The remaining schools will be evenly divided between Classes 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A and continue playing in a six-week tournament format. The new classifications will be announced next winter followed by the sectional alignments.
“I am extremely encouraged by the vision and valor of our Executive Committee in making these progressive decisions on behalf of student-athletes in the Hoosier state,” said IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox. “It is my belief that these changes significantly address competition issues in football and will prove to enhance the team sport experience across all other disciplines.”
The Executive Committee voted to adopt the sixth class by a 13-5 vote but rejected seeding the sectionals (1-17) as well as realigning the schools (0-18) every four years in favor of the two-year tournament format.
The committee also voted unanimously to return the girls basketball state finals and its four state championship games to Terre Haute for a second year.
In addition, the panel voted to realign the IHSAA baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball tournaments every two years and approved an accumulation of points by which any school would move up one class based on tournament series performance during that time.
On a sport-by-sport basis, schools will earn one point for a sectional championship, two points for a regional title, three points for winning semi-state and four points for taking a state championship crown.
The maximum number of points a team can earn in a single year is four points. If a school earns six points or more during a specific two-year period, for instance two state championship game appearances, that school would compete in the next higher enrollment class for the following two seasons.
Tournament success achieved during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years will be used to determine classifications in 2013-14.
