This year marks the 50th anniversary of the WIAA girls state basketball tournament. That theme will be celebrated all weekend at the Resch. March 11, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — This year marks the 50th anniversary of the WIAA Girls State Basketball Tournament.
That theme will be celebrated throughout the next few days at the Resch Center.
The WIAA said their 2026 tournament will be about recognizing the storied history of girls basketball in Wisconsin.
“I think the 50th year milestone is just important. For not just girls basketball, but girls sports overall,” WIAA Assistant Director and Tournament Director Melissa Gehring said.
She said girls and women’s hoops have come a long way since the tournament’s inception in 1976.
“Women’s basketball has been in the spotlight a lot with the popularity of the WNBA and the college teams being more accessible on TV, on the internet, things like that. So, it’s a celebration of kind of the journey to get to this point,” Gehring said.
Gehring said the WIAA plans to honor past girls players, coaches and officials, including women from the inaugural 1976 season. Former and future players will be able to visit the “Legacy Lane” booth on the concourse to receive a commemorative button.
There will also be in-game t-shirt tosses and fans will have the chance to take photos at a selfie station.
Gehring said girls basketball numbers have dropped both nationwide and statewide.
“We’re hoping that the celebration will help increase those numbers and inspire people to get through the grit and long season and want to play for their school,” Gehring said.
If you’re looking to dive deep into the history of WIAA girls basketball, fans can check out an exhibit on display at Discover Green Bay.
“We have the first basketball that was given out, first trophy,” said Discover Green Bay CEO Brad Toll. “Some great memorabilia in there that high schools throughout the state have lent Discover Green Bay and WIAA, to tell the story of the tournament.”
There are only two local teams participating in the tournament this year. However, Toll still expects the event will have about a $2.2 million economic impact, which will give stores, restaurants and hotels a leg up.
“[The players] worked very hard to get to the state tournament, and for us to have the opportunity as a community to host this here is really quite awesome,” Toll said.
The WIAA is expecting at least 40,000 fans to come through the Resch Center the next few days. Action kicks off Thursday at 1:35 p.m. and continues through Championship Saturday.
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