The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) made adjustments to the competitive section placements for the entire state at their most recent board meeting on Thursday, April 6th. For the 2023-24 and 24-25 school years, Hastings will see a few changes, most notably for hockey with both the boys and girls teams in Section 3AA. Swimming will also see a slight change.

Boy’s hockey will now be with Apple Valley, Burnsville, Cretin-Derham Hall, Eagan, Eastview, Two Rivers, Park of Cottage Grove, Rosemount and St. Thomas Academy.

Girl’s Hockey does not change much as they will be with Apple Valley, Cretin-Derham Hall, Eagan, Eastview, Lakeville North, Park of Cottage Grove and Rosemount.

Boy’s swimming will lose Woodbury in the section with Two Rivers taking their place. Apple Valley, Eagan, East Ridge, Eastview, Park and Rosemount are all staying.

Girl’s swimming loses East Ridge in the section and picks up Two Rivers as well. Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Park and Rosemount are all staying.

The MSHSL uses the following criteria the Competitive Section Placement process: 

• Determining MSHSL enrollments by using enrollment and free/reduced lunch information provided by member schools to the Minnesota Department of Education.
• Creating classification cut-offs for each activity to determine classes.
• Collecting and applying opt-up requests by member schools seeking to move up a class from their assigned class.
• Consideration and granting of appeals from member schools for teams to move down from their assigned class.
• Placement of teams into sections based on board policy that includes geography and balancing the number of teams in each section.

The sports that are part of Section 1A are: Nordic Skiing (Boys and Girls) and all of the adapted sports.

The sports that are part of Section 3A are: Lacrosse (Boys and Girls).

The sports that are part of Section 3AA are: Gymnastics, Swimming and Diving (Boys and Girls), Tennis (Boys and Girls), Tennis (Boys and Girls) and Hockey (Boys and Girls).

The sports that are part of Section 3AAA are: Cross Country (Boys and Girls), Golf (Boys and Girls), Track and Field (Boys and Girls), Soccer (Boys and Girls) and Wrestling.

The sports that are part of Section 3AAAA are: Baseball, Softball, Volleyball (Girls) and Basketball (Boys and Girls). (Side note, Hastings does not yet have a boys volleyball team. Boys volleyball was added as an new sport for 2022-23 school year.)

Football is the lone Section 3AAAAA sport and the section members do not appear to be changing.

Boys and Girls Alpine Skiing is the lone Section 4A sport for Hastings.4