Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

By Mark Miller Wishoops.net Editor 

Changes could be coming to the WIAA State Tournament. 

The WIAA Board of Control late last week gave associate director Deb Hauser the go ahead to fine tune a proposal for next falls Area Meetings that would affect many of the states non-public high schools and their divisional placement for the state basketball playoffs. 

The proposal, which has the support of the Board of Control, features three components that include: 

1) Moving private schools up one division if the school is located in a city with more than one public high school. 

2) Moving private schools up one division if the school is located in a city where the public high school ranks among the top 30 in the state in enrollment. 

3) Exempting non-public schools from moving up one division if the school ranks among the bottom 30 schools in their division. 

What kind of affect would the proposed changes have on private schools? That largely depends on which private school youre talking about. 

Whitefish Bay Dominican, for example, would continue to play in Division 3 despite having won two WIAA state championships under coach Paul Wollersheim in the past six years. 

Racine St. Catherines, which has won state championships in four of the past five seasons under coach Bob Letsch, would move from Division 3 to Division 2 because it is located in a city with more than one public high school. 

The proposal is far from a done deal, but change of some kind in regards to the divisional placement for private schools seems to have broad support from the WIAA membership due to the huge success private schools have achieved in the boys' state basketball tournament over the last nine seasons. 

Fine tuning of the proposal is likely to take place at the WIAA Area Meetings next fall. 

Here is a quick look at how each private school would be affected by the proposed changes using 2009 enrollment figures and divisional placements: 

Abundant Life Christian (Madison): Enrollment of 111. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1. 

Assumption (Wisconsin Rapids): Enrollment 180. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 2.

Aquinas (La Crosse): Enrollment 352. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Brookfield Academy: Enrollment of 237. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Catholic Central (Burlington): Enrollment of 179. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Catholic Memorial (Waukesha): Enrollment 775. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Central Wisconsin Christian (Waupun): Enrollment 110. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Columbus Catholic (Marshfield): Enrollment 151. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Coulee Region Christian (West Salem): Enrollment 54. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply.

Destiny (Milwaukee): Enrollment 198. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1. 

Dominican (Whitefish Bay): Enrollment 386. Remain in Division 3 since none of the criteria apply. 

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran: Enrollment 101. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1. 

Faith Christian (Williams Bay): Enrollment 67. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Fox Valley Lutheran (Appleton): Enrollment 635. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Green Bay NEW Lutheran: Enrollment 122. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1. 

Heritage Christian (Milwaukee): Enrollment 262. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Kenosha Christian Life: Enrollment 255. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Kenosha St. Joseph: Enrollment 288. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Kettle Moraine Lutheran (Jackson, West Bend District): Enrollment 421. Remain in Division 2 based on criteria No. 3. 

Lake Country Lutheran (Hartland): Enrollment 190. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 2.

Lakeside Lutheran (Lake Mills): Enrollment 486. Remain in Division 2 since none of the criteria apply. 

Living Word Lutheran (Jackson, West Bend District): Enrollment 161. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1.

Luther (Onalaska): Enrollment 274. Remain in Division 3 since none of the criteria apply. 

Madison Edgewood: Enrollment 662. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Manitowoc Lutheran: Enrollment 232. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Marquette University High School (Milwaukee): Enrollment 2,104. Remain in Division 1 based on enrollment. 

Martin Luther (Greendale): Enrollment 360. Remain in Division 3 since none of the criteria apply. 

McDonell Central (Chippewa Falls): Enrollment 208. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Messmer (Milwaukee): Enrollment 641. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Milwaukee Lutheran: Enrollment 731. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Newman Catholic (Wausau): Enrollment 228. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Northland Lutheran (Mosinee): Enrollment 90. Remain in Division 4 since none of the criteria apply. 

Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay): Enrollment 729. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Oshkosh Lourdes: Enrollment 215. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Pacelli (Stevens Point): Enrollment 260. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 2. 

Pius XI (Milwaukee): Enrollment 1,227. Remain in Division 1 based on enrollment. 

Racine Lutheran: Enrollment 229. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Racine St. Catherines: Enrollment 349. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Regis (Eau Claire): Enrollment 220. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Roncalli (Manitowoc): Enrollment 314. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 2. 

St. Johns Military Academy (Delafield, Kettle Moraine District): Enrollment 496. Remain in Division 2 since none of the criteria apply. 

St. Lawrence Seminary (Mount Calvary, New Holstien District): Enrollment 436. Remain in Division 2 since criteria Nos. 1 and 2 do not apply. 

Saint Mary Central (Neenah): Enrollment 195. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 2. 

Saint Marys Springs (Fond du Lac): Enrollment 290. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 2. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas (Marinette): Enrollment 76. Remain in Division 4 since criteria Nos. 1 and 2 do not apply. 

Saint Thomas More (Milwaukee): Enrollment 430. Remain in Division 2 based on criteria No. 3. 

Sheboygan Lutheran: Enrollment 221. Remain in Division 3 based on criteria No. 3. 

Sheboygan County Christian: Enrollment 157. Move from Division 4 to Division 3 based on criteria No. 1. 

Shoreland Lutheran (Somers, Kenosha District): Enrollment 324. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1.

The Hope School (Milwaukee): Enrollment 270. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

The Prairie School (Racine): Enrollment 255. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 1. 

Trinity Academy (Pewaukee): Enrollment 41. Remain in Division 4 since criteria Nos. 1 and 2 do not apply. 

University Lake School (Hartland): Enrollment 84. Remain in Division 4 based on criteria No. 3. 

University School of Milwaukee (Milwaukee): Enrollment 364. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based criteria No. 1. 

Valley Christian (Oshkosh): Enrollment 62. Remain in Division 4 based on criteria No. 3. 

Watertown Luther Prep: Enrollment 336. Remain in Division 3 since none of the criteria apply. 

Wayland Academy (Beaver Dam): Enrollment 238. Remain in Division 3 since criteria Nos. 1 and 2 do not apply. 

Winenbago Lutheran (Fond du Lac): Enrollment 366. Move from Division 3 to Division 2 based on criteria No. 2. 

Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee): Enrollment 862. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

Wisconsin Valley Lutheran: Enrollment 49. Remain in Division 4 since criteria Nos. 1 and 2 do not apply. 

Xavier (Appleton): Enrollment 496. Move from Division 2 to Division 1 based on criteria No. 1. 

The WIAA is also exploring the possibility of adding a fifth division with one-fifth of the schools sponsoring boys basketball in each division. If a fifth division is added, the above criteria would also most likely be put in place for non-public schools. Estimate enrollment cutoffs for each division would be: 

Division 1: Top 97 schools with smallest school around 1,080 in enrollment. 

Division 2: Next 97 schools with smallest school around 530 in enrollment. 

Division 3: Next 97 schools with smallest school around 300 in enrollment. 

Division 4: Next 98 schools with smallest school around 192 in enrollment. 

Division 5: Last 98 schools.