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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --March 30, 2000
Contact: John Johnson or Andy Frushour-- 517.332.5046

EAST LANSING, Mich. - March 30 - The classification breaks for 2000-01 post-season tournament competition for member schools of the Michigan High School Athletic Association have been announced.

Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second semester count date, which was February 23. 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 Sept. 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 737 member schools are ranked according to enrollment, and then split as closely into quarters as possible. For 2000-01, it works out that 185 schools are in Class A, and 184 schools are in Classes B, C and D.

Effective with the 2000-01 school year, schools with 992 or more students will compete in Class A in MHSAA competition. The enrollment limits for Class B are 495 to 991; Class C is 252 to 494; and schools with enrollments of 251 and under are Class D. The break dropped 6 students between Classes A and B; decreased 4 students between Classes B and C; and there was a 3-student decrease for the break between Classes C and D.

Schools were recently notified of their classification. MHSAA Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts said that schools may not appeal their classification if the appeal is to play in a lower class.
However, if revised enrollment figures indicate that a school should be playing in a higher class, that school would be moved up.

The new classification breaks will see 29 schools move up in class for 2000-01, while 10 schools will move down.

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.

Sports which will compete in nearly equal divisions in 2000-01 are: Baseball, Lower Peninsula Boys and Girls Cross Country, Lower Peninsula Boys and Girls Golf, Ice Hockey, Softball, Lower Peninsula Boys and Girls Tennis, Lower Peninsula Boys and Girls Track and Field, and Wrestling. Boys and Girls Soccer will have 20 percent of sponsoring schools in Division 4 and the remaining schools divided equally into Divisions 1, 2 and 3. The division breaks in those sports will be announced in April.

Here is a complete list of the schools changing classification for 2000-01:

Moving Up From Class B To Class A
Allen Park
Coldwater
Dearborn Heights Crestwood
Gaylord
Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills
Mattawan
Trenton

Moving Down From Class A To Class B
Birmingham Seaholm
Flint Northwestern
Ionia

Moving Up From Class C To Class B
Capac
Farwell
Flat Rock
Hemlock
Madison Heights Madison
Montrose
Muskegon Heights
Muskegon Oakridge
Riverview Gabriel Richard

Moving Down From Class B To Class C
Cass City
Ida
Saginaw Buena Vista

Moving Up From Class D To Class C
Centreville
Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest
Detroit Dominican
Reading
Colon
Hale
Flat Rock Summit Academy
Johannesburg-Lewiston
New Lothrop
Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart
Decatur
North Muskegon
Detroit Community

Moving Down From Class C To Class D
Inkster
Muskegon Catholic Central
Mohawk Keweenaw Academy
Ferndale Academy of Detroit

New Schools
Boyne City Concord Academy - Class D
Hart Lakeshore Public Academy - Class D
Ann Arbor Central Academy - Class D

Enrollment Breaks By Classes - 2000-01
(Number of schools in parenthesis)
Class A - 992 and above (185)
Class B - 495 to 991 (184)
Class C - 252 to 494 (184)
Class D - 251 and below (184)