Big Northern to add Johnsburg, Dixon

Let the speculation begin — which school will become the newest member of the Fox Valley Conference?

The Big Northern Conference announced Thursday that it has voted to expand to 16 schools, adding Johnsburg to the East Division and Dixon to the West beginning with the 2014-15 school year.

Johnsburg, with an enrollment of 817, is the smallest school in the FVC and has reportedly been seeking a return to the BNC for some time. Johnsburg left the Big Northern for the Fox Valley in 2006 and expected to grow to over 1,000 students. But that hasn’t happened and the Big Northern has now welcomed Johnsburg back as it expands to two 8-school divisions.

The Fox Valley, meanwhile, will be left with 13 schools and just six in the Fox Division with Johnsburg’s departure.

Neither Richmond-Burton principal Tom DuBois, the president of the Big Northern, nor Woodstock Athletic Director Glenn Wilson, the president of the FVC ADs this year, could be reached for comment on Thursday.

The Big Northern has expanded west by three schools in the last three years. Rock Falls and Mendota are also in the BNC West Division.

Burlington Central school officials have consistently dispelled any rumors of a possible move to the FVC. Central is a charter member of the Big Northern and all its predecessors back to the Little Eight Conference of the 1960s.