Mt Carmel to leave Big 8 Conference

In a vote  of conference schools, Mt Carmel High School will remain a part of the Big Eight  Athletic Conference only through through May of the 2020 school year. With recent changes in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football tournament series, the Golden Aces will not be able to field  a full Big 8 Conference football schedule and fulfill the requirements of the IHSA starting with the fall season of 2021. 

Conference member schools agreed that it was in the best interest of the student athletes from all schools to honor existing contracts in all sports through the next school year. This will allow approximately 18 months for new contracts to be established and all other contest preparations to be finalized.

Mt Carmel, the ninth school to be part of the conference since its inception in 1980 and joined the Big 8 conference at the start of the 2003-2004 school year.. During that time Mt Carmel has won 15 championships in football, girls basketball, girls golf and boys golf

The football schedule for the remaining six schools in the conference is till being formulated and will be announced at a later date.