TOPEKA, Kan. (Release) – The KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament format and sites have been selected for the next two seasons. In 2026, the 1A Division I semifinals and finals will be played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. The 2A and 1A Division II semifinals and finals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia while 3A and 4A semifinals and finals will be played at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. In the largest school classifications, 5A and 6A semifinals and finals will be played at Koch Arena at Wichita State University. This will mark the first time since 1953 when state championship games of multiple classes were played at the same place. 

In 2027, both Divisions of 1A semifinals and finals will be played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Class 2A and Class 4A semifinals and finals will be played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The 3A semifinals and finals will be played at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. The 5A and 6A semifinals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia.   

Listen to the companion podcast to this release – KSHSAA Covered – State Basketball Format Change 

“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships.” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games.  With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.”   

The state tournament begins with the quarterfinal round which will be hosted at seven venues in five cities. To advance to the semifinals and finals sites, teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games which will be played at United Wireless Arena, Tony’s Pizza Events  Center in Salina, Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University, Koch Arena, Garvey Center at Friends University, White Auditorium, and the Kansas City Kansas Community College Fieldhouse in Kansas City.  

2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule: 

6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals – March 10 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals – March 11 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse) 

The quarterfinal round games are determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be placed as close to home as possible in the 28 quarterfinal round games across the state.  If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals. 

“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski.  “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.  Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”   

The dates of the quarterfinal games are March 10-11, 2026 and March 9-10, 2027.  The dates of the semifinals and finals are March 12-14, 2026 and March 11-13, 2027.  

Two years ago, the membership expressed desire through the October Regional Administrator Meetings to combine classes at the state basketball tournament. Each class individually supported this concept. Working with the host sites to ensure top level tournament management, it was determined that the best course of action is the final four in each class advance to the site of the semifinals and finals with state quarterfinal games being played in proximity to the higher seed at neutral/college sites. 

Copyright 2025 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com

Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy celebrated the 89 seniors of the Class of 2025.

This year’s graduates are charging into the future with bold ambition, especially in STEM. Among the most popular intended college majors are biological sciences, engineering, nursing, and psychology – reflecting a clear commitment to innovation, inquiry and impact. Their interests span from medical research and software engineering to mental health and environmental science. 

Every member of the Class of 2025 was accepted to a four-year college or university with many choosing institutions known for academic rigor and values-based education. 

● 34% of the class were admitted to highly selective universities with acceptance rates under 25%, including Dartmouth College, Boston College, Villanova University and USC. 

● 31% will attend faith-based colleges and universities, a testament to the strength of their spiritual formation on the Hill. 

● 49% will stay in California including 18 students entering the University of California system at campuses such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego. 

Additional highlights from this exceptional class include: 

● Four student-athletes are continuing their sport at the collegiate level in volleyball, equestrian, water polo and softball 

● Four graduates were awarded full-tuition scholarships, including a Posse Scholar and a QuestBridge finalist 

The Class of 2025 began its sophomore year still navigating the pandemic and rose again in the wake of the Eaton Canyon Fire. 

“The Class of 2025 was together on their Kairos retreat in Ojai when the fires began. They returned to a community forever changed, but what remains constant is their loving care for one another, and their classmates,” said Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Principal Rebecca Bostic. “We are so proud of the way they took care not only of one another but also reached out into the community to serve those in need of goods and services. We had several seniors who lost their homes or were displaced, and they were attending our Eaton Fire support meetings to encourage and uplift the impacted underclasswomen. They are truly an incredible group of young women.” 

“What stands out about this class is how fully they embraced their Dominican values,” added Bostic. “Instead of turning inward, they reached out with empathy and a true desire to serve. Their strength and spirit will have left a lasting legacy on the Hill.” 

As the Class of 2025 heads into the world, they do so as women of faith, integrity and truth, ready to make a difference in every field – and in every heart – they touch. 

To learn more about Flintridge Sacred Heart, visit fsha.org. 

Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy is located at 440 St. Katherine Drive in La Cañada Flintridge.

KENT, Ohio — The Kent State volleyball team will play 11 matches during the non-conference portion of the 2025 schedule.

Under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Haley Eckerman, the Golden Flashes will begin the season in Boca Raton for the FAU Invitational with matches against host Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina on Aug. 29, followed by a matchup with Texas Tech on Aug. 30.

Three matches at the Towson-Morgan State Invitational are slated for the second weekend. Kent State will battle New Orleans at Morgan State on Sept. 5. The Flashes will then meet the Bears at 1 p.m. on Sept. 6 and make the short trip to Towson for a 7 p.m. contest.

The following weekend includes matches against UTSA (Sept. 11) and North Dakota (Sept. 12) at North Dakota and a contest at North Dakota State (Sept. 13).

Short trips to Cleveland State (Sept. 18) and Youngstown State (Sept. 19) will conclude the non-conference slate.

The conference schedule, which was announced in March, starts with road matches against Toledo (Sept. 25) and Bowling Green (Sept. 26). The first home matchups at the M.A.C. Center are scheduled against Buffalo (Oct. 3) and Akron (Oct. 4).

Following the 18-match league schedule, the top six teams in the standings will compete in the 2025 MAC Tournament, which will be hosted by Bowling Green from Nov. 21-23.

Season tickets are currently available for purchase on KSUTix.com.

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On Wednesday, the University of South Carolina’s athletic department changed in a major way as Associate Athletics Director Charles Waddell retired. The long-time Gamecock had been with the athletic department in Columbia for nearly 20 years.

Following a three-sport athletic career at North Carolina (lettering in football, basketball, and track and field), Waddell played in the NFL before getting involved in sports administration. He also worked for the BIG Ten conference, Fayetteville State University, the Carolina Panthers, and Richardson Sports.

During his two decades in Columbia, Waddell saw South Carolina win seven team national championships (two each for baseball and equestrian and three for women’s basketball), its winningest stretch in its football history, a Final Four run and top-two win totals in men’s basketball, multiple NCAA Tournament runs in men’s soccer, three SEC Championships in women’s soccer, and several individual championships in track and field.

Waddell served under three athletic directors with the Gamecocks: Eric Hyman, Ray Tanner, and Jeremiah Donati.

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From the South Carolina Athletics release:

Intercollegiate athletics have certainly changed a lot in the fifty-plus years since Charles Waddell was a three-sport star at the University of North Carolina more than 50 years ago. Now, South Carolina’s Deputy Athletics Director is retiring and looking forward to the next chapter.

“I’m a team guy, and I like being involved in teams,” said Waddell, who came to South Carolina in 2006 and also served as the sport administrator overseeing a variety of sports, including football, women’s basketball, track and field, men’s basketball, and equestrian. “That’s what college athletics is about. You work with people, and you’re pulling for a common goal. The biggest thing I’ve gained from all these experiences is the people that come into your life, and you develop relationships with. Those relationships turn into friendships.

“Now, I’ll try to get a little more involved with kids in different ways, especially underserved kids and letting them know that they have an opportunity for a good life if they make good decisions. They can achieve more than they think they can sometimes.”

Waddell knows all about achieving at a high level. As a student-athlete, he may have been the Bo Jackson of his era after lettering in football, basketball, and track and field at North Carolina, where he graduated in 1975. He earned the prestigious Patterson Medal as a senior at UNC, which is the highest athletic award at the school. He earned All-ACC honors and All-American honors in football, eventually playing in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, and San Diego Chargers. Looking back, he can’t help but reflect on the challenges ahead with all the changes in college athletics.

“The growth that we’ve seen in college athletics and the money involved has changed the scope of what it’s all about,” Waddell said. “It’s much more of a business. It was always a business in college, but with the money involved, you now have more people from the outside that are getting involved with the athletes. Unfortunately, you’re probably going to hear more stories of kids who were taken advantage of or have blown opportunities. All the kids that get paid in college now won’t make it in the professional leagues, so this might be the most money they’re making for their entire life. Hopefully, we can get kids to do the right things by investing and setting aside money because their college career may be the pinnacle of their career. They need to have the right leadership and guidance.”

He credits his parents for providing him with great direction and advice early in his life.

“My dad was a janitor, and my mom cleaned houses and then went back to school and became a nursing assistant when I was in high school,” Waddell said. “She went back to junior college so she could provide assistance to other people. They were solid, hard-working, spiritual people. My mom threatened me that if I ever brought in a B for a grade, I wasn’t going to be able to play for my team. My parents gave us a good structure.”

Prior to coming to work for South Carolina Athletics nearly twenty years ago, Waddell worked in administration at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina where he was the Vice Chancellor for Advancement. Before that, he spent nearly a decade as the Director of Marketing and Sponsorships for Richardson Sports in Charlotte and was responsible for marketing and corporate sponsorships for the Carolina Panthers. He had previously worked as Assistant Commissioner for the Big Ten Conference. Among the many things he will miss about working in intercollegiate athletics, is the daily interaction with student-athletes.

“Getting to know the kids and watching games makes you more invested in it,” Waddell said. “You pull for them a little bit more when you know who the kids really are, as well as the coaches and staff. They’re not just co-workers; they’re friends.

“I just wanted to say thanks for the opportunity to come down and work here! It’s been a great run. Looking back at the success we had in our programs during my time here has been off the charts. I spent the most time with football, women’s basketball and track and field. (Former track and field coach) Curtis (Frye), (former football coach) Steve (Spurrier), and (women’s basketball coach) Dawn (Staley) are all hall of fame coaches. It was great being along for the ride with them.”

As he retires, Waddell looks forward to spending more time with family, including his wife, Sandra, his three grown children, and three grandchildren.

“I’m going to hang out and catch up with the family,” said Waddell. “I’ve got the grandboys who are involved with lots of stuff like soccer and basketball and now a little bit of football. Sandra and I might do a little bit of traveling, but most of what we do will be centered around those three grandboys.”