Three Division Volleyball Draft

Presented by the

North Dakota High School Activities Association

Board of Directors

Beginning with the 2025–26

NDHSAA Volleyball Season

January 2024

Last revision 1/18/2024

The NDHSAA Board of Directors approved a third division of volleyball on September 5, 2023.  The following document includes a current draft of the guidelines the NDHSAA Board of Directors will use to implement the third division for volleyball beginning with the 2025-26 NDHSAA volleyball season.

There are several key points in this draft to be aware of, which are explained in more detail below:

History of Volleyball

Volleyball was first sanctioned by the NDHSAA in 1983-84. The NDHSAA split volleyball into two divisions in 1988-89.

Coop Deadline

The deadline to apply for a volleyball coop for the 2025-26 season is November 23, 2024.

Divisions vs. Classes

Previous NDHSAA Boards have classified any sport or activity not split into Class A and B in accordance with Article II, Section I as  “divisions”.  This included football from 1997 through the 2020 season, and again beginning with the 2023 season.  Softball was classified in divisions from 2012-2017 when Bishop Ryan was approved to participate in Division A despite having an enrollment of less than 200 (see Article II, Section I).  Boys and girls basketball were classified as divisions beginning with the 2023-24 school year.

Division AA Regions

Two regions are assigned in the AA Division.

Division A Regions

Four regions are assigned in the A Division.

Division B Districts

Eight districts and four regions are assigned in the B Division.

State Qualification

Division AA - the top four teams in each region tournament will advance to the state tournament.

Division A - the four region tournament champions will advance to the state tournament. Second and third place teams in each region tournament will advance to a state qualifier game on the Saturday following the region tournament.  State qualifier winners will advance to the state tournament.

Division B - Districts will advance four teams each to their respective region tournament. The four region tournament champions will advance to the state tournament. Second and third place teams in each region tournament will advance to a state qualifier game on the Saturday following the region tournament.  State qualifier winners will advance to the state tournament.

State Tournament Seeding

Division AA region tournament placing will determine state tournament seeding.  The coaches of Division A and B state qualifying teams will vote to seed the teams for their respective tournaments.  The seeds for teams 5-8 may be adjusted to avoid re-matches of region tournament matches.

Division Enrollment Framework

The framework to place teams into divisions follows the same guidelines developed by the NDHSAA for the Three Division basketball plan.  The enrollment line between A and B was determined by cutting the traditional line of 325 in half.  The enrollment line between AA and A was determined by doubling 325.

Classification Committee

A classification committee will be established by the NDHSAA Board of Directors in the Fall of 2024 and is outlined later in this document.

Tournament Performance Factor

A tournament performance factor will be calculated after each season.

1. The tournament performance factor will be a three-year cumulative total of no less than six points per division, with accumulated points beginning with the 2022 season.
2. Teams that have accumulated at least six tournament performance factor points will be promoted to the next highest division from the previous year.  No team will be moved more than one division per year.  Teams may appeal this move to the classification committee.
3. Teams promoted to the next highest division due to accumulation of tournament performance points will remain in that division indefinitely unless an appeal is granted by the classification committee.
4. When a new coop forms, the coop will receive a point total equal to the combined total of all schools in the coop.
5. Calculating the tournament performance factor:

1. Points will be cumulative for a three-year period. (The inaugural point total will be calculated beginning with the 2022-23 school year)
2. The maximum points a team can earn in a season is four (4).
3. Points will be awarded based on the following system:

1. 1 point for advancing to the state quarterfinal
2. 2 points for advancing to the state semifinal
3. 3 points for advancing to the state championship
4. 4 points for winning a state title

State Tournament Schedules

The NDHSAA State Volleyball Tournament will continue to be played on two courts at the main venue.  Championship matches will take place on the main floor with hard start times of 3:00 pm CST, 5:30 pm CST, and 8:00 pm CST.  The NDHSAA Board of Directors will survey member school administrators for feedback on options for 7th and 8th place matches.

Framework

The baseline for classification and regionalization of schools for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 volleyball seasons will mirror  the 2024-25 basketball regions (prior to any petitions down, opt ups, or tournament performance applications).  The classification of teams with different coops in volleyball than basketball may be affected by enrollment. The following enrollments ranges will be utilized for classifications:

1. Division AA – Enrollment of 650+
2. Division A – Enrollment of 162.5 – 649 students
3. Division B – Enrollment below 162.5 students
4. Public and non-public schools located within a Division AA school district with 100-399 students shall be placed in Division A.  Public and non-public schools located within a Division AA school district with 400 or more students shall be placed in Division AA.
5. Teams may choose to participate in a division higher than their enrollment places them for a minimum of two seasons.
6. Following the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, teams will move divisions after their enrollment has been in a different division range for two consecutive years.  
7. A Classification committee will be established in the Fall of 2024 to review any petitions from teams to move to a division lower than their enrollment places them, as well as success factor criteria, beginning with the 2025-26 season.  The following deadlines will be used:

1. October 1, 2024 – Deadline for teams to request being moved down a division
2. October 15, 2024 – Classification committee considers all petitions for teams who request to move down a division for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons
3. November 23, 2024 – Tournament Performance Factor applied
4. November 23, 2024 – Deadline for teams moved up based on performance factor to appeal the classification committee
5. November 26, 2024 – Classification committee considers all appeals for teams moved up based on performance factor (virtually)
6. December 3, 2024 – Deadline for teams to request being moved up a division for 2025-26 and 2026-27 volleyball seasons
7. December 5, 2024 – 2025-26 and 2026-27 volleyball division placement finalized

Three Division Volleyball Draft

Postseason Format and Tournament Locations

Division AA

• Region Tournament - Same format as current Class A

• West Region Tournament - TBD – November 13, 14 & 15, 2025
• East Region Tournament – TBD – November 11, 13 & 15, 2025

• Combined State Tournament – November 21, 22 & 23, 2024 at TBD

Division A

• Four regions - Each champion advances to state tournament

• Region Tournaments – November 10, 11 & 13, 2025

• Region tournament sites will be finalized in Fall 2024

• State Qualifier Games - Saturday, November 15, 2025 - Winners advance to state tournament

• East - Site TBD in Fall 2024

• Region 1 Runner-up vs. Region 2 Third Place
• Region 2 Runner-up vs. Region 1 Third Place

• West - Site TBD in Fall 2024

• Region 3 Runner-up vs. Region 4 Third Place
• Region 4 Runner-up vs. Region 3 Third Place

• State Tournaments

• The state tournament will be seeded by the eight qualifying coaches

• Combined State Tournament – November 20, 21, & 22, 2025 in Bismarck

Division B

• Eight Districts

• District Tournaments - Top four teams qualify for region tournament

• Deadline of November 5, 2025

• Four Regions - Same format as current Class B region tournaments

• Region Tournaments – November 10, 11 & 13, 2025

• Sites TBD in Fall 2024

• State Qualifier Games - Saturday, November 15, 2025 - Winners advance to state tournament

• East - Site TBD in Fall 2024

• Region 1 Runner-up vs. Region 2 Third Place
• Region 2 Runner-up vs. Region 1 Third Place

• West - Site TBD in Fall 2024

• Region 3 Runner-up vs. Region 4 Third Place
• Region 4 Runner-up vs. Region 3 Third Place

• State Tournament

• The state tournament will be seeded by the eight qualifying coaches

• Combined State Tournament – November 20, 21 & 22, 2025 in Bismarck

Division AA Regions

3 Division VB - AA Map

Division A Regions

3 Division Volleyball A Maps

Division B Regions

3 Division Volleyball B Maps