North Carolina Rolls Out New 8-Tier Classification Plan for High School Sports

Making a major change, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) revealed its final conference structure for 2025-2029 on March 3, 2025. The plan creates an eight-classification system, introducing a new Big 32 division.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, the association's current bylaw that prevents more than 64 teams from competing in a conference. This change classification and addition of the Big 32 division will allow room for growth in the conferences.

In this new setup, 32 schools will play in 8A classification. Each of the other different divisions will have 59 teams. None of the Fayetteville schools challenged their placement during the final changes.

The final realignment for Fayetteville area schools In the 5A/6A Conference C group are, Douglas Byrd joins St. Pauls, E.E. Smith, Seventy-First, South View, and Westover. The new 6A/7A Conference B includes Gray's Creek, Scotland County, Terry Sanford, Cape Fear, Lumberton, and Purnell Swett. The 7A/8A Conference A will be Jack Britt, Overhills, Pine Forest, Richmond, Hoke County, and Pinecrest.

Some schools are considering a bylaw change that would require conference reassignment every two years to ensure a more effective structure. As of now, the NCHSAA Board updates classifications every four years.