Board of Directors Meeting Release: June 4, 2024
Posted: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 - 2:58 PM
Seeding of all participating teams in the quarterfinals of the Girls and Boys Hockey and the Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments was approved on Tuesday, June 4 during the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors final meeting of the 2023-2024 school year. The approval came during the consideration of Winter Activity Advisory Policy Proposals reviewed by the Board of Directors after input from Region Committees, the AD’s Advisory Committee and the Principals Advisory Committee.
During the League’s 2024-2025 winter state tournament season, all eight qualifying girls and boys hockey teams in both Class AA and Class A will be seeded Nos. 1-8. Similarly in girls and boys basketball, all eight qualifying teams in each of the four enrollment classifications will be seeded Nos. 1-8.
Last October, the Board of Directors approved a Team State Tournament Seeding Subcommittee recommendation that permits each Team Sport Advisory Committee and/or the sport’s tournament director to propose to the Board of Directors a team-sport seeding option to be selected from:
Option 1: Team sport seeds Nos. 1-5 with a random draw for seeds Nos. 6, 7 and 8.
Option 2: Team sport seeds all teams once per state tournament.
Option 3: Team sport does not seed in the first round of the tournament. The team sport will use a regional/sectional or scheduled rotation.
Hockey has been seeded Nos. 1-5 since 2007. Boys Basketball began seeding Nos. 1-5 in 2013, and Girls Basketball followed suit the next season.
Complete seeding is coming to the volleyball and football state tournaments this fall. There will be no changes, however, in the Class AAAAAA football state tournament bracket.
In other Action Items, the Board of Directors:
Approved other Winter Advisory Activity proposals that include a Minnesota modification adding backboard contact 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.
Affirmed voting of executive officers to serve during the 2024-2025 school year. Elected officers for the coming school year included: Don Peschel, Sauk Center, President; Brent Schimek, Deer River, Vice President; LeRoy Fairbanks, Cass Lake, Treasurer.
Approved a Board of Directors resolution to call for a Member School vote to amend the League’s Constitution to include 9th Grade Governance. The process will continue with information shared to Member Schools with an anticipated vote this fall. Information-sharing includes presentations at the Fall Area Meetings. The Board of Directors also approved a resolution to call for a vote of Member Schools to adjust outdated, editorial or archaic language within the League’s constitution.
Approved the outlined plans of Together in Partnership 3.0. Four sites, including three in Greater Minnesota, will host the regional events. They will be held in Willmar, Bemidji, Rochester and Brooklyn Park.
Approved amendments to the League’s Drone Policy to align with behavior expectations, the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration and establishing consistency at all League activities.
Approved updated language in the League’s Name, Image and Likeness Policy that continues to protect the amateur status of all participants and clearly states that NIL Collectives are not approved.
