# Minnesota State High School League *Voluntary, non-profit association governing interscholastic athletics and fine arts in Minnesota high schools; defendant in a 2026 federal Title IX suit.* The **Minnesota State High School League** (MSHSL)[^2] governs and supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for its member high schools in [[Minnesota]]. Wikipedia's account describes it as a "voluntary, non-profit association".[^1] It has close to 500 member schools. Of these, 435 are high schools, and the rest include special schools and home schools.[^1] It is affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).[^1] The League's operating revenue comes from tournament ticket sales, broadcast rights, corporate sponsorship and tournament merchandise sales. It also oversees tournament officials and judges and runs educational programs for coaches.[^1] The League operates under an enabling statute, Minn. Stat. §128C.02, which refers to it as the "association".[^3] The project's validated claim:link rows record that statute as exempt from the Minnesota Administrative Procedure Act.[^3] Wikipedia dates the League's sanction as a non-profit by state statute to 1960.[^1] The record here does not tie that date to §128C.02.[^3] Since March 30, 2026, the League has been a defendant in [[United States v. Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota State High School League (Title IX)]]. The United States brought the suit under [[Title IX]] against the League and the [[Minnesota Department of Education]] in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, docket 0:26-cv-02078.[^4][^5] The case record identifies the instruments at issue as the MSHSL/MDE eligibility policies and Minn. Stat. §128C.02.[^4][^3] The action is listed as active.[^6] The record does not establish the merits of the case, and the complaint's specific allegations are not reproduced here.[^4] ## History The organization began in 1916 as the State High School Athletic Association (SHSAA), formed to promote and regulate school athletics. Fine arts programs were added to its remit later.[^1] The SHSAA became a member of the NFHS in 1922. In 1929 it took the name Minnesota State High School League.[^1] Non-public schools could apply for admission from 1974.[^1] For the 2015 season and after, the League set up geographic football districts for regular-season scheduling. These were meant for programs that struggled to fill an eight-game schedule.[^1] The League was the first state association to give official sanction to women's hockey, adapted athletics, robotics and clay target.[^1] ## Classifications Before 1975, schools of every size competed against one another. On April 17, 1975, member schools approved amendments creating a two-class competition structure.[^1] Under that change, the Board of Directors placed the 128 largest schools by enrollment in Class AA and all other members in Class A.[^1] In April 1983 the Board adopted a different policy. Schools enrolling 500 or more students went into Class AA, and those enrolling 1–499 went into Class A.[^1] Football has the most classes of any activity, reaching AAAAAA (6A).[^1] ## Postseason When the regular season ends, every MSHSL team is seeded into a section tournament. Each class divides the state into eight geographic sections.[^1] The League reassigns each school's classification and section every two years.[^1] In football, most sections hold eight teams, all of which reach the playoffs. In every other sport, all teams advance to the postseason.[^1] ## Activities Each sport under League supervision ends its season with a single-elimination tournament for a state team championship. Some sports also crown individual champions.[^1] ## Conferences Many member schools play in conferences. Under League rules, a conference must have at least five members.[^1] Conference standing does not determine postseason placement, because every team qualifies and sections handle seeding.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - The United States is the plaintiff in the Title IX action. The named defendants are the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League.[^4] - Judge [[Eric C. Tostrud]] is recorded as the judge in the case.[^6] ### What - The case is *United States v. Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota State High School League*, D. Minn. docket 0:26-cv-02078.[^4] The Justice Department announced the filing in press release No. 26-299.[^5] ### When - The suit was filed on March 30, 2026. It is listed as active.[^4][^6] ### Why - The suit is brought under Title IX. The case record names the MSHSL/MDE eligibility policies and Minn. Stat. §128C.02 as the instruments at issue.[^4][^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Minnesota State High School League* (revid 1365579109, retrieved 2026-10-26) — description, membership, revenue sources, history, classifications, postseason, activities and conferences of the MSHSL. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_State_High_School_League [^2]: Minnesota State High School League, *official homepage* — the League's own website. https://www.mshsl.org/ [^3]: Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, *Minn. Stat. §128C.02* — the League's "association" enabling statute. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/128C.02 [^4]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, *Complaint, United States v. Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota State High School League* (D. Minn., filed March 30, 2026) — names the MDE and the League as defendants under Title IX, docket 0:26-cv-02078. https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1433251/dl [^5]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *press release No. 26-299* (2026) — announces the filing of the Title IX suit against Minnesota. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-minnesota-protect-girls-sports-and-intimate-spaces [^6]: Clearinghouse, *Case 48004* — tracker entry for the MDE/MSHSL Title IX suit; records the judge and active status. https://clearinghouse.net/case/48004/