Board of Directors Meeting Release: Oct. 2, 2025

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. --- Continued expansion of Girls Wrestling and an option for Member Schools to play additional baseball and softball games were among the approvals by the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors during its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Oct. 2 at the League Office. 

Girls Wrestling, first sanctioned by a vote of the Representative Assembly in 2021, will expand from four to eight sections with two state qualifiers from each weight class in section competition. This increases the number of state qualifiers in each weight class from eight participants to 16. 

At its meeting on June 3, 2025, the Board of Directors approved adding a half day to the Wresting State Tournament with Day 1 beginning on Wednesday afternoon. That approval provided increased flexibility, in part, to accommodate the growth of Girls Wrestling and planned additional qualifiers. The half-day addition also provided the ability to move to full wrestlebacks at the state tournament level. 

During the 2024-2025 school year, there were nearly 1,500 participants in Girls Wrestling. That was an increase from the 1,066 that participated in the 2023-2024 school year. In its inaugural season of 2021-2022, there were 250 participants.

The Board of Directors also approved the option of adding up to four regular-season games in baseball and softball.  The approval provides scheduling flexibility, especially in case of inclement weather that often presents challenges in the early spring.  

The approved proposal will allow teams to count in-season tournaments, doubleheaders or triangulars as one event, instead of the two or three games that might be played on that day. Tournaments paired on Friday and Saturday will count as one event. Teams will be permitted to have a maximum of two in-season tournaments.  

More than 80 percent of the softball and baseball coaches surveyed supported the proposal. The Region Committees and Activities Advisory Committee also approved the proposal. 

Among other Action Items: 

• The Board of Directors approved the 2025-2026 Strategic Directions that will guide the work of League Staff. The approved directives are: 

      The League will advance its mission and core beliefs by promoting and supporting the purpose and value of education-based activities and athletics. 

     The League will provide leadership in promoting the health, safety, and overall wellness of all students, coaches, administrators, and officials. 

     The League will develop and implement effective communication systems that inform, engage, and connect our schools and communities. 

     The League will demonstrate a strong commitment to policy governance within its board of directors and other League committees by implementing clear, consistent, and necessary processes, bylaws and policies and clearly communicating outcomes.

• The Board of Directors approved an expansion of basketball replay policy to include basket interference as a reviewable occurrence in state tournament semifinals and finals. 

Via its Executive Committee, the Board of Directors:

• Approved the renewal of a contract with Signature Concepts, the League’s official merchandise and apparel provider.
• Approved TCO Stadium in Eagan as the site for the third place and championship lacrosse games on June 13, 2026; the Adapted Hockey State Tournament at Bloomington Jefferson in March, 2026; the Adapted Softball State Tournament at Wayzata High School in May, 2026, and Monday, June 15 as the Baseball Championship Series date at Target Field. The Robotics State Tournament held on May 16 at Concordia University (St. Paul) was also approved.