IHSAA releases new classifications for fall and winter sports through 2026

Apr. 2—The Indiana High School Athletic Association has followed up its school enrollment figures released in early March with classifications for the upcoming athletic periods.

The new classifications, set to start for the 2024-25 athletic year, features no current change for any of our area schools.

School enrollments from this past fall are collected by the Indiana Department of Education for grades 9-12 and are then sorted out by the IHSAA.

New this year is the ratio being used to sort such teams. The new method was approved by the IHSAA Executive Committee last June and will now use the 20-25-25-30 plan. That plan helps figure out four-class sports by placing the top 20% of school's enrollments into 4A followed by the next 25% for both 3A and 2A and the remaining 30% into 1A.

This plan hopes to leash larger schools into competing with like-sized competitors while.

Football and soccer, which operate at six- and three-class groupings will not be changed by the four-class groupings above.

In addition, Tournament Success Factor has also figured into the latest assignments. NorthWood, which won a boy's basketball title in 2023 and Fairfield, which did so in girl's basketball, will not be moving up since both failed to capture a regional title that would have sent them up for the next two years.

"Points" are awarded for each step of the postseason the team wins and are collected in two-year periods. Four points are awarded for state titles while sectional titles equal one point. A total of six points amassed during a two-year period results in a program moving up. If not maintained the team will eventually return to its usual classification.

Interesting storylines for the upcoming 2024-25 fall season feature teams like Bethany Christian boy's soccer (4 points) who would move up to 2A if the Bruins can capture a regional crown. NorthWood football (3 points) would move up to 5A if the Panthers win a second-consecutive semi-state crown.

Some of the action outside our area includes Mishawaka football dropping to 4A from a loss of enrollment and Warsaw football dropping to 5A after another school's tournament success factor squeezed the Tigers out of 6A. Jimtown falls to 2A in all four-class sports. Lakeland also falls, down to 2A in all four-class sports. Mishawaka Marian will take their boys soccer team to 3A after this past year's state title.

Below is a summary of where our area schools will be placed for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 athletic seasons. Baseball and softball will be finalized following the current season. Enrollment figures are from the 2023-24 school year and their standing among the 406 IHSAA schools is included.

BETHANY CHRISTIAN

Enrollment: 130 (State rank: 382)

Boy's basketball: 1A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 1A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 1A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 1A (no change)

Volleyball: 1A (no change)

CONCORD

Enrollment: 1,730 (State rank: 49)

Football: 5A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 4A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 4A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 3A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 3A (no change)

FAIRFIELD

Enrollment: 570 (State rank: 171)

Football: 3A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 3A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 3A (no change)

Volleyball: 3A (no change)

GOSHEN

Enrollment: 2,006 (State rank: 38)

Football: 5A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 4A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 4A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 3A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 3A (no change)

NORTHRIDGE

Enrollment: 1,393 (State rank: 69)

Football: 4A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 4A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 4A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 3A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 3A (no change)

NORTHWOOD

Enrollment: 869 (State rank: 116)

Football: 4A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 3A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 3A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 2A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 2A (no change)

WAWASEE

Enrollment: 895 (State rank: 111)

Football: 4A (no change)

Boy's basketball: 3A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 3A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 2A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 2A (no change)

WESTVIEW

Enrollment: 343 (State rank: 274)

Boy's basketball: 2A (no change)

Girl's basketball: 2A (no change)

Boy's soccer: 1A (no change)

Girl's soccer: 1A (no change)

Reach Matt Lucas at 574-533-2151, ext. 240325, or at matt.lucas@goshennews.com.