The Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) is the official sanctioning body of all public and some private junior high and high school academic and athletic competitions in the state of
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
. It is a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
and is headquartered in
Clinton, Mississippi
Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 28,100 at the 2020 United States census.
History
Founded in 1823, Clint ...
. The MHSAA is a member of the
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS's headquarters are located in White River State Park in Ind ...
(NFHS).
Responsibilities
The activities which the MHSAA oversees include chess, esports, debate, drama, speech, writing-prose, poetry, short stories, essays and music, both band and choral.
The athletic competitions of which the MHSAA oversees include archery, football, swimming, slowpitch softball, volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, powerlifting, tennis, golf, track, baseball and fastpitch softball.
The MHSAA state football championship games are contested in early December. The site alternates between
Vaught–Hemingway Stadium
Vaught–Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field is an outdoor athletic stadium located in University, Mississippi, United States (although it has an Oxford address). The stadium serves as the home for the University of Mississippi Rebels colleg ...
in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
,
Davis Wade Stadium
Davis Wade Stadium, officially known as Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field is the home venue for the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team. Originally constructed in 1914 as New Athletic Field, it is the second-oldest stadium in the Football Bo ...
in
Starkville and M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Classification
The MHSAA is currently divided into six classes. Enrollment is usually based on numbers from the
Mississippi Department of Education
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is the state education agency of Mississippi. It is headquartered in the former Central High School Building at 359 North West Street in Jackson.
The State Superintendent of Education is Carey M. Wr ...
. These numbers are considered official for classification purposes over a two-year period. For example, enrollment numbers submitted in 2016 would be used for the 2017–18 and 2018–19 school years. The largest 32 schools in the enrollment list are usually represented as Class 6A, the next 32 largest is considered Class 5A. Classes 4A, 3A and 2A are divided evenly in terms of number of schools. The remaining schools, usually those that have a student enrollment of 200 or less, would be Class 1A.
On April 7, 2022, it was announced that the MHSAA will add a 7th classification starting for the 2023-24 school year. Under the new system, the top 24 schools in terms of enrollment as per the Mississippi Department of Education will be in the new 7A classification. The next 24 schools will be 6A and the next 24 schools after that will make up the 5A classification. Classes 4A, 3A, and 2A are to have 40 schools apiece while the remaining schools will be under Class 1A. The reason for the change was that, according to MHSAA director Rickey Neaves, there is an almost 1,000-student gulf between
Tupelo High School
Tupelo High School is the only public high school in Tupelo, Mississippi. The campus consists of fourteen buildings, including a Performing Arts Center, separate buildings for social studies, English, math, sciences, fine arts, and a self- ...
, whom has 1,907 students as per the 2021-23 enrollment numbers and is currently the largest school in the 6A classification, and
Center Hill High School, whom has 1,047 students and is the smallest 6A school. Neaves also said that by adding a Class 7A, the student gulf between classifications would be shortened significantly.
See also
*
Mississippi Association of Independent Schools The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is a consortium of schools in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas. It is responsible for accreditation of its member private schools as well as governing athletic competition for its ...
References
External links
Official web site
{{Authority control
High school sports associations in the United States
High school sports in Mississippi