2026-27 South Dakota Changes, Clarifications & Reminders
- Discontinue the State Team Dual Tournament at the end of the 2025-26 school year. The SDWCA will be taking over this tournament.
- One-year exemption for an additional weigh-in for those that qualify for the SDWCA Team Dual event to accommodate the transition from SDHSAA to SDWCA. This will allow boys to add an extra weigh-in for this tournament if they are selected. The exemption is only for this tournament if they actually attend and will only be available for the 2026-27 school year.
- State Tournament Seeding Clarification – Update language within the Wrestling section of the SDHSAA Athletic Handbook, starting with “STATE INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT” heading on page 12, to better reflect actual practice regarding State Individual Tournament seeding and alternates.
- Two-year weigh-in increase for Girls Wresting – Allow a temporary increase of events for girls wrestling from 15 to 17 weigh-ins/events. This is being allowed for two years, 2026-27 and 2027-28. Due to an increased number of girls wrestling, many duals are decided by forfeits and not matches. This hinders certain weight classes and girls to use weigh-ins to get forfeits in duals, but does not allow them to get the vital matches required to better themselves as athletes. Allowing a temporary increase for two years will allow girls to get the matches that they need while the numbers are still increasing.
South Dakota Modifications to NFHS Rules
- Allow three people in the corner instead of just two. The third person must be a Student Manager.
- Allow teams to weigh-in at home prior to tournaments and dual meets with more than four teams competing, rather than at the event site an hour prior to the event starting.