North Carolina High School Athletic Association


The North Carolina High School Athletic Association is the governing organization of high school athletics in North Carolina, United States. The association maintains the official rule books and governs the officiating standards across the state.
The NCHSAA organizes member schools into conferences and oversees the state championships for each of the sanctioned sports. The NCHSAA headquarters is located at 222 Finley Golf Course Road, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The mailing address for the NCHSAA is PO Box 3216, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515.

History

The NCHSAA was founded in 1913 by Dr. Louis Round Wilson, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The University served as the primary source of funding and leadership for the Association from 1913 through 1947, before the organization adopted its current model, which provides school administrators with direct influence through the presence of the NCHSAA Board of Directors. The NCHSAA remained affiliated with UNC until 2010, when it became an independent organization.
The first state playoffs were held in the NCHSAA's inaugural year of 1913, in both football and track. Baseball, basketball, and tennis were added over the next three athletic seasons. The organization has sponsored a variety of different sports throughout its history, including: soccer, wrestling, golf, swimming, cross country, softball, volleyball, indoor track, and lacrosse. Women's sports were first sanctioned in 1969, with women's golf.

Organization

The high schools in the state are organized into classifications by the size of the student population. Prior to 1929 all schools played in a single "open" format and postseason play was decided within "east" and "west" regions by meetings of school administrators. The east versus west postseason approach continues to this day. In 1929 the NCHSAA split schools into "Class A" and "Class B," generally by school size.
Due to this and other factors, 36 schools in the Piedmont and western foothills of the state broke away in 1929 and formed their own association, the Western North Carolina High School Activities Association or WNCHSAA. This association grew to as many as 44 high schools, including many of the most successful high school athletics programs in the state. The WNCHSAA merged back into the NCHSAA in 1977.
The NCHSAA, due to segregation, also did not include African-American high schools. These schools played in the North Carolina High School Athletics Conference until 1971.
Several other changes occurred to NCHSAA classifications between 1929 and 1958, which eventually went to three classifications. In 1959 due to significant growth and consolidation, the member schools were split into four classifications, identified by 1A, 2A, 3A, & 4A. 4A is made up of the largest schools, and 1A the smallest. Prior to 1993, a set minimum enrollment number delineated each school's classification. In 1993, the schools were split so that approximately 25% of the schools were in each of the four classifications. However a new approach was instituted in 2017 known as the 20-30-30-20 model, with the largest 20% in the 4A classification and the smallest 20% in the 1A classification. The middle 60% is split between 2A and 3A. This model has already received considerable criticism for the unbalanced classes. The classifications are reordered every four years based on updated student population numbers.
Team sports have a separate state championship competition and title for each of the classifications. The only exceptions are cases in which the 1A & 2A classifications are combined, or in football, where each classification is separated into a single "A" and double "A" classification, with the double "A" classification being made up of larger schools than the single "A".
Each classification has a number of conferences for local play. Some conferences have teams from two different classifications.

Sports

NCHSAA sanctions the following sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Wrestling.
Many North Carolina schools, particularly in urbanized areas, have programs in field hockey and gymnastics, but these sports are currently not sanctioned by the NCHSAA.

Conferences

These are the conference alignments starting with the 2017-2018 school year. With minor adjustments to accommodate new schools, these alignments will remain through the 2020-2021 school year.

4A

;CAP 7
All schools located in Raleigh, North Carolina
;Central Piedmont
Schools located in Davie and Forsyth counties
;I-Meck
Schools located in Iredell and Mecklenburg counties
;Metro
Schools located in Guilford County
;Northern Athletic
Schools located northeastern Wake County and northern Johnston County
;Sandhills
Schools located in the Sandhills region between Fayetteville and the South Carolina border
;South Meck 7
Schools located in Mecklenburg County
;South Wake
Schools located in southern Wake County
;Southwestern
Schools located in Mecklenburg and Union counties
;Triangle 8
Schools located in western Wake County and Durham
;Eastern Carolina
;Mideastern
;Northwestern
;Patriot Athletic
;Big East
;Big Eight
;Big South
;Coastal
;Greater Neuse
;Mid-Piedmont
;Mid-State
;North Piedmont
;Piedmont Triad
;South Piedmont
;Southern Carolina
;Tri-County 6
;Western Mountain Athletic
;Central Carolina
;East Central
;Eastern Carolina
;Eastern Plains
;Mid-State
;Mountain Six
;Northeastern Coastal
;Northwestern Foothills
;Pac 7
;Rocky River
;South Fork Athletic
;Southwestern Athletic
;Western Piedmont Athletic
;Coastal 8
;Mountain Valley
;Northern Carolina
;Three Rivers
;Western Highlands
;Albemarle Athletic
;Atlantic 6
;Carolina
;Central Tar Heel
;Coastal Plains
;North Central Athletic
;Northwest
;PAC-7
;Smoky Mountain
;Southern Piedmont
;Tar Roanoke
;Yadkin Valley
;Independent
The NCHSAA Player of the Year Awards are awarded annually to the best male and female high school athletes in North Carolina:
YearMaleFemale
1985–86Patrick Lennon, Whiteville HSPam Doggett, Dudley HS
1986–87Robert Siler, Jordan-Matthews HSAndrea Stinson, North Mecklenburg HS
1987–88Chester McGlockton, Whiteville HSLeAnn Kennedy, Trinity HS
1988–89Ethan Albright, Grimsley HSDanyel Parker, Clinton HS
1989–90David Inman, Terry Sanford HSKaren Davis, Forbush HS
1990–91Mike Kendall, Albermarle HSChristy Cagel, Hayesville HS
1991–92Rusty LaRue, Northwest Guilford HSWendy Palmer, Person County HS
1992–93Tyrone Westmoreland, South Iredell HSHolly Hill, Southwest Randolph HS
1993–94Brian Roseboro, T.W. Andrews HSJamie Parsons, Millbrook HS
1994–95Na Brown, Reidsville HSAedrin Murray, Chatham Central HS
1995–96Titcus Pettigrew, West Forsyth HSShea Ralph, Terry Sanford HS
1996–97Tyrell Godwin, East Bladen HSJackie Houston, Kings Mountain HS
1997–98Julius Peppers, Southern Nash HSClifeteana McKiver, East Duplin HS
1998–99Nick Maddox, A.L. Brown HSAnna Tharrington, Southern Nash HS
1999–00Manny DeShauteurs, Brevard HSCourtney Willis, Terry Sanford HS
2000–01Derrele Mitchell, R.J. Reynolds HSMolly Pyles, Hendersonville HS
2001–02A.J. Davis, Northern Davis HSKatrelle Armwood, Durham School of the Arts
2002–03Drew Williamson, Cummings HSAnna Evans, Lumberton HS
2003–04Jim Ollis, Polk County HSEva Baucom, Forest Hills HS
2004–05Terrell Hudgins, Rocky Mount HSJesse Sims, West Henderson HS
2005–06Andres Arroyo, North Mecklenberg HSMegan Zullo, Farmville Central HS
2006–07Dee Bost, Concord HSGabby Mayo, Southeast Raleigh HS
2007–08E.J. Abrams-Ward, Thomasville HSJanetta Robinson, Pender HS
2008–09Tyler Shatley, East Burke HSAli Ford, Freedom HS
2009–10Kareem Martin, Roanoke Rapids HSLeah Mackley, Pender HS
2010–11Romar Morris, Salisbury HSCourtney Melvin, East Bladen HS
2011–12Tevin Hester, Granville Central HSLindsay Page Simpson, Franklin HS
2012–13TJ Logan, Northern Guilford HSHailey Cook, Hendersonville HS
2013–14Marquavious Johnson, Knightdale HSBlake Dodge, West Carteret HS
2014–15Chazz Surratt, East Lincoln HSTainasha Vines, Bunn HS
2015–16Nick Coe, Asheboro HSHailey Shope, Hiwassee Dam HS
2016–17Sage Surratt, Lincolnton HSMikayla Boykin, Clinton HS
2017–18Beau Studebaker, East Carteret HSHannah Jennings, Madison HS
2018–19Jalen Brooks, Cardinal Gibbons HSChesney Gardner, Owen HS

Hall of fame

The North Carolina High School Sports Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for high school athletics in North Carolina. It is administered by the NCHSAA and includes coaches, officials, broadcasters and others who have supported high school athletics in the state. The hall was created in 1987 with Bob Jamieson of Greensboro, Leon Brogden of Wilmington, and Dave Harris of Charlotte as charter members.
As of 2012, 125 members have been inducted.