A new venue for the Girls and Boys Cross Country State Meets, a schedule adjustment for the Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments, and continued dues credits to Member Schools were among the formal decisions made on Tuesday, Aug. 4 when the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors met for the first of six in-person meetings during the 2026-2027 School Year.
The first meeting of the school year followed a traditional two-day workshop of learning and information sharing at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort.
The Board of Directors affirmed an Executive Committee approval to hold the 2026 Girls and Boys Cross Country State Meets at Majestic Oaks Golf Course in Ham Lake on Saturday, Nov. 7. Majestic Oaks has been a longtime host venue for numerous high school cross country events.
The past three cross country state meets were held at the Les Bolstad University of Minnesota Golf Course, but the facility was closed shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 event when the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents opted to explore selling the property, which came to fruition in late June 2026.
The Board of Directors also affirmed an Executive Committee approval for a schedule adjustment for the 2027 Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments. The Girls Basketball State Tournament will be played March 24-27, and the Boys Basketball State Tournament will be played a week later, March 31-April 3.
Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus will be the primary venue for the two events. The schedule adjustment was necessary, in part, because Williams Arena was booked for the NCAA women’s tournament on March 17-20, 2027.
The Board of Directors also approved an Audit and Finance Committee recommendation to extend a membership dues credit to Member Schools for the fourth consecutive school year. Membership credits are funded by excess revenues generated from state tournaments, League sponsorships and broadcast and streaming rights. A total membership credit of $620,000 will be earmarked for the coming school year.
A base membership fee is $100, $160 per activity, and a $2.25 fee per student. The credits will reduce the activity fee by $30 and the per-student fee by $1.25.
In other Board of Directors’ actions:
Approved an Audit and Finance Committee recommendation to increase ticket prices for 2026-2027 State Tournament events to a base price of $15 for adults and $10 for students.
Affirmed the Executive Committee approval of hiring Dr. Jennifer Jacobs as an Associate Director.
Affirmed the Executive Committee approval to accept the Member School application of Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy and the Associate Member School application of St. Augustine School.
The Board of Directors approved a Resolution in Appreciation and Recognition for Service and Dedication to Renee Corneille, LeRoy Fairbanks, Jed Helwig, Brent Schimek, Brad Skogerboe and Jake Timm, who completed their service terms in June.
The Board of Directors approved the Speech Books and Topic for the 2026-2027 School Year:
Discussion Task: America As It Ages: The Challenges Facing Americans at Every Age
Prose: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2019
Poetry: Swing (Blink) by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess, 2019
Storytelling: Selected stories from Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org), a free e-book website
The Board of Directors approved five annual publications: The League Official Handbook, the Board of Directors Policy Manual and Guidelines, Region Secretaries Manual, Officials Policy Manual, Media Policy Manual. In a separate motion, the Board of Directors approved the Dance Team Rules Book for the 2026-2027 School Year.
“Through their hard work and decision making, this Board of Directors group has set a strong course for the coming school year,” said Board President Keith Cornell, the activities director at St. Michael-Albertville High School. “At the center of all they do is a deep commitment of service to the Member Schools.”
During the Discussion portion of the meeting:
League Staff shared an update on the timeline for Classification, Competitive Section Placement and District Football for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 School Years. The next deadline for the Classification and Competitive Section Placement is Sept. 11. That is the deadline for Member Schools to submit opt-ups for any team in sports or activities according to board policy. Completed applications for new co-ops or dissolutions of existing co-ops for 2027-2028 are also due on that day. In the District Football placement, Sept. 11 is the deadline when school information forms are due and when Member Schools must inform the League of new football co-ops.
League Staff shared the continued work on the development model, representation and potential areas of decision-making for the approved Bylaw and Policy Review Committee.
Spring Activity Advisory Proposals included updates on:
Robotics: League Staff shared information on a proposal that would lengthen the state tournament from a one-day, 36-team event to a two-day event. A second proposal would be to expand from 36 teams to 42. An additional six teams would potentially increase participation opportunities for approximately 90-150 students.
Girls Softball: League Staff shared information on a proposal that would implement an NFHS approved tie-breaking rule during regular season contests only. If a game remains tied after eight innings, each half-inning would begin with the batter scheduled last in that inning to be placed on second base.
Speech: League Staff shared information to rename the “Great Speeches”category to “Communications Analysis.” Within the proposal, eligible source material would expand beyond traditional speeches to include any written, digital or verbal communication intended to convey a message to an audience.
Boys Tennis: League Staff shared information on a proposal that would change the method of determining classification to an even class split with approximately 82 teams in both Class A and Class AA.
The Board of Directors also received informational updates on three Emerging Activities:
Girls Wrestling: League Staff shared Draft Policy Language on the maximum number of contests exception. Currently, a wrestling team may schedule up to eight team events for girls only without counting against the 16 dates/45 matches permitted. The proposal would create flexibility and eliminate the reference to eight team events and read, thusly: “A girls team is limited to 16 dates/45 matches in a season. All individual wrestlers must not exceed those limitations.”
Girls Flag Football: League Staff shared an update on the work of the Girls Flag Football Advisory Committee that continues to further identify an initial model and step-by-step process that could be used to move to full sanction. The next action step is to survey its membership regarding Girls Flag Football prior to its next meeting on Oct. 8.
Esports: League Staff shared an update after attending a preseason workshop last week in Rochester. The 2026-2027 School Year will be called a “shadow” year when the League will work closely with Fenworks, a technology company that provides after-school curriculum and competitive leagues in a Presenting Partner model. The League’s first Esports State Tournament will be held during the 2027-2028 School Year.
(info courtesy of MSHSL)
