CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors met to discuss options for concluding the Fall Sports Season, including the postseason calendar. These discussions were necessitated by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.
“Changes to the fall calendar are difficult as well as complex but necessary,” said NCHSAA President Dr. Stephen Gainey and NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker in a joint statement. “Keeping our student-athletes safe as we try to minimize risk of injury was central to any decisions made. We commend the work of the NCHSAA staff in its research, the Board of Directors in making time to consider these changes, and the willingness of our host partners to accommodate any changes and make their venues available.”
The Board approved changes and modifications to the schedule. Sunday practices and competitions are still prohibited. The calendar below encompasses the changes made by the Board. Playoff dates in bold reflect a change.
Women’s Tennis
Individual
Reporting deadline: October 14, 11:59 p.m. (revised from 3 p.m. to allow for an extra day of competition)
Regionals: October 18-19
State Championships: October 25-26
Dual Team
Reporting deadline: October 17, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 10)
Seeding: October 18
First Round: October 21
Second Round: October 23
Third Round: October 28
Fourth Round: October 30
Regionals: November 5
State Championships: November 9
Volleyball
Effective immediately, the weekly limitation is modified to allow affected schools to make up multiple postponed matches, not to exceed eight in a week. No change was made to the daily limitation.
Reporting deadline: October 19, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 16)
Seeding: October 20 (Sunday, after 1 p.m.)
First Round: October 22
Second Round: October 24
Third Round: October 26
Fourth Round: October 29
Regionals: October 31
State Championships: November 2
Cross Country
Reporting deadline: October 22, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 19)
Regionals: October 26
State Championships: November 2
Men’s Soccer
Effective immediately, the weekly limitation is modified to allow affected schools to make up multiple postponed matches, not to exceed four in a week. No change was made to the daily limitation.
Reporting deadline: November 6, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 31)
Seeding: November 7
First round: November 9
Second Round: November 12
Third Round: November 14
Fourth Round: November 16
Regionals: November 19
State Championships: November 22-23
Women’s Golf
The minimum number of nine-hole scores required to qualify for the Regional Championships was revised from five to three.
No calendar changes
Cheerleading
No calendar changes
Football
Effective immediately, a minimum of three calendar days (72 hours) must occur in between contests.
Reporting deadline: November 9, 11:59 p.m. (revised from November 1)
Seeding: November 10 (Sunday, after 1 p.m.)
First round: November 15
Second round: November 22
Third round: November 29
Fourth round: December 6
Regionals: December 13
State Championships: December 20-21
Special Provision
The Board approved one (1) additional contest for all sports with a season limit. To exceed the season limit of contests, the following conditions must be met:
Prior approval from NCHSAA
The contest cannot exceed the daily or weekly limitations
The contest must exceed the season limit for both schools
The contest MUST NOT be entered into MaxPreps