NCHSAA board adopts 'Big 32' realignment model, hears recommendations about playoffs & conference structure
When the N.C. High School Athletic Association conducts its upcoming realignment, which includes moving to eight classifications, the association will operate under the proposed "Big 32" model.
The NCHSAA Board of Directors voted 17-0 to adopt the "Big 32" model on Tuesday afternoon following a recommendation from the Bylaws Committee.
The Bylaws Committee, chaired by Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools athletic director Erica Turner, presented its report to the NCHSAA Board of Directors on Tuesday.
The "Big 32" model means the largest 32 schools in the state will go into 8A classification. The remaining schools will go into the other seven classifications based on their enrollment.
All classification assignments will be made based solely on the average daily membership numbers of a school. The Realignment Committee will use the ADM numbers from the 2024-2025 school year. Those numbers are released in the fall.
Turner, who made the presentation to the board on Tuesday, said the committee believes the "Big 32" model will lessen the ADM discrepancies between schools in a single classification, it will allow the NCHSAA to push smaller schools down to lower classifications, and it will provide more equity for smaller schools.
So what could happen to playoffs? The Bylaws Committee made the following recommendations, but these recommendations are not yet official policy:
- 8A playoffs would have 24-28 team brackets
- 2A-7A playoffs would have 32-team brackets
- 1A would have 16-team brackets
Many details around the playoffs, such as how schools will qualify for the playoffs, cannot be determined until after the realignment process is completed.
The committee also made recommendations for conference structure, but the board did not vote on the recommendations. The committee would prefer the NCHSAA try to limit conferences to schools from just two different classifications, but noted that it may not be possible in some parts of the state. The committee said it would like to see at least six teams in each conference.
Additionally, the Bylaws Committee recommended changing the realignment timeline from every four years to every two years. This would require a bylaws change to be approved by the member schools, meaning 75% of all member schools would have to vote in favor of the change. The recommendation from the committee noted it would keep conferences the same for four years.
The majority of other state associations in the country realign every two years, but NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker said some of them feel like "all they ever do is realign." She also said many of those states have fewer opportunities to appeal alignments.
The next step for the realignment process is seating the Realignment Committee, which should happen at the board of directors meeting this week. The NCHSAA staff will make a first pass at putting together conferences once ADM numbers are released this fall, then the committee would get to work, appeals from schools would be heard, and the process would continue.
Tucker said the board will need to approve the final realignment plan before next spring's board meeting. The new realignment will go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
The Bylaws Committee made the recommendations to the board after several meetings and receiving survey results from member schools.
This is a developing story. This story will be updated.
