The numbers are in, and several schools will be changing their classifications when the New York State Public High School Athletic Association moves to six classifications in volleyball, soccer, basketball and baseball/softball, starting in 2023-24.

The largest school in the Times Hudson Valley coverage area, Newburgh Free Academy (2,868), will become part of the newly created Class AAA. Chapel Field Christian High School (68), the area’s smallest school, will remain in Class D.

The Highland Huskies (387) will remain in Class B in volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer and basketball, while neighboring Marlboro (504)– Class B across the board – will join the new Class A.

The Pine Bush Bushmen (1,280) will join Newburgh in the new Class AAA, while the Valley Central Vikings (1,059) will remain in Class AA. The Wallkill Panthers (729) a Class A in all sports except boys’ lacrosse, will move into the new Class AA.

The six-classification system for would move the largest 75 schools to Class AAA, and the 100 smallest would remain in Class D. In basketball, Classes AA, A, B, and C would have 140 schools each and 121 each in girls’ soccer.

Under the current system, the state’s 75 largest schools compete in Class AA and the 100 smallest compete in Class D. That leaves 187 schools each for Classes A, B and C in basketball and 161 in each of those three classes for girls’ soccer.

The number of classifications for football, cross-country, lacrosse, cheerleading, spring track and wrestling will remain the same.

The NYSPHSAA’s ad-hoc Classification Committee first proposed this in Spring 2021 looking for a way to, according to NYSPHSAA officials, “provide more equity amongst all NYSPHSAA championship sports and greater opportunities for students to experience a NYSPHSAA championship.”