OHSAA Board Approves Preliminary 2026 Bowling Divisions and State Representation
At its April 24, 2025 meeting, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Board of Directors unanimously approved (8-0) the preliminary divisional assignments and state tournament representation for the 2026 winter sports season. This includes boys and girls bowling, which continue to grow in participation across the state.
Tournament divisions are based on enrollment data from the most recent EMIS count (October 2023) and include only those schools that competed in last year’s tournament. OHSAA guidelines stipulate that sports classified as individual—such as bowling—are eligible to expand to three divisions when 451 or more schools participate in the tournament.
For 2026, boys bowling features 459 schools, crossing that 451-school threshold. However, no discussion or action was taken during the board meeting regarding moving boys bowling to three divisions. Meanwhile, girls bowling includes 401 schools, just 50 shy of that mark, positioning the sport for potential divisional expansion in the coming years if growth continues.
Girls Bowling
Division I: 199 teams (schools with 227 or more female students)
Division II: 202 teams (schools with 226 or fewer female students)
Total Teams: 401
State Tournament Representation for 2026:
Division I: Central – 3; Combined East/Southeast – 1; Northeast – 5; Northwest – 2; Southwest – 5
Division II: Central – 2; East – 2; Northeast – 4; Northwest – 3; Southeast – 1; Southwest – 4
Boys Bowling
Division I: 228 teams (schools with 244 or more male students)
Division II: 231 teams (schools with 243 or fewer male students)
Total Teams: 459
State Tournament Representation for 2026:
Division I: Central – 3; Combined East/Southeast – 1; Northeast – 5; Northwest – 2; Southwest – 5
Division II: Central – 2; East – 2; Northeast – 4; Northwest – 3; Southeast – 1; Southwest – 4
While the current format of two divisions remains in place, continued growth in participation could prompt future discussion about restructuring the tournament format, particularly for boys bowling, which has already met the criteria for three divisions.