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Note: The point totals below are unofficial and final point designations will be assigned by the WIAA.

After years of debate, discussion, and proposals to try to address competitive equity, the WIAA membership approved a Competitive Balance plan at April's Annual Meeting that was two-fold: a Tournament Performance Factor that applies points based on previous year's playoff success and moves teams up if a certain threshold is met, and an opportunity for schools to request divisional placement up or down based on several factors.

With the 2023 fall sports season completed, WisSports.net has examined the WIAA's Tournament Performance Factor portion of the plan, which will go into effect for the 2024-2025 school year, and applied points to all teams in all applicable sports to determine which teams have achieved the requisite six TPF points to move up a division in 2024-2025.

The Tournament Performance Factor uses the exact same points-based system to determine if teams will move up a division based on past success as did the Success Factor recommended back in 2015, and is applied equally to public schools and private schools.

Points will be awarded based upon the finish of the team in the tournament series. For bracketed sports, here are how points are assigned:

• 4 points for winning a state title
• 3 points for advancing to the championship game
• 2 points for advancing to the state semifinal (final 4)
• 1 point for advancing to the state quarterfinal, sectional final or Level 3 11-player FB, Level 2 8-player FB (final 8 teams).

Non-bracketed sports are slightly different and fully outlined here. NOTE: We have updated cross country as well as girls golf to reflect corrected point totals for sectional champions.

The sports of swimming & diving as well as track & field are not included in the Tournament Performance Factor and thus teams cannot move up or down in those sports based on postseason success. Also, the sports of girls wrestling, girls hockey, boys volleyball, and 8-player football are single-division sports and thus are not applicable currently either.

At the team level, those teams that accumulate six or more points in the previous three years will be placed up one division from their normal postseason classification. No team will be moved up more than one division per year. If a team is moved up under the Tournament Performance Factor and in future years their trailing three-year point total falls below six points, they will be moved back down, unless their enrollment places them in a higher division.

Point are accumulated per division. If a team accumulates points in multiple divisions over a three-year period, each division is summed separately. So if a team gets two points in D4, then two points in D3, then two points in D4 over three years, they would NOT meet the threshold to move up, as they would have four points in D4 and two in D3. Unless or until they accumulated a total of six points in a single division, they would not move up.

Also, if a team moves up a division based on Tournament Performance Factor points, and accumulates points in the new, elevated division, their total for the new division would reset. For example, if a team is moved up by points, then wins two state titles in a row in the elevated division, they would again be elevated to the next division. 

As an example of how points are applied provided by the WIAA for a hypothetical team:

• Year 1 - 0 points - Division 4
• Year 2 - 0 points - Division 4
• Year 3 - 0 points - Division 4 - 3-year total = 0 points
• Year 4 - 1 point - D4 - Sectional Final; 3-year total = 1 point
• Year 5 - 2 points - D4 - State Appearance-(Final 4); 3-year total = 3 points
• Year 6 - 3 points - D4 - State Runner-Up; 3-year total = 6 points (will move up to D3)
• Year 7 - 4 points - D3 - State Championship; 3-year total = 9 points
• Year 8 - 0 points - Division 3 - 3-year total = 7 points
• Year 9 - 0 points - Division 3 - 3-year total = 4 points (will move down to D4)
• Year 10 - 1 point - Division 4 - 3-year total = 1 point

There will be an appeals process in place for those teams that would be impacted by the Tournament Performance Factor, with schools able to appeal to a Classification Committee based on the following factors:

• Prior year out-of-building student percentage on rosters or historical movement of student athletes
• Socioeconomics of the school's population (i.e. % of student body on Free and Reduced Lunch rate)
• Demographics of the school's population
• Competitive history and balance - non-success and success
• Geography
• School's enrollment trend
• Student participation rate in WIAA-sponsored activities
• Student enrollment factors (i.e. open enrollment, students from outside your school's location)

The appeal window for fall sports teams impacted by Tournament Performance Factor points opened on November 1st and closes on December 1st. The WIAA's Classification Committee will meet December 6th to review and decide on appeals.

We have applied Tournament Performance Factor points to teams for the past three years to determine which teams will move up, pending appeal.

In our sport-by-sport review below, we will display only those teams that move up in the 2024-25 year (teams that have met the six-point threshold). To see full point applications for all teams that have earned any Tournament Performance Factor points, please click here.

As a reminder, the 2024-2025 school year will be the first season that the Tournament Performance Factor will be applied, so points accumulated in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 will determine placements in that first year.

One note regarding football, in the Ad Hoc Committee's plan, because not all teams make the football playoffs and the short turnaround between when qualifiers and divisions are determined (after all regular season games are completed) and when the first playoff games are contested (less than a week later), there is no process for schools to request up or down. 

However, there is still the application of the Tournament Performance Factor, with any teams identified as meeting the point threshold able to appeal to the classification committee (likely conducted several weeks before the start of the playoffs).

Because football requires 32 teams in each division, if a team(s) is moved up a division because of the Tournament Performance Factor, the next smallest team in enrollment in that division that DOES NOT have any Tournament Performance Factor Points would move down in a corresponding move. The team that is moved down cannot have accumulated any Tournament Performance Factor points in the previous three-year period. As a reminder, teams in Division 1 cannot move up any further.

Based on success in the last two seasons, there are 15 schools who will move up a division (pending appeal) in 2024-25. Of note, Waunakee got four points in D2 in 2021 then one point in D1 in 2022 followed by three points in D2 in 2023. Each division is summed separately, but since Waunakee has six or more points in Division 2, if their enrollment for 2024 places them in Division 2, they would be elevated to Division 1.

Similarly, Columbus got two points in 2021 and four points in 2022 while playing in Division 4. The Cardinals played in Division 5 in 2023, getting one point. Because they accumulated at least six points within Division 4 over the trailing three years, if their enrollment places them in Division 5 next year, they would be elevated to Division 4. If their enrollment places them in Division 4 next year, they would not be elevated to Division 3 because of the provision that prevents teams from being elevated more than one division from one year to the next.
 

Nine teams met the six-point threshold, though Oconomowoc, DSHA, and Appleton North are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. Teams that will move up a division (pending appeal) in 2024-25 are Howards Grove, McDonell Central, Xavier, Wonewoc-Center, Saint Croix Falls, and McFarland.

Of note, girls volleyball will switch to a five-division model in 2024. Tournament Performance Factor points will still apply as normal.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Eight teams met the six-point threshold, though Marquette, Hudson, and Verona are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. Teams that will move up a division in 2024-25 (pending appeal) are Oregon, Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran, Whitefish Bay, New Berlin Eisenhower, and Notre Dame. Of note, Oregon earned a total of eight points in 2021 and 2022 in Division 2, but participated in D1 in 2023. Should the Panthers' enrollment place them in D2 in 2024, they'd be promoted to D1; if their enrollment places them in D1, they would not move up any further.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Ten teams met the six-point threshold, though Stevens Point, Marquette, and Oconomowoc are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. Teams that would move up (pending appeal) in 2024-25 are Notre Dame, Kohler, Lakeside Lutheran, Shorewood, Pacelli, Winneconne, and McDonell Central.

As a reminder, the WIAA has provided clarification that both teams and individuals from teams who meet the point threshold will be bumped up divisions.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Eleven teams met the six-point threshold, though Muskego, Neenah, Kaukauna, and Slinger are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. Teams that would move up (pending appeal) in 2024-25 are Dodgeville/Mineral Point, Xavier, Lourdes Academy, Phillips, Boscobel, Notre Dame, Lancaster.

Reminder, the WIAA has provided clarification that both teams and individuals from teams who meet the point threshold will be bumped up divisions.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Four teams met the six-point threshold, though Westosha Central, Bay Port, and Middleton are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. That means Prescott is the only team that would move up in 2024-25 (pending approval).

Reminder, the WIAA has provided clarification that both teams and individuals from teams who meet the point threshold will be bumped up divisions.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Five teams met the six-point threshold, though Arrowhead, Middleton, and Neenah are Division 1 and cannot be moved up. Teams that will move up a division in 2024-25 (pending appeal) are University School and Xavier.

Reminder, the WIAA has provided clarification that both teams and individuals from teams who meet the point threshold will be bumped up divisions.

The teams, their points, and new projected divisions are below.

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.