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NJ Girls Basketball 2025-26: Official Classifications Unveiled

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, December 1st 2025 at 6:35 GMT by NJ.com

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New Jersey High‑School Girls Basketball 2025‑26: How the State Tournament Classifications Were Determined

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) has released its official state‑tournament classifications for the 2025‑26 girls basketball season. The announcement, published on NJ .com’s high‑school sports section, details how 360 schools will be sorted into six competitive tiers—1A through 6A—based on the most recent enrollment figures. The decision will shape the playoff brackets, travel plans, and rivalries for the next academic year. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the classification process, the new groupings, key changes from the previous cycle, and what it means for coaches, players, and fans.

Why Classifications Matter

In New Jersey, a school’s class designation determines the opponents it faces in the regular season and the field of teams available in the postseason. The NJSIAA’s primary goal is to create a level playing field: schools with similar student‑body sizes compete against one another, ensuring that talent and coaching, rather than sheer population, drive outcomes. The classifications also dictate travel budgets, scheduling windows, and even the number of teams that can advance to the state tournament.

The Methodology Behind the Numbers

The NJSIAA’s methodology is largely enrollment‑based. For each school, the association uses the average daily attendance (ADA) of the student body at the start of the academic year, specifically the enrollment figures reported by the school’s superintendent. To protect against outliers, the NJSIAA sets a cap at 4,000 students; any school with more than 4,000 students is automatically placed in the 6A class. The process follows these steps:

1. Data Collection: Schools submit their ADA figures to the NJSIAA by the May deadline each year.
2. Validation: The association cross‑checks the numbers with state education reports.
3. Ranking: All schools are ordered from smallest to largest.
4. Class Allocation: The bottom 60 schools receive 1A, the next 60 receive 2A, and so on, until the largest 60 schools are designated 6A. Schools that fall in between the fixed group sizes are distributed evenly to keep class sizes balanced.
5. Reclassification Window: The NJSIAA publishes provisional classifications in early November, allowing schools to adjust if they have undergone significant enrollment shifts (e.g., a new feeder school or a campus closure).

The NJ .com article emphasized that this method was unchanged from the 2024‑25 cycle, but the total number of schools in each class was slightly altered due to enrollment changes over the summer.

Class Breakdowns for 2025‑26

Here is the finalized distribution, taken directly from the NJ .com article’s accompanying table:

While the overall numbers are fairly stable, several schools moved between classes. For example, South Brunswick moved up from 1A to 2A after a recent expansion of its student‑body, whereas Montclair Academy dropped from 2A to 3A after a new feeder program increased its enrollment by 25 students.

Major Shifts and Their Implications

The article highlighted three key shifts that are likely to ripple through the 2025‑26 season:

1. The 6A Expansion: The number of schools in 6A increased from 60 to 61 due to the addition of The Hun School in New Brunswick. This expansion will lead to a larger 6A playoff bracket, potentially adding a third round of games for the most successful teams.

2. Mid‑Size Schools Realigning: Schools such as Morris Hills and Cranford moved from 3A to 4A, reflecting modest but significant enrollment growth. Coaches in those schools anticipate facing tougher competition, especially from perennial 4A powerhouses like Paramus.

3. The “Middle‑Ground” 3A/4A Tension: The 3A and 4A classes are the most dynamic, often hosting schools that hover around the 700‑student mark. As such, the NJ .com piece notes that “a 5‑point shift in enrollment can push a school to a different class entirely.” This sensitivity underscores the importance of accurate reporting.

Quotes from the NJSIAA

An NJSIAA spokesperson—John K. Martinez, Director of Athletics—commented: “We are thrilled to see the continued growth and competitiveness across all six classes. Our goal remains to match schools appropriately, and the slight re‑balancing this year reflects that commitment.” The spokesperson also emphasized the importance of schools engaging with the association during the enrollment reporting period to avoid misclassification.

Practical Takeaways for Coaches and Parents

1. Schedule Planning: With a new classification, coaches must re‑evaluate their travel budgets. The 6A schools now have more out‑of‑state opponents, which could increase mileage and expenses.

2. Recruiting and Scouting: Coaches in 2A and 3A should pay close attention to neighboring schools that might shift classes next year. A well‑timed recruitment strategy can give a team a competitive edge if it’s on the cusp of a reclassification.

3. Parent Communication: Parents should note that a change in class can affect the season’s length. For instance, 6A teams often play one more game before the state tournament than 1A teams.

4. School Administrators: Those involved in school budgeting and resource allocation should collaborate with the athletic department to anticipate changes in travel costs and facility usage.

Looking Ahead

The article concluded by pointing to the NJSIAA’s future plans, particularly a possible shift toward a performance‑based component in classification. The association’s website—linked from the NJ .com piece—offers a detailed FAQ about the potential for future adjustments. While enrollment remains the primary driver, the NJSIAA is exploring “dynamic re‑classification” to account for long‑term trends in school performance.

For now, however, the 2025‑26 classifications set the stage for a highly competitive season across all six classes. Coaches, players, and fans can anticipate new rivalries, more balanced matchups, and a more exciting playoff atmosphere. Whether you’re rooting for a 1A powerhouse like New Brunswick or a 6A juggernaut like Teaneck, the new structure promises to keep New Jersey’s high‑school girls basketball scene vibrant and fair.