COLUMBUS — The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors recently sent a memo to school administrators regarding its intentions to study expanding its postseason tournaments in seven of its sports.

In a presentation by executive director Doug Ute on Tuesday, the organization is currently planning to propose increasing the number of divisions used in baseball, basketball, softball, and volleyball from four to seven, while moving up to five divisions for soccer.

The OHSAA cited several adjoining states to Ohio which have more divisions than Ohio uses for many of its sponsored sports despite having fewer schools participating as the baseline of its study.

Under the planned proposal for baseball, basketball, softball and volleyball, the top 64 schools in enrollment would be placed in Division I, with the next 64 being in D-II. Divisions III through VII would be split evenly with the remaining schools.

The same initial splits would be created in soccer for D-I and D-II, with Divisions III-V getting the remaining schools after the first two sets of 64 are determined.

Competitive balance adjustments would still be taken into effect in determining the enrollment count used.

In the current format, there is currently a disparity gap of more than 900 students between the highest and lowest schools in enrollment for D-I. Using a seven-division breakdown, the OHSAA’s proposal would lower that number by nearly 300.

The OHSAA says it has received feedback from Division I school administrators in Southwest Ohio that expresses a desire to increase the number of divisions. The organization quoted the overriding message to be: “We just want a legitimate chance to win one or two tournament games, NOT win a state championship” as its basis for beginning the process of potential expansion.

Ute announced the OHSAA’s intention to study expansion on Dec. 15, 2023. The OHSAA in its press release said it planned to hold statewide meetings in January to present data and gather feedback on the topic, which seeks to address the wide enrollment differences from the top to bottom of the current divisional structure.

The proposal does not add any additional tournament games and would be expected to be a revenue neutral expansion.

Any proposed changes in the number of tournament divisions would need to be approved by the OHSAA Board of Directors and any changes to the OHSAA Constitution or Bylaws would require a vote of the membership. The Board of Directors could act on its proposal as soon as its next meeting on Feb. 15.

PROPOSED ENROLLMENT RANGES

The following shows the current listed division assignments by the OHSAA for Greene County schools. In parenthesis next to each school would be the new division it is estimated to be moved to should the organization’s expansion proposal be approved.

(Based on 2023-24 OHSAA adjusted enrollment)

GIRLS BASKETBALL

D-I — 320-1251 (192 schools)

Beavercreek – 841 (D-I)

Xenia – 421 (D-III)

Fairborn – 410 (2021 figure) (D-III)

Bellbrook – 329 (D-III)

D-II — 191-318 (193 schools)

Carroll – 306 (D-III)

D-III — 113-190 (191 schools)

Greeneview – 136 (D-VI)

D-IV — 13-112 (202 schools)

Yellow Springs – 106 (D-VI)

Cedarville – 68 (D-VII)

Legacy Christian – 66 (D-VII)

BOYS BASKETBALL

D-I — 346-1300 (198 schools)

Beavercreek – 894 (D-I)

Fairborn – 470 (D-II)

Xenia – 432 (D-III)

D-II — 193-345 (198 schools)

Bellbrook – 344 (D-III)

Carroll – 282 (D-III)

D-III — 121-192 (201 schools)

Greeneview – 166 (D-V)

D-IV — 16-120 (202 schools)

Yellow Springs – 103 (D-VI)

Cedarville – 92 (D-VII)

Legacy Christian – 55 (D-VII)

Contact Steven Wright at 937-502-4498 and follow on X (formerly Twitter) @Steven_Wright_.