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OHSSA adds track, CC divisions

COLUMBUS — It was no secret Ohio was going to add divisions for the state track and field and cross country meets. It was a matter of when.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted unanimously Thursday to expand those state meets beginning with the 2025-26 school year — the first change since 1970.

Track and field will add two divisions, expanding from three divisions to five, while cross country will add one division, expanding from three divisions to four.

As part of the expansion, Division I will have a smaller number of teams than the other divisions. The number of schools in the other divisions are to be divided as equally as possible.

The state track and field meet has had three divisions since 1971.

The move from three divisions to five will result in more state track qualifiers and champions.

The 2024 state track and field meet included 2,178 athletes over three divisions. There were 1,130 boys state qualifiers from 381 schools and 1,048 girls from 354 schools.

If the same rules are followed for expansion, that will mean more than 3,600 athletes will qualify for the state track and field meet beginning in 2026.

The expansion for track and field and cross country follows the OHSAA’s recent expansion in several team sports, including basketball, baseball, soccer, softball and girls volleyball. Over the last several years, the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches has made several proposals for expansion.

“We have been studying expansion in track and field and cross country for quite some time, just like how we studied expanding divisions in those teams sports,” said OHSAA executive director Doug Ute. “Adding divisions and decreasing the size of Division I has already brought such a positive change for those team sports, and now we have worked through the process to do that in track and field and cross country. We appreciate the dialogue with the OATCCC leadership and their assistance and patience.”

Details and tournament format information will be announced when the board approves the tournament regulations several months before each tournament.

The OHSAA state track and field meet had one division from 1908-1920 (12 schools participated in the first meet); two divisions from 1921-1970; and three divisions since 1971.

The state cross country meet for boys had one division from 1928-65; two divisions from 1966-69; and three divisions since 1970.

The girls state cross country meet had two divisions from 1978-81 and 1989-93 and three divisions from 1982-88 and 1994-present.

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