The view of the new high school sports landscape came into focus Friday when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association released classification parameters for the next two years.
Member schools have already submitted enrollment figures for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 cycle. Monday, the PIAA will release where schools will be classified in each sport.
In October, the PIAA Board of Directors voted to increase the number of classifications for football from four to six, as well as increase the number of classifications in basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and lacrosse.
With those expansion plans in place, the PIAA began accepting school enrollment numbers for students in grades 9 through 11, which now also includes a 10 percent calculation for the number of students who are home schooled or cyber schooled.
There will be significant change in where a school will compete moving forward. For example, the parameters for the smallest classification — Class A — for the last two-year cycle stood at 1 to 174. With the expansion to six classifications, Class A will include schools that have an enrollment of 1 to 140.
Football, boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball and softball increased from four to six classifications. Soccer and girls’ volleyball increased to four classifications. Field hockey increased to three classifications and lacrosse moved to two classifications.
PARAMETERS
Here are the parameters for enrollment classification for boys’ and girls’ sports for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years, released by the PIAA.
GIRLS
Basketball Enrollment Classification
1 - 96 Class 1A
97 - 147 Class 2A
148 - 215 Class 3A
216 - 316 Class 4A
317 - 467 Class 5A
468 and Above Class 6A
Cross Country Enrollment Classification
1 - 183 Class 1A
184 - 357 Class 2A
358 and Above Class 3A
Field hockey Enrollment Classification
1 - 290 Class 1A
291 - 486 Class 2A
487 and Above Class 3A
Golf Enrollment Classification
1 - 292 Class 2A
293 and Above Class 3A
Lacrosse Enrollment Classification
1 - 441 Class 2A
442 and Above Class 3A
Soccer Enrollment Classification
1 - 172 Class 1A
173 - 270 Class 2A
271 - 440 Class 3A
441 and Above Class 4A
Softball Enrollment Classification
1 - 109 Class 1A
110 - 166 Class 2A
167 - 233 Class 3A
234 - 330 Class 4A
331 - 486 Class 5A
487 and Above Class 6A
Swimming and Diving Enrollment Classification
1 - 372 Class 2A
373 and Above Class 3A
Tennis Enrollment Classification
1 - 329 Class 2A
330 and Above Class 3A
Track & Field Enrollment Classification
1 - 249 Class 2A
250 and Above Class 3A
Volleyball Enrollment Classification
1 - 135 Class 1A
136 - 238 Class 2A
239 - 433 Class 3A
434 and Above Class 4A
BOYS
Baseball Enrollment Classification
1 - 112 Class 1A
113 - 166 Class 2A
167 - 238 Class 3A
239 - 353 Class 4A
354 - 522 Class 5A
523 and Above Class 6A
Basketball Enrollment Classification
1 - 94 Class 1A
95 - 149 Class 2A
150 - 218 Class 3A
219 - 320 Class 4A
321 - 502 Class 5A
503 and Above Class 6A
Cross Country Enrollment Classification
1 - 190 Class 1A
191 - 381 Class 2A
382 and Above Class 3A
Football Enrollment Classification
1 - 140 Class 1A
141 - 200 Class 2A
201 - 282 Class 3A
283 - 397 Class 4A
398 - 563 Class 5A
564 and Above Class 6A
Golf Enrollment Classification
1 - 278 Class 2A
279 and Above Class 3A
Lacrosse Enrollment Classification
1 - 481 Class 2A
482 and Above Class 3A
Soccer Enrollment Classification
1 - 170 Class 1A
171 - 282 Class 2A
283 - 467 Class 3A
468 and Above Class 4A
Swimming & Diving Enrollment Classification
1 - 411 Class 2A
412 and Above Class 3A
Tennis Enrollment Classification
1 - 364 Class 2A
365 and Above Class 3A
Track & Field Enrollment Classification
1 - 261 Class 2A
262 and Above Class 3A
Volleyball Enrollment Classification
1 - 431 Class 2A
432 and Above Class 3A
Wrestling Enrollment Classification
1 - 305 Class 2A
306 and Above Class 3A