The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the U.S. state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of competition by divisional separation of schools according to attendance population, and conducts state championship competitions in all the OHSAA-sanctioned sports.

Membership There are approximately 820 member high schools and 850 more schools in the 7th-8th grade division of the OHSAA. Most public and private high schools in Ohio belong to the OHSAA.

Structure

Districts The Association is divided into six districts, each with its own District Athletic Board, including the Central District, East District, Northeast District, Northwest District, Southeast District, and Southwest District.

The District boards conduct Sectional and District tournaments. The main OHSAA board conducts Regional and State tournaments.

Classifications and divisions Member high schools are divided into three classifications (A, AA, AAA). Prior to 1989 many sports held tournaments based on these classifications. Since then, each sport individually divides into numbered divisions based on enrollment, taking into account the total number of schools offering that varsity sport and placing an equal number of schools in each division.

The classifications (A being the smallest schools, AAA the largest) are still used to fill spots on the six District Athletic Boards (two representatives from each class).

The number of divisions varies based on how many schools offer that sport. Football has the most, with seven divisions (Division I being the largest schools). Three sports have a single division: Boys' Ice Hockey, Girls' Field Hockey, and Gymnastics. Beginning with the 2024-25 School year Baseball, boys and girls basketball, softball and girls volleyball will grow from four to seven postseason divisions and boys and girls soccer will go from three to five.

History

The OHSAA is an unincorporated, non-profit organization founded in 1907. Members of the Western Ohio Superintendents' Round Table had frequently discussed the need of a central organization for high school athletics. In 1906 they passed a resolution to appoint a committee, headed by George R. Eastman, the first President of the Board of Control.

The first OHSAA-sponsored state tournament, Track and Field, was held on May 23, 1908, at Denison University. Columbus North became the first state champions, finishing ahead of Dayton Steele.

The OHSAA is currently headed by a commissioner. Prior to 1925, the Board of Control officers handled duties now associated with the Commissioner.

In 1979, OHSAA adopted a bylaw prohibiting out-of-state students from competing in OHSAA-sponsored activities. This rule was affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the 1985 case Alerding v. Ohio High School Athletic Association, regarding St. Xavier High School students from Northern Kentucky.

Commissioners since 1925 H.R. Townsend (1925–1944) Harold Emswiler (1944–1958) W.J. McConnell (1958–1963) Paul E. Landis (1963–1969) Harold A. Meyer (1969–1977) George D. Bates (1977–1980) Richard L. Armstrong (1980–1989) Clair Muscaro (1990–2004) Daniel B. Ross, Ph.D. (2004–2018) Jerry Snodgrass (2018–2020) Doug Ute (2020–present)

OHSAA–sponsored sports tournaments

Boys SeasonSportTournament Structure# of Divisions1st Tournament2025-26 State Tournament Location Fall Cross country District, Regional, & State 3 1928 Fortress Obetz, ObetzMemorial Park, Obetz Fall Football Regional & State 7 1972 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton Fall Golf Sectional, District & State 3 1927(Spring sport 1927–1974) Firestone Country Club, Akron (Div I)NCR Country Club, Dayton (Div II)North Star Golf Resort, Sunbury (Div III) Fall Soccer Sectional, District, Regional & State 5 1976 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 7 1923 UD Arena, University of Dayton, Dayton Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State 2 2007 HP Lanes, Columbus Winter Ice hockey District & State 1 1978 Nationwide Arena, Columbus Winter Swimming and diving Sectional, District, & State 2 1928 C. T. Branin Natatorium, Canton Winter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State 3 1938 Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University, Columbus Spring Baseball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 7 1928 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron Spring Track and field District, Regional, & State 3 1908 Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Ohio State University, Columbus Spring Tennis Sectional, District, & State 2** 1922 Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason Spring Lacrosse State 2 2017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus Spring Volleyball State 2 2023 Wittenberg University, Springfield

Girls SeasonSportTournament Structure# of Divisions1st Tournament2025-26 State Tournament Location Fall Cross country District, Regional, & State 3 1978 Fortress Obetz, ObetzMemorial Park, Obetz Fall Field hockey State Qualifying & State 1 1979 Thomas Worthington High School, Worthington Fall Golf Sectional, District & State 2 1993 NCR Country Club, Firestone Country Club, Akron (Div I) Heatherwoode Golf Club, Springboro (Div II) Fall Soccer Sectional, District, Regional & State 5 1985 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus Fall Tennis Sectional, District, & State 2** 1976 Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason Fall Volleyball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 7 1975 Nutter Center, Wright State University, Dayton Winter Basketball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 7 1976 UD Arena, University of Dayton, Dayton Winter Bowling Sectional, District, & State 2 2007 HP Lanes, Columbus Winter Gymnastics Sectional, District, & State 1 1977 Hilliard Bradley High School, Hilliard Winter Swimming and diving Sectional, District, & State 2 1977 C.T. Branin Natatorium, CantonWinter Wrestling Sectional, District, & State 3 2023 Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University, ColumbusSpringGirl's flag footballRegional & State -2026Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton Spring Softball Sectional, District, Regional, & State 7 1978 Firestone Stadium, Akron Spring Track and field District, Regional, & State 3 1975 Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Ohio State University, Columbus Spring Lacrosse State 2 2017 Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus

**(Individual/Doubles only, no team championships)

Formerly sanctioned OHSAA sports Boys SeasonSportTournament Structure# of Divisions1st TournamentWinterWrestling-dual meetRegional & State32013–2020 (discontinued)WinterGymnasticsSectional, District, & State11926–1937; 1965–1993 (discontinued)

Past team state champions

Schools with most team titles

* X = single-gender school Rank# of titlesSchoolCity# of boys' titles# of girls' titlesYear of first titleYear of last titleTotals by sport1t68St. EdwardLakewood68X*19782025Boys: 38 wrestling, 11 hockey, 7 football, 5 dual meet wrestling, 3 baseball, 2 track, 2 basketball1t68St. XavierCincinnati68X*19572026Boys: 44 swimming, 6 cross country, 5 golf, 4 football, 3 lacrosse, 2 baseball, 1 basketball, 1 bowling, 1 soccer, 1 volleyball357Upper ArlingtonUpper Arlington282919372026Boys: 17 golf, 3 swimming, 2 baseball, 2 track, 1 football, 1 basketball, 1 ice hockey, 1 lacrosse Girls: 15 swimming, 6 cross country, 4 lacrosse, 1 basketball, 1 gymnastics, 1 soccer, 1 track449St. IgnatiusCleveland49X*19882025Boys: 14 soccer, 11 football, 8 ice hockey, 4 cross country, 4 golf, 2 track, 2 baseball, 2 basketball, 1 wrestling, 1 volleyball543MinsterMinster93419762024Boys: 4 baseball, 3 football, 1 golf, 1 track Girls: 13 track, 17 cross country, 4 basketball642HawkenGates Mills73519772022Boys: 4 swimming, 2 golf, 1 soccer Girls: 32 swimming, 2 track, 1 golf740Walsh JesuitCuyahoga Falls221819822023Boys: 8 wrestling, 4 golf, 4 baseball, 3 soccer, 2 cross country, 1 football Girls: 11 soccer, 3 golf, 3 softball, 1 basketball8t36GrahamSt. Paris35019302026Boys: 27 wrestling, 7 dual meet wrestling, 2 baseball8t36Columbus AcademyGahanna201619772025Boys: 12 golf, 4 track, 2 football, 1 baseball, 1 soccer Girls: 12 field hockey, 4 golf1035St. Francis DeSalesColumbus251019712026Boys: 7 soccer, 4 gymnastics, 3 wrestling, 3 football, 3 baseball, 3 lacrosse, 1 basketball, 1 volleyball Girls: 4 lacrosse, 4 soccer, 2 volleyball11t34St.Vincent-St.MaryAkron231119722022Boys: 11 basketball, 6 football, 2 baseball, 2 track, 1 wrestling, 1 golf Girls: 5 cross country, 3 basketball, 2 softball, 1 track11t34Thomas WorthingtonWorthington122219382025Boys: 3 golf, 3 soccer, 3 track, 1 baseball, 1 cross country, 1 gymnastics Girls: 10 field hockey, 5 gymnastics, 5 swimming, 2 cross country1333Brecksville-Broadview HeightsBroadview Heights52819812026Boys: 3 soccer, 1 football, 1 dual meet wrestling Girls: 26 gymnastics, 1 cross country, 1 volleyball14t31Archbishop AlterKettering201119782025Boys: 8 golf, 5 soccer, 4 basketball, 2 football, 1 cross country Girls: 5 basketball, 3 volleyball, 2 soccer, 1 cross country14t31ColdwaterColdwater191219832025Boys: 7 baseball, 8 football, 4 bowling Girls: 5 bowling, 4 track, 2 basketball, 1 volleyball1628Newark CatholicNewark171119782025Boys: 8 football, 9 baseball Girls: 9 volleyball, 1 basketball, 1 track17t27Canton McKinleyCanton23419372010Boys: 13 swimming, 3 football, 3 basketball, 2 baseball, 1 golf, 1 track Girls: 3 volleyball, 1 basketball17t27Archbishop MoellerCincinnati27X*19722026Boys: 9 football, 9 baseball, 5 basketball, 2 volleyball, 1 golf, 1 lacrosse1926Marion LocalMaria Stein20619752024Boys: 15 football, 3 basketball, 2 track Girls: 5 volleyball, 1 basketball20t25Bishop WattersonColumbus17819722026Boys: 5 golf, 3 baseball, 3 football, 2 basketball, 2 wrestling, 1 soccer, 1 lacrosse Girls: 5 field hockey, 1 lacrosse, 1 soccer, 1 cross country20t25Archbishop HobanAkron121319802026Boys: 5 football, 2 track, 2 golf, 2 basketball, 1 baseball Girls: 6 softball, 4 volleyball, 2 basketball, 1 soccer22t24Beaumont SchoolCleveland HeightsX2419862012Girls: 16 track, 7 cross country, 1 volleyball22t24East TechnicalCleveland23119202002Boys: 13 track, 5 gymnastics3 basketball, 2 swimming Girls: 1 basketball2423St. HenrySt. Henry15819792026Boys: 7 football, 4 basketball, 3 baseball, 1 bowling Girls: 7 volleyball, 1 basketball25t22Dublin JeromeDublin13920042025Boys: 10 golf, 2 lacrosse, 1 soccer Girls: 8 golf, 1 swimming25t22ElderCincinnati22X*19432005Boys: 12 baseball, 5 cross country, 3 basketball, 2 football25t22GlenvilleCleveland22019592025Boys: 19 track, 3 football2821Mount Notre DameCincinnatiX*2119952021Girls: 10 volleyball, 8 basketball, 2 golf, 1 soccer2920St. Ursula AcademyCincinnatiX*2019912024Girls: 9 volleyball, 4 soccer, 3 swimming, 2 golf, 1 cross country, 1 field hockey3019Gilmour AcademyGates Mills81119712026Boys: 5 golf, 2 ice hockey, 1 track Girls: 4 track, 4 volleyball, 1 cross country, 1 soccer, 1 basketball31t18Summit Country DayCincinnati12619952025Boys: 9 soccer, 1 baseball, 1 basketball, 1 cross country Girls: 6 soccer31t18VersaillesVersailles81019652021Boys: 7 football, 1 baseball Girls: 3 track, 3 volleyball, 2 cross country, 2 basketball31t18CentervilleCenterville61219282022Boys: 1 basketball, 1 baseball, 1 gymnastics, 1 hockey, 1 soccer, 1 bowling Girls: 5 cross country, 2 bowling, 2 golf, 1 gymnastics, 1 swimming, 1 track31t18MagnificatRocky RiverX*1819902024Girls: 10 gymnastics, 4 cross country, 2 track, 1 volleyball, 1 golf31t18BeavercreekBeavercreek9919412025Boys: 3 baseball, 3 bowling, 1 soccer, 1 swimming, 1 cross country Girls: 3 basketball, 3 cross country, 2 bowling, 1 soccer31t18University SchoolHunting Valley18X*19902026Boys: 11 swimming, 5 golf, 2 hockey37t17Bishop HartleyColumbus8919762016Boys: 4 football, 3 track, 1 baseball Girls: 5 track, 3 basketball, 1 volleyball37t17Pickerington CentralPickerington8919852025Boys: 2 football, 3 track, 1 cross country, 2 basketball