Classifications for Michigan High School Athletic Association elections and post-season tournaments in traditionally classified sports (A, B, C, D) for the 2011-12 school year have been announced, as well as the enrollment breaks for post-season tournaments set up by divisions.
EAST LANSING -- Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second semester count date, which for MHSAA purposes was February 9. The enrollment figure submitted for athletic classification purposes may be different from the count submitted for school aid purposes, as it does not include students ineligible for athletic competition because they reached their 19th birthday prior to September 1 of the current school year and will not include alternative education students if none are allowed athletic eligibility by the local school district.
After all the counts are submitted, the 760 tournament-qualified member schools were ranked according to enrollment, and then split as closely into quarters as possible. For 2011-12, there are 189 schools in Class A; 190 schools in Classes B and D; and 191 schools in Class C.
Effective with the 2011-12 school year, schools with 952 or more students are in Class A in MHSAA post-season tournament competition. The enrollment limits for Class B are 466 to 951; Class C is 216 to 465; and schools with enrollments of 215 and under are Class D. The breaks decreased 15 students between Classes A and B, and 2 students between and Classes B and C; and Classes C and D.
The new classification breaks will see 14 schools move up in class for 2011-12, while 23 schools will move down.
Schools were recently notified of their classification. MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts said that schools may not subsequently lower their enrollment figure. However, if revised enrollment figures should be higher and indicate that a school should be playing in a higher class, that school would be moved up.
Schools have the option to play at any higher classification for a minimum of two years, but must exercise the option by April 15 for fall sports, August 15 for winter sports, and October 15 for spring sports.
MHSAA tournament sports conducted in traditional classifications for 2011-12 are Basketball and Girls Volleyball. Football will use traditional classifications to determine playoff points.
Sports which will compete in nearly equal divisions are: Baseball, Bowling, Girls Competitive Cheer, Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Lower Peninsula Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Skiing, Softball, Lower Peninsula Swimming and Diving, Lower Peninsula Tennis, Lower Peninsula Track and Field, and Wrestling. The MHSAA Representative Council voted at its March 25 meeting have Lower Peninsula soccer compete in nearly equal divisions, a change from the policy in place since 2000, where 20 percent of sponsoring schools were placed in Division 4 and the remaining schools divided equally into Divisions 1, 2 and 3. Visit the respective sports pages on the MHSAA Website beginning Thursday (March 31) to review the divisional alignments.
The divisions and qualifiers for the MHSAA Football Playoffs will be announced on Selection Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011.
A complete list of school enrollments used to determine classifications for the 2011-12 school year can be found on Enrollment & Classification page of the MHSAA Website. (Here is a direct link to the page -- http://www.mhsaa.com/Schools/Administrators/EnrollmentClassification.aspx)
Here is a complete list of the schools changing classification for 2011-12 (Note: This list does not include schools opting up in class/division for tournaments, which can be found on the Administrators page of the MHSAA Website):
Moving Up From Class B To Class A
Bloomfield Hills Lahser
Detroit Central
DeWitt
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern
Milan
Richland Gull Lake
Moving Down From Class A To Class B
Adrian
Benton harbor
Detroit Kettering
Detroit Northwestern
Ferndale
Hamtramck
Hazel Park
Warren Lincoln
Moving Up From Class C To Class B
Allen Park Cabrini
Dearborn Advanced Technology Academy
Detroit Frederick Douglass
Dundee
Ferndale University
Moving Down From Class B To Class C
Delton Kellogg
Harrison
Madison Heights Madison
Morley-Stanwood
Mt. Clemens
River Rouge
Shelby
Tawas Area
Moving Up From Class D To Class C
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian
Beal City
Detroit Winans Academy
Moving Down From Class C To Class D
Pittsford
Bellevue
Eau Claire
Lawrence
Taylor Trillium Academy
Covert
New Post-Season Eligible Tournament Schools in 2011-12
Britton-Deerfield Schools (Class C)
Detroit Trombly (Class C)
Detroit Aisha Shule-WEB DuBois Prep Academy (Class D)
Schools With Double Classification
Harper Woods HEART Academy (Class C-Girls; Class D-Boys)
Detroit Michigan Health Academy (Class C-Girls; Class D-Boys)
NOTE-Both schools have 75 percent or more students of one gender
Enrollment Breaks By Classes – 2011-12
(Number of schools in parenthesis)
Class A -- 952 and above (189)
Class B -- 466 to 951 (190)
Class C -- 216 to 465 (191)
Class D -- 215 and below (190)
