September 10th, 2010
Realignment set for upcoming 2010-2011 basketball season.
The New England Prep School Athletic Council will have a new look this season as St. Andrew’s School head coach and NEPSAC boys’ basketball president Mike Hart confirmed the realignment has been finalized and will take effect in the upcoming season.
NEPSAC will add a sixth league abandoning the A through DD set-up of previous years and instead creating leagues AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D.
Triple A is essentially the old class A league minus a couple of defections. Eight schools make up this league moving forward in Brewster Academy, Bridgton Academy, Maine Central Institute, New Hampton School, Winchendon School, St. Thomas More School, and Northfield Mount Hermon School.
Classes A, B, C, and D were organized based on enrollment with any school who desired having the option to play up in AA.
While Hart says the realignment is still a work in process and could be adjusted following this season he says he believes the NEPSAC committee satisfied their goal of creating the “greatest good for the greatest amount of kids.”
“We finally have a model of classification where almost everyone agrees,” Hart said. “There were very few complaints. Three to be exact.”
Among the concerns were allowing longstanding private leagues to continue to exist even if participating schools were spread over three leagues. The most notable example is the ISL who will remain intact despite having their teams spread through AA, A, and B.
Hart said scheduling will be flexible during the first year but will be more strictly enforced by year two.
“It’s fair and we’ve created opportunities for kids to be successful and play in a good basketball league,” he said. “Each league is going to have exciting playoffs. Many teams have a chance to qualify for playoffs and possibly win a championship instead of having the same teams every year.”
2010-2011 NEPSAC Leagues
Class AAA
Participating Teams – Brewster, Bridgton, MCI, New Hampton, Winchendon, NMH, South Kent, St. Thomas More
Schedule – Each team is limited to 34 games including tournaments but is allowed to schedule any opponent they desire.
Class AA
Participating Teams – Holderness, Tilton, Kimball Union, Vermont Academy, Proctor Academy, St. Andrew’s, St. Mark’s, Worcester, Cushing, Boston Trinity, Brimmer & May, Lawrence Academy, Christian Heritage, Master’s School, Hotchkiss, Marianapolis, Wilbraham & Monson
Schedule – Each team is limited to 30 games including tournaments but is allowed to schedule any opponent.
Class A
Participating Teams – Andover, Exeter, Choate, Avon, Loomis, Brunswick, Belmont Hill, Deerfield, Milton, Salisbury, Trinity Pawling, Landmark, Taft, Tabor, Kent, Hopkins, St. Paul’s, St. Sebastian’s, BB&N, Thayer
Schedule – Each team is limited to 25 games including tournaments and allowed to play no more than six non-conference games “up” against teams from higher leagues. If a school’s location makes this a hardship, budgetary or otherwise, the school can appeal to the association.
Class B
Participating Teams – Nobles, Williston, Westminster, Suffield, Berkshire, Governors, Roxbury Latin, Rye Country Day, Portsmouth Abbey, Master’s NY, Kingswood, Canterbury, Cheshire, Brooks, Pomfret, Concord, Gunnery, Middlesex, St. George’s, Rivers, King, Groton
Schedule – Each team is limited to 25 games including tournaments and allowed to play no more than six non-conference games “up” against teams from higher leagues. If a school’s location makes this a hardship, budgetary or otherwise, the school can appeal to the association.
Class C
Participating Teams – Hamden Hall, Wheeler, Pingree, Cambridge, Gann, Beaver Country Day, St. Luke’s, Millbrook, Kents Hill, Harvey, Dexter, Hebron, Berwick, Storm King, Forman, PCD, Greens Farms, Lexington Christian, Marvelwood, Putney, Newman, Williams, Chapel Hill, Hyde CT
Schedule – Each team is limited to 25 games including tournaments and allowed to play no more than six non-conference games “up” against teams from higher leagues. If a school’s location makes this a hardship, budgetary or otherwise, the school can appeal to the association.
Class D
Participating Teams – Bancroft, Chase, Oakwood, Hyde ME, Cape Cod, Watkinson, Dublin, BU Academy, Wooster, Hoosac, Commonwealth, Rocky Hill, NYMA, MacDuffie, Darrow, ASD, High Mowing, Falmouth, Waring, Woodhall, Poughkeepsie, Learning Center, Waldorf
Schedule – Each team is limited to 25 games including tournaments and allowed to play no more than six non-conference games “up” against teams from higher leagues. If a school’s location makes this a hardship, budgetary or otherwise, the school can appeal to the association.
