawfordsville, Frankfort, North Montgomery, Southmont, Western Boone, Greencastle and North Putnam.

Covenant Christian was announced as Cascade’s replacement to keep the ICC at eight teams with Indianapolis Lutheran, Indianapolis Scecina and Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter. Now, half of the conference will depart following two more seasons of competition.

Graham forwarded a joint letter drafted by the four schools to the Shelby County Post that stated, “This should serve as a letter of separation from the Indiana Crossroads Conference beginning in August of 2026. We plan to honor our current contracts and by laws through the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 schools years,”

Triton Central joined the ICC in 2012. Based on enrollment of the six schools in the new conference, Triton Central would have the smallest enrollment.

“We might be the smallest at 468 (students) and Beech Grove the largest (892), but I think we have more student-athletes,” said Graham of the disparity that could grow larger if more Class 4A schools are added to the conference before the 2026-2027 school year.

Beech Grove is the only 4A school. Indian Creek (636), Tri-West (606) and Speedway (571) are 3A schools. Monrovia (503) is the only other 2A school with Triton Central.

Tri-West is currently a member of the Sagamore Conference. Indian Creek is a member of the Western Indiana Conference.

One key piece to the new conference grouping is dedicated facilities and improved athletic experience for student athletes, according to Graham.

“The private schools don’t always have their own facilities,” said Graham.

Another positive to the move, according to Graham, is the fact that the public schools also have middle school or junior high programs.

“Right now, our middle school conference only has three teams,” he said. “This would give our middle school a full conference.”

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