The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) is the regulating body for male Iowa high school interscholastic athletics and is a full member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Its female counterpart, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU), is an associate member. Iowa is the only state that maintains separate governing bodies for boys' and girls' athletics.
Sports overseen by the IHSAA are baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and wrestling.
As classifications vary highly across sports, they are included under the individual sport section.
Administrative staff The administrative staff that runs the IHSAA consists of the 7 members in the office of directors, and the 10 members of the board of control.
Board of directors (as of April 2026) Executive Director- Tom Keating Assistant Director- Jared Chizek Assistant Director Chad Elsberry Assistant Director- Todd Tharp Assistant Director- Andy Umthun Assistant Director- Tyler Lown Communications Director- Chris Cuellar
Board of control (as of July 2024)
Chairperson: Deron Durflinger, Van Meter, 2026 Vice-chairperson: Steve Pettit, Southeast Polk, 2028 Treasurer: Barb Schwamman, Osage & Riceville, 2027 Amanda Whaley, West Branch, IASB, 2029 Dr. Andy Crozier, Central Lee, 2029 Trevor Miller, Exira-EHK & Audubon, 2028 Brent Cook, Dubuque, Senior, 2027 Brent Jorth, Central Lyon, 2025 Eric St. Clair, ex-officio, Department of Education
Member Schools NumberSchoolEnrollment (2026-27 BEDS)1Valley, West Des Moines21312Johnston17613Southeast Polk, Pleasant Hill16914Linn-Mar, Marion16885Lincoln, Des Moines15966Northwest, Waukee16917Ankeny Centennial15318Roosevelt, Des Moines14289Waukee147510East, Des Moines133311Ankeny136712West, Waterloo125213Prairie, Cedar Rapids137114Cedar Falls130215Pleasant Valley, Riverdale132816City High, Iowa City124517Marshalltown118518Kennedy, Cedar Rapids121019North, Sioux City120820Jefferson, Cedar Rapids114121East, Sioux City109322West, Iowa City111623Senior, Dubuque105824Hempstead, Dubuque102425Bettendorf99126Ames107727Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines109928Ottumwa102729Muscatine96630North, Des Moines95731Abraham Lincoln, Council Bluffs93932Liberty, Iowa City102333Urbandale92434Central, Davenport96135West, Sioux City89236Davenport West87537Indianola84438Washington, Cedar Rapids81939Thomas Jefferson, Council Bluffs83940North, Davenport76441East, Waterloo80942Dallas Center-Grimes87343North Scott, Eldridge84344Norwalk80945Lewis Central, Council Bluffs77246Fort Dodge76647Clinton77248Mason City68949Burlington72350Western Dubuque, Epworth73251Hoover, Des Moines61752Storm Lake64353Newton63654Bondurant-Farrar63655Pella57956Clear Creek Amana, Tiffin62657Denison-Schleswig56858Waverly-Shell Rock54759Carlisle54660Marion53161Le Mars47862Spencer51163Boone51064ADM, Adel50065Oskaloosa46566Xavier, Cedar Rapids49167North Polk, Alleman47268Glenwood42669Ballard, Huxley45570Mount Pleasant38871Keokuk39072Decorah39073Grinnell37074Sioux Center39575Sergeant Bluff-Luton40176Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City37777Perry41078Winterset36979Fort Madison41580Gilbert40681Central DeWitt38182Webster City38683Knoxville34784Nevada34085MOC-Floyd Valley, Orange City34086Harlan32587Solon34888Independence37689Maquoketa32390Carroll34991Creston32892Benton Community, Van Horne36693Saydel, Des Moines30594Clear Lake35195Atlantic32496Assumption, Davenport40397Wahlert Catholic, Dubuque35498Humboldt32499Des Moines Christian358100Mount Vernon333101Fairfield320102Charles City294103Algona346104Washington327105Center Point-Urbana302106West Delaware, Manchester318107South Tama County, Tama322108Vinton-Shellsburg310109Hampton-Dumont-CAL297110Williamsburg294111Clarke, Osceola312112West Liberty308113Iowa Falls-Alden297114Waukon278115Anamosa278116Washington, Cherokee274117Greene County, Jefferson263118Spirit Lake283119Centerville260120Mid-Prairie, Wellman266121Okoboji, Milford250122Chariton264123Sheldon276124Central Lee, Donnellson267125Unity Christian, Orange City258126PCM, Monroe250127Estherville Lincoln Central233128Crestwood, Cresco242129Davis County, Bloomfield251130Clarinda261131Albia236132Oelwein217133Southeast Valley, Gowrie227134Eagle Grove206135North Fayette Valley, West Union227136OABCIG, Ida Grove219137Roland-Story, Story City249138Van Meter244139Forest City248140Monticello230141Mediapolis218142Shenandoah214143New Hampton225144Pella Christian240145Tipton214146Osage209148Western Christian, Hull233147Wilton215149Alburnett206150Kuemper Catholic, Carroll229151Camanche212152Red Oak199153Dike-New Hartford219154Garner-Hayfield-Ventura190155Clarion-Goldfield-Dows196156Woodward-Granger204157West Marshall, State Center201158Union, La Porte City192159West Branch212160Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont231161Denver207162Cardinal, Eldon204163Interstate 35, Truro195164West Lyon, Inwood196165Pocahontas Area181166MFL MarMac, Monona190167West Central Valley, Stuart193168Northeast, Goose Lake204169Treynor217170Jesup178171MVAOCOU, Mapleton162172Grand View Christian, Des Moines224173West Burlington196174Underwood181175Regina, Iowa City202176Columbus Catholic, Waterloo224177Cascade (Western Dubuque)180179South Hardin, Eldora177178Ridge View, Holstein163180Grundy Center164181Central Springs, Manly175182Central Lyon, Rock Rapids181183South Central Calhoun, Lake City197184Ogden160185Louisa-Muscatine, Letts175186Aplington-Parkersburg186187Emmetsburg184188West Sioux, Hawarden176189Durant154190Postville157191East Sac County, Lake View170192Pleasantville174193Hinton173194Sumner-Fredericksburg155195Rock Valley179196Panorama, Panora159197Sioux Central, Sioux Rapids165198Manson Northwest Webster169199Alta-Aurelia172200Hudson170201Beckman Catholic, Dyersville164202Tri-Center, Neola152203Nodaway Valley, Greenfield151204Columbus Community, Columbus Junction154205South Hamilton, Jewell146206Missouri Valley153207Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn158208Van Buren County, Keosauqua175209Maquoketa Valley, Delhi157210Lawton-Bronson206211MMCRU, Marcus139212Central Decatur, Leon128213Riverside, Oakland165214Lisbon139215Belmond-Klemme143216Logan-Magnolia160217Colfax-Mingo142218Bellevue145219Sibley-Ocheyedan136220East Marshall, LeGrand140221Wapsie Valley, Fairbank129222Nashua-Plainfield142223South Winneshiek, Calmar157224Sigourney149225AHSTW, Avoca154226Southwest Valley, Corning148227Madrid149228Danville140229Earlham123230ACGC, Guthrie Center138231West Fork, Sheffield149232Westwood, Sloan133233Mount Ayr115234B-G-M, Brooklyn121235Wapello121236AGWSR, Ackley159237Woodbury Central, Moville122238North Cedar, Stanwood111239Lake Mills134240IKM-Manning143241East Buchanan, Winthrop118242Woodbine126243St. Albert, Council Bluffs129244Pekin, Packwood127245North Butler, Greene117246Wayne, Corydon123247Akron-Westfield138248Lynnville-Sully124249North Mahaska, New Sharon125250Midland, Wyoming118251WACO, Wayland133252Saint Ansgar129253Boyden-Hull126254West Hancock, Britt126255North Union, Armstrong117256Clayton Ridge, Guttenberg133257BCLUW, Conrad118258Starmont, Arlington130259West Monona, Onawa105260South O'Brien, Paullina119261Ankeny Christian121262North Linn, Troy Mills108263New London125264Martensdale-St Marys113265Lenox91266Newman Catholic, Mason City108267Audubon113268St. Edmond, Fort Dodge120269Kingsley-Pierson97270Iowa Valley, Marengo113271Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars101272Baxter101273Boyer Valley, Dunlap97274Southeast Warren, Liberty Center97275Fremont-Mills, Tabor98276Calamus-Wheatland90277Northwood-Kensett97278Newell-Fonda130279Highland, Riverside101280Edgewood-Colesburg95281Bishop Garrigan, Algona98282Notre Dame, Burlington101283East Mills, Malvern89284East Union, Afton102285Montezuma104286Coon Rapids-Bayard96287Gladbrook-Reinbeck106288North Iowa, Buffalo Center105289CAM, Anita98290Turkey Valley, Jackson Junction80291Sidney101292North Tama, Traer92293GMG, Garwin96294Easton Valley, Preston103295Central, Elkader87296Belle Plaine110297Woodward Academy85298Springville96299English Valleys, North English93300Janesville107301Moravia88302Winfield-Mount Union93303West Bend-Mallard95304Bedford89305Melcher-Dallas67306Graettinger-Terril68307Riceville83308Dunkerton76309Don Bosco, Gilbertville97310Collins-Maxwell78311Waterloo Christian (now known as Cedar Ridge Christian)63312Lone Tree69313Griswold76314Exira-EHK, Elkhorn67315West Central, Maynard77316Rockford63317George-Little Rock82318Tripoli65319Glidden-Ralston69320Colo-NESCO78321Harris-Lake Park80322H-L-V, Victor62323Siouxland Christian, Sioux City87324Central City69325Twin Cedars, Bussey64326Hillcrest Academy, Kalona76327Murray77328Clarksville63329Kee, Lansing55330West Harrison, Mondamin54331Lamoni59332Keota59333Stanton50334Seymour44335Meskwaki Settlement School, Tama62336River Valley, Correctionville56337Marquette Catholic, Bellevue48338Holy Trinity Catholic, Fort Madison64339Ar-We-Va, Westside44340Hamburg Charter45341Mormon Trail, Garden Grove59342Paton-Churdan48343Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf40344Trinity Christian, Hull50345Prince of Peace Catholic, Clinton51346Isaac Newton Christian, Cedar Rapids43347Tri-County, Thornburg44348St. Mary Catholic, Storm Lake35349Moulton-Udell38350Heartland Christian, Council Bluffs57351Cedar Valley Christian, Cedar Rapids35352Valley Lutheran, Cedar Falls29353Tri-State Christian, Dubuque37354Morning Star Academy, Bettendorf32355Essex41356St. Mary's, Remsen37357Maharishi, Fairfield33358Ruthven-Ayrshire28359Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs21360Whiting29361Scattergood Friends, West Branch22362North Iowa Christian, Mason City23363Diagonal27364JW Reed Christian Academy, Des Moines22365Joshua Christian Academy, Des Moines28366Ottumwa Christian, Ottumwa25367New City Classical Academy, Bettendorf15368Coram Deo Academy, Davenport28369Strong Roots Christian, Indianola8370Empigo Academy, Des Moines15371Clear Lake Classical, Clear Lake23372Unity Ridge Lutheran School, Denison9
Baseball
The IHSAA, historically, has had 3 state baseball championships. Currently, there is only one: the Summer State Championship, whose winners are currently recognized as the State Champions. Historically, however, the winners of all 3 tournaments are given credit for State Championships. Iowa was the first State Association in the nation to hold a baseball championship meet in the summer.
Classification guidelines 4A- Largest 48 schools 3A- Next 64 largest schools 2A- Next 96 largest schools 1A- Remaining schools
State Champions Source:
Summer Tournament
The summer tournament was first held in 1946, with one classification from 1946 to 1972. From 1973 to 1980, there were 2 classifications (1A and 2A), and since 1981 there have been 4 classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A).