The 2024-25 Wyoming high school winter sports season is set to begin with several key changes, stemming from a new enrollment-based classification system implemented by the Wyoming High School Activities Association (WHSAA), Wyopreps.com reports.
The new system affects a range of sports, including basketball, wrestling, swimming and diving, and track and field. Here’s a breakdown of the most notable updates for fans, athletes, and coaches.
For boys’ swimming and diving, Evanston, Green River, and Riverton have moved up to Class 4A after surpassing the 700-student enrollment threshold. This adjustment increases the number of schools in Class 4A to 14, while 11 schools will compete in Class 3A. The conference championships for 3A will be held in Cody and Kemmerer, while 4A will host championships in Evanston and Laramie.
Indoor track remains divided into two classes, but five schools have made the jump to Class 4A. The newly reclassified schools — Evanston, Green River, Jackson, Riverton, and Star Valley — bring the total number of 4A teams to 15. All other indoor track teams will compete in Class 3A. The season is scheduled to begin in early January.
Unlike other sports, Nordic and Alpine skiing remain unchanged. The WHSAA recognizes only one classification for each sport. Eight schools will continue to compete in Nordic skiing, while six schools will participate in Alpine skiing.
The new enrollment structure has shifted schools in all three wrestling classifications. Here’s how the classes are now organized:
- Class 4A: Evanston, Green River, and Riverton move up to 4A, increasing the class to 15 teams divided into East (7 teams) and West (8 teams) regions.
- Class 3A: Glenrock and Lovell have moved into 3A, bringing the total to 16 teams divided into East (8 teams) and West (8 teams) regions.
- Class 2A: This class is made up of 20 schools, split into two regions with 10 teams each (East and West). Schools include notable teams such as H.E.M., Hulett, and Moorcroft in the East and Big Piney, Cokeville, and Kemmerer in the West.
Girls’ Wrestling is still unified as a single classification but has been split into two regional divisions (East and West). Each region features 26 schools. Notable teams in the East include Cheyenne Central, Douglas, and Sheridan, while the West includes Cody, Green River, and Natrona County.
The biggest changes in Wyoming high school winter sports come in basketball, where multiple teams have moved classifications and new schools have joined varsity play.
- Class 4A: This class now has 15 teams. Key changes include Cody and Burns dropping to Class 3A, while Moorcroft and Thermopolis moved to Class 2A.
- Class 3A: With Cody and Burns joining, this class now includes teams like Douglas, Buffalo, and Lander.
- Class 2A: Thermopolis and Moorcroft drop from 3A, and several schools, such as Big Piney and Kemmerer, form quadrant-style conferences within the region.
- Class 1A: This class includes the smallest schools, with 25 teams in boys’ basketball but only 24 teams for girls’ basketball as Ten Sleep will not field a girls’ team this season. New teams joining 1A varsity play are Casper Christian and Ft. Washakie, marking a significant expansion of this classification.
4A Conference Format Changes
Class 4A introduces a new approach to regional play. The 4A East Conference will have 7 teams (including Cheyenne Central, Laramie, and Sheridan), and each team will play every other team twice. The top-ranked team will receive a bye in the regional tournament, while the remaining teams will play for seeding positions.
The 4A West Conference is split into two quadrants. The North quadrant includes Green River, Kelly Walsh, Natrona County, and Rock Springs, while the South quadrant includes Evanston, Jackson, Riverton, and Star Valley. Teams will play against others in their own quadrant, but cross-quad games will only count as tiebreakers for conference seeding.
New points rating systems are being introduced for seeding in regional basketball tournaments, notably in Class 2A East and Class 1A Southeast. Here’s how it works:
- Teams earn points for victories against teams of different classifications (1 point for wins over 1A schools, 2 points for 2A schools, 3 points for 3A schools, and 4 points for 4A schools).
- Points are totaled and divided by the number of games played to calculate a team’s rating.
For example:
- Team A has 29 points from 11 games (rating = 2.636).
- Team B has 37 points from 14 games (rating = 2.642).
Team B would be ranked higher due to its higher points-per-game rating.
Here’s where each classification will host its regional tournaments:
- 1A East: Upton
- 1A West: Lander
- 2A East: Moorcroft
- 2A West: Riverton
- 3A East: Glenrock
- 3A West: Lander
- 4A East: Cheyenne Central
- 4A West: Rock Springs
The WHSAA’s reclassification aims to better balance competition across all sports, giving schools of similar enrollment a fairer chance to compete. As a result, some rivalries will shift as schools move up or down in classification. The most noticeable changes will likely be seen in basketball and wrestling, while sports like Nordic skiing and Alpine skiing remain unchanged.
Fans should prepare for new matchups, fresh conference alignments, and potential adjustments to tournament schedules. The use of points rating systems in 1A Southeast and 2A East basketball is another wrinkle to follow as teams jockey for postseason seeding.
These adjustments are part of a broader effort by the WHSAA to maintain competitive balance, reduce travel for teams, and ensure fair play across the state. Fans looking for schedules and updates can stay informed through local school announcements or follow coverage from media outlets like WyoPreps.
