North Central Missouri Conference to dissolve following 2025-26 school year

The five remaining schools in the North Central Missouri Conference (NCMC) — Hannibal Public Schools, Kirksville School District, Marshall Public Schools, Mexico Public Schools, and Moberly School District have announced the dissolution of the North Central Missouri Conference, effective at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

Superintendents and activities directors from NCMC member schools met Tuesday afternoon then came to their decision.

“We were hopeful that we could draw another school or two into the conference,” Hannibal Athletics/Activities Director Clint Graham said. “We reached out to several, but they were happy with the conferences they were in at the time and didn’t want to make a change. When those schools turned down our offer, it left us with the five remaining NCMC schools.”

The NCMC, which was founded in 1971, has seen significant changes over the years as several member schools have moved to other conferences. Helias Catholic left in 2020 to become a founding member of the Central Missouri Activities Conference. In June, Fulton announced it would be joining the Tri-County Conference effective the 2026-27 school year. Mexico also informed the other NCMC schools they intended to join another conference or start a new one.

“Fulton leaving really got the wheels turning on the process,” Graham said. “We had a lot of talks and discussions, and it’s not an easy decision by any means. There’s a lot of history with the NCMC and a lot of tradition to go along with that. Ultimately, we thought for all the school districts, it would be the best opportunity to find a new opportunity over the next year and a half.”

Providing the best opportunities for student-athletes remains the top priority. After careful review, member schools concluded that the current five-district structure of the NCMC conference is no longer sustainable and limits the competitive opportunities students deserve.

The decision to make this change for the 2026-2027 school year allows time for proper planning and discussions. Scheduling for the next academic year is already underway, and this timeline gives the remaining NCMC schools ample time to have open, honest conversations with other conferences to find the best fit for students and communities.