The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) has recently announced significant changes to the seeding process for the Girls and Boys Hockey and the Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments. During the final meeting of the Board of Directors, it was confirmed that all participating teams will be seeded in the quarterfinals, marking an exciting development for the upcoming 2024-2025 winter state tournament season.
The decision to seed all eight qualifying teams in both Class AA and Class A for girls and boys hockey, as well as for girls and boys basketball, will undoubtedly introduce an additional layer of competition and excitement to the tournaments. This change follows the League’s approval of a recommendation last October, allowing each Team Sport Advisory Committee and/or the sport’s tournament director to propose a team-sport seeding option. The different options include seeding numbers 1-5 and randomly drawing for seeds 6, 7, and 8, seeding all teams once per state tournament, or not seeding in the first round and instead using a regional/sectional or scheduled rotation.
This development represents a significant shift in the seeding process, as hockey has been seeded 1-5 since 2007, with boys and girls basketball following suit in 2013 and the subsequent season, respectively.
The changes are not limited to hockey and basketball, as volleyball and football state tournaments are also set to undergo alterations in the upcoming fall. However, the Class AAAAAA football state tournament bracket will remain unchanged.
In addition to the seeding updates, the Board of Directors has approved several other Winter Advisory Activity proposals. This includes modifications to the Basket Interference rule in basketball, a hat and headgear uniform rule exemption in Nordic Skiing, an increase in the number of girls-only wrestling events, and an individual wrestling section tournament format that calls for a two-day event when 10 or more teams are competing.
Furthermore, the Board of Directors has elected Don Peschel, Sauk Center, as President, Brent Schimek, Deer River, as Vice President, and LeRoy Fairbanks, Cass Lake, as Treasurer. They have also passed resolutions to call for a Member School vote to amend the League’s constitution to include 9th Grade Governance and to adjust outdated, editorial, or archaic language within the League’s constitution.
Additionally, amended plans for the Together in Partnership 3.0 were approved. Hosting the regional events will be done in four sites, including three in Greater Minnesota, held in Willmar, Bemidji, Rochester, and Brooklyn Park. The League’s Drone Policy was also updated to align with behavior expectations, the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, and establish consistency at all League activities. Furthermore, language in the League’s Name, Image, and Likeness Policy was updated to protect the amateur status of all participants and clearly state that NIL Collectives are not approved.
These changes are expected to bring about an even more exciting and competitive atmosphere to high school sports in Minnesota. It will be interesting to observe how these adjustments play out in the upcoming tournaments and how they will impact the overall experience for the athletes and their supporters statewide.