In the 2025-2029 school years, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, commonly referred to as NCHSAA, will undergo a giant conference realignment to accommodate a significant expansion from four to eight classifications. This change aims to create a more balanced and competitive environment by grouping schools with similar student population numbers. 

This realignment process involves multiple drafts as a way for schools to gain the opportunities to appeal their proposed placements. The first draft of the realignment process was completed in December 2024, followed by another in January 2025, the third one in February 2025 and the finalized draft will be published in the Spring and will be implemented in the 2025-26 academic year. 

Traditionally, conference realignment takes place every four years as a way to keep competition equal and adjust to differing school sizes. This will be the second conference realignment that Green Level endured, the first one being in the 2021-2025 school year. 

Green Level athletic director Colin Fegeley has high hopes for this realignment. 

“I see the conference realignment as both a challenge and an opportunity. Many of the schools in our conference will stay the same, but I think some adjustments will lead to balanced competition,” Says Fegeley. 

“It’s definitely an exciting challenge, and I think it could push our program and our school to new heights,” adds Fegeley. 

Regarding Green Level itself, our conference has adjusted to adding two new schools, Willow Spring and Jordan, and removing three previous schools: Cary, Holly Springs, and Middle Creek. Most other divisions have around 60 schools, but our 8A conference only has 32. 

The last draft was approved, and the final list of conferences for the 2025-2029 school years has been established. According to High School OT, this meeting lasted more than 10 hours, but after many drafts, appeals, and discussions, the realignment plan was finalized.