By: Kristen Jadin, NYSPHSAA Assistant Director
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Executive Committee met on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs, approving several proposals involving State Championships, future championship venues and sport-specific regulations.
The meeting marked the first Executive Committee meeting presided over by NYSPHSAA President Adam Stoltman, who began his term on September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Mullins.
“The decisions made today reflect NYSPHSAA’s continued commitment to providing meaningful opportunities for student-athletes across New York State,” said NYSPHSAA President Adam Stoltman. “As our programs and championships continue to evolve, it is important that we remain focused on the educational value of interscholastic athletics and the experiences we provide for our member schools and student-athletes.”
Among the most significant actions was the approval of two additional State Championships beginning in the 2027–2028 school year: a Girls Wrestling Dual Meet Championship and Boys and Girls Swimming & Diving Team State Championships. The Girls Wrestling Dual Meet Championship will take place on Saturday of Week #30, the same weekend as the Boys Wrestling Dual Meet Championship. The addition represents another milestone in the continued growth of girls wrestling across New York State and expands championship opportunities for female student-athletes. The Boys and Girls Swimming & Diving Team State Championships will be conducted in conjunction with the existing Individual State Championships.
“The approval of these additional championships is another exciting step forward for our Association,” said NYSPHSAA Executive Director, Dr. Robert Zayas. “These decisions demonstrate our ongoing efforts to strengthen interscholastic athletic programs and provide the best possible championship experiences for student-athletes, coaches and communities across the state.”
The Executive Committee also approved six State Championship sites for the 2028–2030 championship cycle. Boys Basketball will return to Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls (Section 2), while Girls Basketball will remain at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy (Section 2). LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo (Section VI) will continue hosting Boys Ice Hockey, while Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton (Section IV) was once again selected for Softball. Wild Wood Country Club in Rush (Section V) and SUNY Cortland (Section III) will serve as the hosts for Girls Golf and Girls Lacrosse, respectively. The selections were made following a competitive bid process and recommendations from the respective sport committees and NYSPHSAA staff.
A significant change to the Association's Championship Philosophy was also approved. There is now a standardized qualification criteria for sports to qualify athletes for state championships. It passed by a narrow 12–10 vote. These changes are intended to provide consistency in State Championship participation and qualification procedures.
In Boys Wrestling, the Committee approved requiring Section-designated singlets displaying the assigned Section number at the Individual State Championships. Additionally, participation in Section or NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Championships may now count toward meeting the NYSPHSAA Representation Regulation for individual championship eligibility.
A Baseball proposal to allow pitchers and catchers to begin practice one week before the official spring sports start date was defeated. In Softball, the Committee approved requiring suspended regional and State Tournament games, excluding subregional games, to be completed through seven innings, or six and one-half innings if the home team is ahead, regardless of whether the game has reached regulation status.
The Executive Committee approved several Flag Football proposals, including classification cut-off numbers for the 2026–2027 school year. A waiver of NFHS uniform requirements at the sub-varsity level was also approved.
Additionally, the Committee approved a Handbook clarification regarding penalties for teams when an individual exceeds the maximum number of permitted contests.
The next NYSPHSAA Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 3, 2027, at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs.