NMAA finalizes reclassification lists

After hearing some appeals, the New Mexico Activities Association now has its final realignment and classification lists for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

Here are some of the noteworthy updates:

Class 2A football was going to be three, eight-team districts for the next two seasons, in keeping with the NMAA’s desire to have fewer (and larger) districts, as with the upper classes. But there were multiple appeals to ditch this approach in 2A, and so 2A will have 24 schools spread out across five districts instead. Legacy Academy is the metro area’s only 2A program; the Silverbacks will be grouped in a district with Capitan, Cobre, Estancia and Tularosa.

Grants has been moved from District 2-4A football to 1-4A after the Pirates appealed on the basis of extreme travel in District 1 which includes the likes of Lovington, Portales and Santa Teresa. Instead of the two 4A districts having eight schools apiece, District 1 will have nine — including Bernalillo, Bloomfield, Taos, Valley, Rio Grande, Manzano, Del Norte and Espanola Valley, plus now Grants — and District 2 will have seven. That league also has Albuquerque Academy, Belen, St. Pius and Valencia.

Pojoaque Valley was set to be a 4A program in the major team sports, but the Elks will be a 3A program instead.

POSTSEASON CHANGES: Wednesday morning’s NMAA Board of Directors meeting was extremely light on news developments, but one of the discussion items may be of interest to the masses down the road.

NMAA executive director Dusty Young said the organization was going to sit down and examine all of its sports postseason formats, and told the Journal that it was likely that perhaps some the playoffs in some sports might be tweaked in coming years.

Volleyball was one example of a change that might be coming down the pike. A suggestion has been made to bring back the district tournament in that sport, and also ditching the double-elimination format at state for one, 16-team, single elimination bracket.

“We want to explore new opportunities for our various state championship events,” Young said.

Young on Wednesday had his contract as executive director extended until 2028.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.