TSSAA Overhauls Division II Football Classification; Swallows Named New Board President

HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WGNS) — Significant changes are coming to the gridiron following a session of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Board of Control on March 4.

Major Shakeup in Football Rankings

In a move that will reshape the competitive landscape, the Board voted 10-2 to abolish the "success formula" previously used to determine Division II football classifications. Under the new guidelines, the AAA tier must maintain a minimum of 12 programs with remaining schools divided by enrollment

The Board also solidified the classification framework for the 2027-2029 cycle, opting to stick with the current Average Daily Membership (ADM) model. This "one-year snapshot" of enrollment data will remain the standard for placing schools into their respective athletic divisions.

New Leadership Elected

The meeting also marked a transition in provincial oversight. Grant Swallows of Warren County Schools was elected President of the Board of Control by acclamation. Joining him in the leadership ranks is Bryan True of Loretto High School, who was unanimously named Vice President.

Membership and Regional Adjustments

The Board addressed several school-specific requests and membership updates during the session:

New Membership: Lead Christian Academy was officially approved to join the TSSAA starting with the 2026-27 academic year.
Denied Petitions: The Howard School’s request to transition to 3A classification for basketball, soccer, and softball was rejected.
Athletic Co-ops: New cooperative agreements were authorized for Fayette Academy (Boys Track and Field with Fayette-Ware) and St. Benedict at Auburndale (Girls Lacrosse with Lausanne Collegiate School).
Softball Flexibility: Due to lower participation rates in West Tennessee, Division II AA softball programs have been granted the authority to self-adjust their bracket structures, provided they reach an agreement by April 1.

The Board also moved to approve a scheduled increase in officials' fees on second reading and tabled a request from Nashville Christian School regarding a wrestling region swap pending further feedback from neighboring programs.