CHAPEL HILL – The spring meeting of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors concluded on Wednesday, April 30, at the NCHSAA Offices. Over the course of the two-day meeting, the Directors met and discussed agenda items, with action taken on Wednesday. On Thursday, May 1, the NCHSAA held its Annual Meeting and voted on proposals for Board of Directors members by the Nominating Committee.
Board of Directors
The Board approved the playoff structure for individual sports as recommended by the By-Law Task Force. These are listed below.
- Swimming & Diving
To run two championships at one time, with the projected increase in time of one hour. They will go from having three regionals – East, Central, and West – to two regions, with one in the East and one in the West. - Golf
One class will start off the front nine and one off the back nine, with two championships conducted at one site. There will be three regional sites for men, two for women. - Wrestling
Qualifiers reduced from 16 to 8; there will be two regionals for each class in wrestling, and the top four from each regional will advance to the state championships. In the Women’s Championships, the classes would be 1A – 4A (Combined) and then 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A. In the Men’s Championships, only 1A and 2A will be combined. - Cross Country
Classes 1A-7A would have three Regional Meets (East, Central and West); 8A will have 2 Regional Meets (East and West); the top 6 teams and the top 7 individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the state championships The State Championships will go to a 2-day event with four (4) classifications competing each day. - Indoor Track and Field
The top twelve entries in relay events and 12 entries in the individual events. - Outdoor Track and Field
The top 16 entries in relay events and 16 entries in the individual events. - Tennis
Each school will send two doubles teams and two individuals to a pre-regional to compete for the opportunity to advance to the regionals. From pre-regionals, 16 doubles and 16 singles will advance to regionals. The top two from each regional will advance to the state tournament for a total of eight qualifiers per class. Note: Conference tournaments will be optional.
The Board of Directors also approved the following items:
Finance and Personnel
- Approved the use of a cash option for payment at the NCHSAA playoffs
- Approved playoff ticket price increases for the first time since 2018. These increases move most first and second round contests to $10 per ticket, increasing incrementally in the third and fourth rounds and again at the Regional and Championship Rounds. Football and Basketball Championship Game tickets will now be $20
Policy
- Approved the alignment of NCHSAA Regions with the NC State Board of Education districts as it relates to the NCHSAA Board of Directors
- Approved extended skill development sessions from 1.5 hours to two hours
Review and Officiating
- Approved changing the mercy rule in basketball from 40 to 35 points
- Approved changing the mercy rule in football from 42 to 35 points
Sports
- Approved increasing the minimum number of matches for women’s wrestling regional seeding from seven to 15
- Approved using only the MaxPreps Ranking system (40-40-20 with no point differential) for playoff qualification and seeding
- Approved using the USTA High School Digital Platform (a component of the USTA’s Serve Tennis Software) for the state individual tennis tournaments for ranking
- Approved altering the 2025-2026 Sports Calendar to reflect a corrected date for the Swimming and Diving reporting deadline, regionals, and state championships
- Approved adopting the five-quarter rule in basketball, ending its status as a pilot program
The Board received special reports from:
Alice Neelon, a senior at R.J. Reynolds High School and member of the NCHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Council, discussed the SAAC Program in North Carolina and the accomplishments of the members of that council.
As well as the North Carolina Coaches Association, the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina School Board Association, and the Regional Supervisors Advisory Committee.
2025 Annual Meeting
Marc Payne, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, made the following recommendations for the Board of Directors.
- Maintain the Current Executive Board
Stephen Gainey, President – Superintendent, Randolph County Schools
Mark Garrett, Vice-President – Superintendent, Henderson County Schools
Chris Blanton, Past-President – Assistant Superintendent, Watagua County Schools - Extend Terms
Eddie Doll – Principal, James B. Hunt High School
Stefanie Phillips – Principal, Pinecrest High School - New Members
Dr. Matthew Cheeseman – Superintendent, Beauford County Schools
Ericia Turner – District Athletic Director, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Brent Lamb – Athletic Director, Highlands School
The voting members on the Zoom call unanimously approved the Nominating Committee’s recommendations. These appointments will become effective on July 1, 2025.
